Food and Beverage
People can have food sensitivities without noticeable symptoms – long-term consumption of food allergens may lead to behavior and mood changes
Food Sensitivities: Food allergies affect about 10% of the U.S. population, leading to various symptoms. Recent research indicates asymptomatic individuals may still experience neurological effects from food allergens, resulting in behavioral changes like anxiety and depression. Chronic inflammation from allergens may contribute to long-term brain issues, highlighting the need for further study on food hypersensitivity’s impact on mental health.
Last Updated on October 16, 2025 by Daily News Staff
People can have food sensitivities without noticeable symptoms – long-term consumption of food allergens may lead to behavior and mood changes
Kumi Nagamoto-Combs, University of North Dakota
The prevalence of food allergies is increasing worldwide, approaching an epidemic level in some regions. In the U.S. alone, approximately 10% of children and adults suffer from food allergies, with allergies to cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts being the most common. Some patients have mild symptoms that might not need medical attention, leaving these cases unreported.
Food allergies, or food hypersensitivities, result from the overreaction of the immune system to typically harmless proteins in food. They can manifest as a spectrum of symptoms, ranging from itching, redness and swelling for milder reactions, to vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and other potentially life-threatening symptoms for severe reactions.
Besides self-reporting, food allergies can be diagnosed by exposing patients to trace amounts of offending proteins, or allergens, via their mouth or skin and observing their immediate reactions. More commonly, doctors use blood tests to measure the levels of immunoglobulin E, or IgE, a specialized antibody that the immune system uses to identify allergens and trigger a response. Although healthy individuals may have low levels of IgE in the blood, patients with food allergies have much higher levels that increase their risk of having severe allergic reactions.
But some people who test positive on skin-prick allergy tests with moderate increases in IgE don’t notice any allergy-related symptoms when they eat the allergen. This condition is sometimes referred to as asymptomatic sensitization. In many cases, people with this condition may not even be aware that they have a food hypersensitivity.
Are they truly asymptomatic, though? Or are there effects within their body that they aren’t aware of?
I am a neuroscientist studying how the brain is affected by food allergies. I became interested in this topic when I found that some of my family members had a hypersensitivity to cow’s milk. Some totally avoid dairy products because they have experienced severe, life-threatening symptoms. Those who don’t have typical allergic reactions occasionally eat dairy, but appear to develop seemingly unrelated illnesses a day or two later.
What I and other researchers have found is that food allergens can affect your brain and behavior if you’re hypersensitized, even if you don’t have typical food allergy symptoms.
Food allergies linked to behavioral disorders
Researchers have suspected food hypersensitivities to be a potential cause for behavioral disorders for decades.
A 1949 case report described behavioral and mood disturbances in patients after they ate certain foods, such as milk and eggs. Their symptoms improved after removing the suspected foods from their diet, suggesting that a food hypersensitivity was the likely culprit. However, I was intrigued that the patients had been able to eat the offending foods up until they chose to avoid them. In other words, they were asymptomatically sensitized, or tolerant, to the allergens.
Several recent studies in people have supported the association between food allergies and various neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. They strengthen the possibility that some reactions to food allergens could involve the nervous system and manifest as behavioral disorders. https://www.youtube.com/embed/xyQY8a-ng6g?wmode=transparent&start=0 The food you eat can affect your brain in many ways.
However, the idea of food hypersensitivity causing neuropsychiatric disorders is still controversial because of inconsistencies across studies. Differences in the types of allergies, ethnic backgrounds, dietary habits and other factors among the study participants can produce conflicting results. More importantly, some studies included those with self-reported food allergies, while others included only those with lab-confirmed food allergies. This limited investigations to only symptomatic individuals.
Food hypersensitivity, brain and behavior
My laboratory tested whether food allergens could manifest as behavioral symptoms, particularly in asymptomatically sensitized individuals. We wanted to find out whether eating offending foods could lead to brain inflammation and behavioral changes after sensitization, even in the absence of other obvious severe reactions.
To minimize the individual differences found in human studies, we decided to work with mice. We sensitized mice of the same age and genetic background to the common milk allergen β-lactoglobulin, or BLG, and fed them the same diet in the same room. We found that while BLG-sensitized mice produced moderately but significantly elevated levels of IgE, they did not show immediate allergic reactions. They could even eat food containing the milk allergen for two weeks without showing any obvious symptoms, despite maintaining elevated levels of IgE. This indicated that they were asymptomatically sensitized.
We then observed whether they showed any changes in emotionally driven behavior. Because we could not ask mice how they felt, we deduced their “feelings” by noting changes from their normal, survival-oriented behavior. Mice instinctively explore their environment to search for food and shelter while avoiding potential danger. However, “anxious” mice tend to spend more time hiding to play it safe. We identified “depressed” mice by briefly holding them by the tail. Most mice will keep fighting to get out of the uncomfortable predicament, while depressed mice quickly give up.
Our experiments were designed to simulate situations where asymptomatically sensitized individuals would eat either a large amount of an offending food in one day or small amounts every day for a few weeks. We mimicked these situations by placing a large amount of the milk allergen directly into the stomach of sensitized mice with a feeding tube, or giving them an allergen-containing mouse chow to eat the allergen a little at a time.
Interestingly, BLG-sensitized mice showed anxiety-like behavior one day after receiving a large amount of the allergen. Another group of sensitized mice developed depression-like behavior after eating small amounts of allergen for two weeks. In addition, BLG-sensitized mice showed signs of brain inflammation and neuronal damage, suggesting that changes in the brain may be responsible for their behavioral symptoms.
We also investigated the long-term effect of allergen consumption by keeping BLG-sensitized mice on the allergen-containing diet for one month. We found that IgE levels declined in sensitized mice by the end of the month, indicating that continually eating small amounts of the allergen led to decreased immune responses, or “desensitization.” In contrast, signs of brain inflammation remained, suggesting that the harmful effect of allergens persisted in the brain.
Chronic brain inflammation
Researchers have yet to study prolonged brain inflammation, or neuroinflammation, in people who are asymptomatically sensitized. In general, though, chronic neuroinflammation is a known contributor to neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease, although the exact causes of these diseases are unknown. A better understanding of the role allergens play in neuroinflammation can help researchers clarify whether food allergens trigger chronic inflammation that can lead to these diseases.
This knowledge could be especially important for patients undergoing oral immunotherapy, an approach to allergy treatment that involves incrementally ingesting small amounts of allergens over time. The goal is to desensitize the immune system and reduce the incidence of anaphylaxis, or life-threatening allergic reactions. In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a standardized form of peanut allergens to prevent anaphylaxis in eligible pediatric patients. However, its possible long-term effect on the nervous system is unknown.
Food allergens can affect the brain and behavior of seemingly asymptomatic people, making them not so asymptomatic neurologically. Considering how your brain responds to the food you eat puts a whole new meaning to the phrase “you are what you eat.”
Kumi Nagamoto-Combs, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Food and Beverage
Chili’s Drops a $6 “Bombshell Margarita” for July — Here’s What to Know
Chili’s is rolling out its July Margarita of the Month: the $6 Bombshell Margarita, available nationwide through July 31. Here’s what’s in it, where to find it, and what fans can expect from the limited-time menu drop.
Chili’s® is leaning into peak summer energy with a new July Margarita of the Month that feels tailor-made for group chats, watch parties, and post-episode booth debriefs. The chain’s Bombshell Margarita is available nationwide through July 31 for $6, positioning it as an easy, low-commitment add-on to a casual night out.
Inspired by the buzz of reality TV’s summer romances and the “did you see that?” conversations that follow, Chili’s is framing the drink as part of the moment—not just a seasonal menu item.
What’s in the Bombshell Margarita?
According to the company, the Bombshell Marg is a bright, sweet-and-citrusy mix built around:
- el Jimador® Blanco Tequila
- Monin® Dragonfruit
- Triple sec
- Strawberry puree
- House-made sour
The drink also comes with a custom “Bombshell vs. OG” swizzle stick (while supplies last), adding a playful, collectible touch that fits the theme.
Why Chili’s is tying it to pop culture
Chili’s says it’s seeing guests use its booths as the place to unpack the season’s biggest storylines—especially the romance-and-drama kind.
“We know our guests are breaking down the drama of the summer’s biggest romances with their friends, often sitting around booths right here at Chili’s,” said George Felix, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Brinker International. “The Bombshell Marg is a fun way for us to recognize that passion and be part of the conversation in a way only we can — serving a great, affordable margarita.”
The bigger strategy: Margarita of the Month momentum
The Bombshell Marg is the latest entry in Chili’s long-running Margarita of the Month lineup. The brand reports it served nearly 30 million margaritas in 2025, and the monthly drops are designed to stay culturally relevant—pulling from trending flavors, seasonality, and whatever people are talking about right now.
For guests who track each release, Chili’s also promotes its Margarita of the Month Club at chilis.com/motmclub, where members can collect digital stickers, build streaks, and shop limited merch.
Merch drop: “I got a marg!” tank top
As part of the July rollout, Chili’s is also releasing a Bombshell-themed “I got a marg!” tank top, available July 1 at welcometochilis.com (while supplies last).
How to get the $6 Bombshell Marg
The Bombshell Margarita of the Month is available at participating Chili’s locations nationwide for $6 through July 31. Guests must be 21+ to purchase or consume alcohol.
For more information or to find a participating location, visit chilis.com.
About Chili’s Grill & Bar
Chili’s® Grill & Bar, founded in 1975, is the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). The company operates 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories, with more than 70,000 team members.
Chili’s is known for Big Mouth Burgers®, Crispy Chicken Crispers®, and sizzling fajitas, and the brand says it hand-shakes more margaritas than any other restaurant brand in the U.S. Chili’s also notes it has raised more than $120 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital over more than 20 years.For media inquiries, contact media.requests@brinker.com
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Food and Beverage
Support Your Brain with a Peanut-Powered Snack
Peanut-Powered Snack: Young or old, all can benefit from giving the brain a healthy boost. Emerging nutritional science makes it clear that good cognitive function goes beyond mental exercises as food can help shape memory, mood and cognitive health.
Support Your Brain with a Peanut-Powered Snack
(Feature Impact) Young or old, all can benefit from giving the brain a healthy boost. Emerging nutritional science makes it clear that good cognitive function goes beyond mental exercises as food can help shape memory, mood and cognitive health.
A study published the “Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease” found adults 60-80 years old who did not eat peanuts and peanut butter regularly were 30-50% more likely to perform poorly on tests measuring learning, memory, language, processing motor speed and attentiveness compared to those who did consumer peanuts and peanut butter. Additionally, research published in “Clinical Nutrition” highlighted a study of college students ages 18-33 which showed consumption of peanuts and peanut butter was associated with improved memory function and decreased anxiety, depression and stress.
Peanut butter is the key ingredient in these Protein Balls, a snack time favorite with a pinch of protein that serves as a perfect pick-me-up after a day in the office or following your favorite workout routine.
Despite their small stature, peanuts pack a nutrition punch. Their unique blend of various vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds includes:
- Niacin, which can slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, according to the “Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry”
- Vitamin E, found to promote healthy brain aging and delay cognitive decline
- Resveratrol, believed to be beneficial in fighting against Alzheimer’s disease and other nerve degenerating diseases, per the “Journal of Biological Chemistry”
- P-coumaric acid, an antioxidant that appears to target the neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood, stress and anxiety
To find more ways to support your brain with the right nutrition, visit GAPeanuts.com.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
Protein Balls
Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 24
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups quick oats
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup dried, chopped cranberries
- 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt
- 1/4 cup water
- Using stand mixer, combine peanut butter, vanilla, honey, quick oats, flaxseed, coconut, cranberries, salt and water; mix until well combined.
- Form dough into 1-ounce portions and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
Nutritional information per serving: 130 calories, 7 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber, 60 mg sodium.
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Food and Beverage
Easy, Restaurant-Worthy Meals for Busy Days
Restaurant-Worthy Meals: When life gets busy, your home should be a place of reprieve, not extra stress – and that includes your kitchen. In seasons like this, rather than waiting for a table at your favorite restaurant or standing in line for takeout, turn to quick, easy recipes like this Garlic Parmesan Rice and Shrimp Skillet or Egg Roll in a Bowl.
(Feature Impact) When life gets busy, your home should be a place of reprieve, not extra stress – and that includes your kitchen. If you’re juggling work, chores, errands, hobbies, studies, a social life, caretaking or the other million-and-one things keeping your schedule full right now, the idea of spending an hour putting together a home-cooked meal might sound exhausting or downright impossible.
In seasons like this, rather than waiting for a table at your favorite restaurant or standing in line for takeout, turn to quick, easy recipes that offer nutritional balance and don’t skimp on flavor. By using pre-seasoned Minute Rice Cups – like the new, crave-worthy Garlic Parmesan to satisfy comfort cravings and Veggie Stir-Fry that lets you enjoy the flavor of takeout without the wait – you can have a flavorful base for your meals ready in 1 minute. You won’t even have to pull out the rice cooker or go scrounging in the spice cabinet.
If you’re craving a savory, cheesy dinner, this high-protein Garlic Parmesan Rice and Shrimp Skillet, ready in only 6 minutes, is an ideal choice for busy home chefs searching for that elusive balance between simple and sophisticated. Plus, the recipe can easily be adapted to your household’s tastes; try tossing some spinach or chickpeas into the skillet or swapping the shrimp for chicken or tofu.
To enjoy takeout flavors without the trip, opt for this restaurant-inspired Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe. Savor the umami notes of soy sauce and enjoy the convenience of tender onions, carrots and peas mixed into the stir-fry rice cup that forms the base of your meal. The toppings are what give this recipe its deconstructed egg roll vibe: flavorful sauteed cabbage joins crunchy wonton strips and a protein of choice for a bowl that comes together in just 20 minutes.
For more meal ideas to keep you going when life is moving quickly, visit MinuteRice.com.
Garlic Parmesan Rice and Shrimp Skillet
Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1-2
- 1 Minute Garlic Parmesan Rice Cup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- lemon wedges, for garnish (optional)
- Heat rice according to package directions.
- In medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shrimp to skillet and cook until pink, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
- In same skillet, add rice, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and heat through, 1 minute. Return shrimp and stir to combine.
- Garnish with parsley. Squeeze lemon wedge over top, if desired, and serve.
Substitution: Use sauteed mushrooms or crispy tofu to make vegetarian.
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Servings: 2
- 1 Minute Veggie Stir-Fry Rice Cup
- 1/2 pound ground turkey or pork
- 1 cup coleslaw mix
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup fried wonton strips
- 2 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce
- Heat rice according to package directions.
- In large pan, cook meat over medium heat 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
- Add coleslaw, garlic, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil to pan. Cook 8 minutes, or until coleslaw is softened. Add rice during final 4 minutes.
- Top with wonton strips, drizzle sweet and sour sauce and serve.
Tip: To add more vegetables, try mushrooms, bell peppers, snap peas or green onions. For extra spice, drizzle on sriracha or hot sauce of choice.
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