Nuts are among the most powerful and healthiest snacks you can add to your diet. However, these tasty, power-boosting, and healthy edibles have one downside, some people might be allergic to nuts.
Although people might not be allergic to all the nuts, the nut allergy is so severe that you should avoid eating nuts if you have it. You should also be aware of the symptoms of nut allergy and what to do if you unintentionally eat nuts.
nut allergy
Why do people have nut allergy?
Generally, a specific molecule in food triggers the immune system, which is called allergens. The immune system produces antibodies to detect the allergen and remove it.
Antibodies help the immune system recognize foreign substances that do not belong to the body. During this process, they initiate an inflammatory response and clear the body of the invader. That’s when the body starts to react to these functions.
Most of the time, people are allergic to the protein in the nuts. It’s the body’s immune system that overreacts to these proteins and considers them harmful and dangerous.
The allergic reaction a person has is because of this fight between the body’s immune system and the nut proteins, which are considered to be invaders. People with nut allergies might react to them even if they come close to the allergic nuts or touch them.
Which nuts are more allergic?
Tree nuts allergy is one of the most common food allergies people may have. However, most people are allergic to peanuts, which is a legume, not a nut. But most of them with peanut allergies are prone to be allergic to at least one tree nut.
People might be more allergic to nuts with higher proteins since the nut allergy is mostly because of the high amount of protein in nuts. The most allergic nuts are as follow:
- Almonds
- walnuts
- brazil nuts
- cashews
- hazelnuts
- hickory nuts
- macadamia nuts
- pine nuts
- pistachios
Although these are considered the most allergic nuts, people also might be allergic to the nuts that are not on the list. That all depends on the person’s immune system.
What are the symptoms of nut allergy?
People have different reactions to nut allergies. The symptoms might be mild, which are the feelings that may go away after a while, or the person can treat by consuming anti-allergic drugs, or very severe, which might need emergency medical attention.
The symptoms of mild reactions to nut allergy are as follow:
- hives
- swelling around the mouth
- vomiting
- stomach pains
- diarrhea
- skin rash
However, if you have a mild reaction, it doesn’t mean you should not care about what you consume. It’s important to avoid triggering the body to show these reactions.
The most dangerous reaction to nut allergy is anaphylaxis. People who are very sensitive to nuts might face this reaction. The basic symptoms of having anaphylaxis are as follow:
- breathing problems
- swollen tongue
- swollen throat
- difficulty talking
- wheezing or coughing
- dizziness
- collapse
- becoming pale and floppy
Even if you encountered one of the symptoms of anaphylaxis, seek medical treatment as soon as you can. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and needs to be treated very soon.
How long does a nut allergy last?
Symptoms of any allergies start from the moment you eat the food and might last as long as 2 hours. However, even if the symptoms are mild, it’s better not to wait until it goes away, as sometimes, if you don’t treat it with drugs, the symptoms might come back after a few hours.
In some cases, people might find out they are no longer allergic to nuts; they should still be careful about consuming adequate numbers of nuts to avoid any possible allergic reactions.
In such cases, it’s better to visit an allergist to make sure if you should still avoid nuts or you can start consuming them without any problem.
Treatments of nut allergy
Allergies don’t have any cure. But in case you don’t have a severe reaction to a nut allergy, you can treat the mild reactions by taking some anti-allergic drugs. But never use any medication without a doctor’s prescription.
Therefore, if you know you are allergic, see a doctor to make sure which drug is good for you and won’t put your life in danger. If you see a person is reacting to nuts and has any of the mentioned symptoms of anaphylaxis, call an ambulance and seek medical help.
How to avoid nut allergy?
If you are allergic to nuts, the only thing you can do is to avoid any exposure to them. Therefore, you should always be aware of the ingredients of every food you eat or let everyone knows you are allergic and can’t tolerate nuts in your food. Here are some tips to help you avoid nuts:
- Avoid direct and indirect contact with nuts which you are allergic to
- Read the label of the food and the ingredients in restaurants’ menus to make sure you are not allergic to them
- Let your friends know what to do in case you reacted to any food.
- Always carry your prescribed anti-allergic drug.
What causes tree nut allergies?
Tree nut allergies happen when your immune system mistakenly thinks nuts are harmful. When you eat nuts you’re allergic to — or something that contains them — your body tries to protect you. It tries to flush the allergen out of your system by widening your blood vessels and making them leak fluid. This causes swelling, which can lead to life-threatening symptoms.
What are the complications of tree nut allergies?
The most serious complication of tree nut allergies is anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. It can cause uncontrolled vomiting, difficulty breathing and a severe drop in blood pressure (anaphylactic shock). Severe anaphylaxis can be fatal.
all nut allergy
Diagnosis and Tests
How doctors diagnose tree nut allergies
Healthcare providers diagnose nut allergies by talking to you about your symptoms and performing allergy testing. Your provider may ask you:
- What symptoms you experienced
- What you ate and how much of it you ate
- When the symptoms started
- What you did to relieve the symptoms
- How long the symptoms lasted
- Whether you have other known allergies (to food, pollen, dust, pets, etc.)
- Whether you have eczema or asthma
- Whether anyone else in your family has allergies, asthma or eczema
Testing
Testing for tree allergies might include:
- Allergy skin test: A provider pricks your skin with tiny amounts of allergens, like different kinds of nuts. They check to see if you develop a reaction and measure the reaction.
- Allergy blood test: A provider tests your blood for IgE antibodies to suspected allergens. High amounts of antibodies to a type of nut likely means you’re allergic to it.
- Food challenge test: At a doctor’s office, you’ll eat small, increasing amounts of nuts that you might be allergic to. A provider will supervise you to see if you have a reaction.