Alpha Gal Recipes - Sage Alpha Gal (2024)

FAQs

What ingredients to avoid with alpha-gal syndrome? ›

Avoidance of meat, dairy products, and other products that contain alpha-gal. Individuals diagnosed with AGS should completely avoid the consumption of mammalian meat, including beef, pork, lamb, venison, goat, and rabbit. Many medications are made from materials derived from mammals and, therefore, contain alpha-gal.

Some alpha gals can enjoy ice cream without any issues. Others may need to opt for non-dairy and vegan ice cream products.

The alpha-gal sugar is present in mammalian meat and any products made from mammals such as lard, milk, butter, etc. People with alpha-gal syndrome should avoid eating or drinking these foods. However, tolerance varies. “It seems most people do fine with dairy.

Fish and poultry products (e.g., turkey, chicken, eggs) do not contain alpha-gal, so people affected by AGS can still consume these products.

Most reactions to common food allergens — peanuts or shellfish, for example — happen within minutes after you are exposed to them. In alpha-gal syndrome, reactions usually appear about 3 to 6 hours after you are exposed. Foods that can cause a reaction include: Red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb.

Grains. Offering a good source of fiber, grains are edible seeds that are all safe to eat on an alpha-gal diet. Start your day with a big bowl of oatmeal, enjoy this filling quinoa salad for lunch, and make grain bowls for dinner.

If you experience alpha-gal reactions to dairy products, dark chocolate might be an option for you. However, you'll want to read the ingredients list, looking for items like whole milk, milk powder, casein, and caseinates, especially if consuming dairy causes an anaphylactic reaction.

Nut Milks Like Almond Milk, Cashew Milk, and Macadamia Milk

Sage Advice: Some environmentally conscious alpha gals also prefer to avoid almond products due to the amount of water used to cultivate almonds.

Basic potato chip ingredients are potatoes, oil (usually vegetable), and salt. That is why Lay's original potato chips, original SunChips, and original Pringles are all safe snacks for alpha gals who crave chips.

What lunch meat is safe for alpha-gal? ›

Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, offers a lean and healthy protein option without the alpha-gal allergen. Fish, including salmon, tuna, cod, and tilapia, also provide a delicious and safe alternative to red meat.

Alpha gal allergy is currently considered by most allergists to be untreatable, other than avoidance of the allergen.

What's the Matter with Marshmallows? Regular marshmallows are made with gelatin derived from bovine or porcine sources, which can cause an allergic reaction in some people with alpha-gal.

The sweetness that is offered from the fruits will match easily with the decadence of a seafood meal, and for desserts with fish for a meal, the experience of fresh fruit is hard to match. Parfaits, bananas foster, pie, and other fruit based desserts are also often used for a seafood dessert.

Certain medications, such as a blood thinner (heparin), snake antivenom, and certain cancer medications (such as cetuximab), as well as mammal-based organ replacements (such as heart valves) can cause allergic reactions in patients with alpha-gal syndrome and should be avoided.

AGS should be managed under the care of an allergist or other healthcare provider. Most healthcare providers recommend patients with AGS stop eating meat from mammals, such as beef, pork, lamb, venison, or rabbit. However, not all patients with AGS have reactions to every ingredient containing alpha-gal.

If you are an alpha gal who can tolerate traditional dairy products, including milk, cheese, and yogurt, your health care provider will likely recommend that you keep those foods in your diet because they are good sources of calcium and protein.