Eczema and dermatitis are skin conditions that can cause rashes leading to severe itching, inflammation, pain, and skin scales and oozing blisters. Eczema is often related to diet, and changes in food can often help in managing the symptoms and frequency of eczema flare ups. The dietary changes to manage eczema and atopic dermatitis presented in this article feature specific foods to avoid in order to manage these conditions.

While working on dietary changes to manage eczema and atopic dermatitis it is important to consider trigger foods. These foods are those which trigger an allergic reaction and cause a flare-up of symptoms. One can identify such foods by elimination. These foods should be removed from the diet one by one to find out if there are changes in symptoms. If symptoms reduce after a certain type of food is stopped, then it can be the trigger and may have to be permanently removed from the diet. Certain trigger foods are easy to identify as their consumption can cause a sudden flare-up of symptoms like itching and rashes. The following are the foods to avoid for those who suffer from eczema and atopic dermatitis. As mentioned, not all these foods may trigger symptoms. What is bad for one person may not have any negative effects on another. If any of these foods affect you, then you can consider avoiding them:

1. Dairy products
Milk products can cause a flare-up of symptoms in many people, especially children. This is related to lactose intolerance. All dairy products should be avoided by them. They can consider soy milk products instead.

2. Nickel in food
One of the common causes of eczema is nickel. Food containing nickel can trigger the symptoms of eczema. These foods include beans, chocolate, lentils, seeds, shellfish, soybeans, and tinned meat. In case any of these foods cause a reaction, you must avoid them.

3. Foods high in sugar
Foods that have high sugar content can cause inflammation due to a sudden spike in the level of insulin. This can trigger symptoms. Store-bought juices, chocolates, pastries, and desserts with high sugar content must be avoided.

4. Nuts
Some people are allergic to nuts. While peanut allergy is quite common, there are some people who are allergic to almonds and walnuts. This is because nut consumption may release T cells that can cause allergic reactions.

5. Eggs
A common trigger factor in eczema is the consumption of eggs. Eating eggs can cause inflammation, and if you can, you should avoid consuming them.

6. High-fat foods
Food high in trans fat and saturated fat can cause allergic symptoms. Fast foods like burgers, pizza, and even processed meat can cause problems.

7. Citrus
Citrus fruits can trigger eczema/atopic dermatitis related problems in some people. They should avoid oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and lime.

8. Gluten
Gluten is found in wheat and other grains, and some people are sensitive to gluten and they experience allergic reactions. They must opt for gluten-free grains.