20 Foods That Can Cause Allergies: The Major 9 and More

There is no single, medically accepted ranking of the “20 most common” food allergies, but the clearest place to start is with the nine major allergens identified in U.S. food-labeling rules: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, crustacean shellfish, and sesame. These are categories rather than a ranking, and a reaction to one food in a category does not automatically mean you will react to every food in it.

To make a practical list of 20 foods to keep in mind, add corn, rice, oats, beef, pork, chicken, apples, peaches, kiwi, bananas, and avocado to the nine above. These eleven are not the “next most common” in a verified order; they are examples of foods that can cause allergic reactions in some people, and symptoms after eating them can have causes other than an allergy.

If you notice hives, itching, or swelling after a meal, write down what you ate, when symptoms began, and whether the food contained a major allergen or an ingredient you may have overlooked. Our Beauty Checklist: Food Allergies & Skin Reactions is a related resource for thinking through food triggers and skin reactions, but a clinician or allergist can help you determine what needs evaluation rather than having you remove many foods on your own.

Seek emergency care for breathing trouble, throat tightness, faintness, or symptoms affecting more than one part of the body after eating. Once you know which food you need to avoid, read ingredient labels every time you shop, because recipes and packaged-food ingredients can change.