Looking for a fun way to share what you know about your own food allergies? Or are you hoping to educate the people around you in a fun way about what it’s like to live with a food allergy? A science fair is the perfect place to share with your peers (and judges!) what you know about how a body with food allergies works differently.
What Is A Histamine and How Does It Work?
When you have an allergic reaction, you take medication. What is the reaction and why does the medication work? What are the different types of medication a person can take? From Benadryl to the EpiPen, different medications are used in different ways to address different types of reactions. You can use a demonstration or model to show how they work.
What Are Hives?
Almost everyone has experienced having hives. But does everyone know why they happen? You can use sponges to represent skin cells. Put a dozen or more dry sponges on a cookie sheet then pour a small amount of water in the pan. There will be enough water to make some sponges swell but not all. This is just like your skin. You can take photos of the experiment or demonstrate it for the class.
Nutrition and Food Allergies
When a person with allergies must avoid certain foods, he or she is missing out on specific vitamins and nutrients that food provides. Take a look at the nutrients an allergen provides. For instance, peanuts have a lot of potassium. Where else can potassium be found?
Wheat has a lot of iron which is good for blood cells. Where else can a person find iron? Dairy has calcium, which is good for bone growth. Where else can you find calcium? You can use sample diets and real recipes to illustrate the need for proper balance even on a restricted diet.
Can You Taste The Difference?
This one is just fun. A sample of rice bread compared to wheat bread or almond butter compared to peanut butter. Soy milk compared to cow milk. Take some time to let people taste the difference. Take a taste test and show the results. Show people that substitutes – for health and nutrition – are easier than they might think.