Navigating Nickel Allergy in Turkish Restaurants: Your Essential Guide

Dining with a nickel allergy in Turkey requires extra vigilance due to common nickel-containing ingredients in traditional cuisine. This guide empowers you to enjoy Türkiye's vibrant food culture safely.

Why Turkey Poses Challenges

Turkish cuisine relies heavily on nickel-rich foods:

• Whole grains (bulgur, whole wheat bread)
• Legumes (lentils, chickpeas in hummus and soups)
• Seeds/nuts (especially sesame in tahini and simit)
• Shellfish and canned fish
• Vegetables grown in nickel-rich soil

The mm food App Solution

Our technology simplifies safe dining:

1. Menu Translation: Instantly translates Turkish menus into your native language with nutritional insights
2. Allergy Screening: Input restrictions (including custom nickel triggers), then get dish risk assessments
3. Safe Suggestions: AI flags low-nickel options based on ingredient analysis

Proactive Dining Strategies

Before Ordering

• Ask servers about cooking vessels (avoid uncoated steel pots)
• Scan dishes like şakşuka (fried veggies) and çiğ köfte (raw meatballs) cautiously via app
• Favor olive oil over seed oils in mezes

Safer Menu Choices

✓ Grilled fresh fish (avoid sardines/mackerel)
✓ Yogurt-based dips like cacık
✓ Kebabs without spice blends containing seeds
✓ Fresh fruits (peeled)
✓ Rice pilaf over bulgur

High-Risk Dishes

✗ Baklava (nuts + sesame paste)
✗ Mercimek çorbası (lentil soup)
✗ Tahini-based sauces
✗ Packaged beverages (nickel leaching from cans)

Communication Tips

Learn key Turkish phrases:
"Nikel alerjim var" (I have a nickel allergy)
"Yemekleriniz çelik tencerelerde mi pişiyor?" (Are foods cooked in steel pots?)

Always confirm with restaurant staff, even when our app identifies low-risk options. Water filtration before cooking also matters! With mm food's real-time menu scanning and custom restriction alerts, you'll safely savor Turkey's incredible flavors without the guesswork.