Nut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. It’s listed among the “top 8” food allergies which are estimated to underlie 90 percent of all food allergies. The list includes fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and peanuts. (Note that peanuts are actually a legume, not a true nut.)
While most childhood allergies (such as to milk and eggs) are naturally outgrown, nut allergies tend to linger into adulthood. In fact, only about 10 percent of people naturally outgrown tree nut allergies.
The immune system of a person with nut allergy mistakenly identifies the nuts as harmful objects once they enter the body and releases histamines and other chemicals to attack them. These chemicals lead to a host of symptoms:
Skin Reactions:
- Hives
- Rashes
- Redness and tenderness
- Swelling of the extremities
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Stuffy or runny nose
Digestive Complications:
- Nausea
- Stomach Cramps
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Other symptoms include itchy and watery eyes, difficulty in breathing, and in some rare cases, full-blown anaphylaxis (which can be fatal).
Managing Nut Allergies
If you or your child suffers from a nut allergy, the most efficient way to handle it is to avoid consuming nuts or anything that may contain nut allergens such as nut oils and butters. Allergists recommend reading food labels first before consuming any food product.
The Federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires all food product manufacturers to clearly identify nut-related ingredients on a product’s label. If a product contains nuts or was manufactured in a facility that produces other products containing nuts, manufacturers must properly identify possible nut exposure on the label.
Aside from avoiding nut consumption and reading food labels carefully, experts also recommend consulting an allergist. And while there was not formerly a treatment for nut allergy, sublingual immunotherapy (similar to allergy shots but uses oral drops) has been found to be effective in minimizing the effects of nut allergies. Contact AllergyEasy for more details.
