Monday, March 25, 2024
HomeTrendingAre Almonds A Common Allergy

Are Almonds A Common Allergy

Eating Out With Tree Nut Allergies

Food Allergy 101: Prevent Tree Nut Allergies | Tree Nut Allergy Symptom

There are some places where it may be difficult to avoid tree nuts. For example, you may attend parties or gatherings where bowls of mixed nuts may be served or you’re not sure how foods were prepared.

In restaurants, it’s easy to find out what dishes contain tree nuts and don’t. Don’t rely on the menu ask about the ingredients in whatever you’d like to order.

Cuisines that may use nuts include:

Restaurants also may use tree nut oils to make marinades and salad dressings.

That said, the risk of a dangerous allergic reaction is still there. For example, foods containing tree nuts may be prepared on the same surface as the nut-free dish you order. Make sure your server is aware of your tree nut allergy so this can be avoided.

Management Of Tree Nut Allergy: Medications And Allergy Action Plans

In the case of a severe allergic reaction adrenaline is the medication needed to treat allergic symptoms and should be given as soon as possible after symptoms of anaphylaxis are recognised.

Adrenaline autoinjectors, also known as adrenaline pens, are devices that contain the emergency medicine adrenaline that can be given in the case of a severe reaction to tree nuts. If you or your child are prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector it is important that you are shown how to use it by the doctor, nurse or pharmacist. All these devices are available as trainer pens from the adrenaline pen manufacturers and they all work differently. They are very useful for practicing or showing others how to use them .

Expiry dates should be noted and reminder services are available from some of the adrenaline pen websites. Adrenaline auto-injectors that have been used or due to expire should be replaced immediately. Allergy medication prescribed for a child with a food allergy should be documented on a written allergy action plan for the childs school or after school clubs or activities. Allergy action plans are individual to the person, listing their food allergies and providing advice on the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, as well as instructions on what medication to give and when.

Allergy action plans for children can be downloaded for free from the following website. These action plans need to be completed by a Health professional.

Keep A Record Of Nut Allergy Symptoms

Diagnosing an allergy can be difficult. If you think you or a child in your care might have an allergy, keeping a record of symptoms can help you and your doctor to understand what is causing them. Keep a diary that describes the symptoms, and when and where they occur. Your diary could include information about whether the symptoms occur:

  • inside your home, outside or both
  • for a short time or longer
  • at night, during the day or when you wake up
  • after you have had a particular food or drink
  • after you have taken a herbal medicine.

Also Check: Can Rabbits Have Seasonal Allergies

What Are The Different Types Of Almonds Used For

Bleachable varieties used primarily in manufacturing. Wide range of shell hardness, nut shape and skin color. Versatile. Used anywhere. An attractive appearance and a strong almond profile are important. A thin outer shell and smooth nut allow for easy and flawless processing. Medium flat nut with light color and smooth surface.

What kind of almonds are sold in India?

Mollar means sweet in Spanish. Mollar almonds are soft-shelled nuts. Also known as Mollar de Tarragona. These nuts are widely sold around the world, especially in India. Due to the soft shell and easily consumable nature of this nut, it is more usable. It has a long lasting flavor with sweat and a luscious taste.

Do I Have A Tree Nut Allergy

Dairy Allergy

Tree nut allergies are among the most confusing types of food allergies for Atlanta patients. The first stage of a tree nut allergy treatment plan is to avoid the allergen. But should you remove a single type of tree nut from your diet or consider avoiding every type of nut? Understanding how tree nut allergies work and what your next steps should be will help you make informed decisions about your allergy.

Don’t Miss: Can Deviated Septum Cause Allergies

How Do I Manage My Allergy

Since accidental ingestion of tree nuts and cross-contamination between nut species are common, eliminating all tree nuts from your diet simplifies allergy management. But to better determine whether you should avoid all tree nuts or only those to which you’re allergic, consult your healthcare provider.1 He or she also may recommend a plan that includes the following.9, 11-13

Your healthcare provider may direct you to take one of the following medications:

  • Epinephrine auto-injector when there are signs of an acute severe event, aka anaphylaxis . Ensure your family members know how to administer it in case of an emergency.
  • Antihistamines as a supplement may be useful in relieving mild symptoms however, they do not halt the progression of an allergic reaction.
  • Bronchodilator is a supplemental therapy for respiratory symptoms, especially in those with a history of bronchospasm or asthma.

If you’re with someone who’s having an allergic reaction and shows signs of shock, act fast. Look for pale, cool, and clammy skin a weak, rapid pulse trouble breathing confusion and loss of consciousness. Do the following immediately:

  • Ensure the affected individual is lying down with legs elevated.
  • Administer epinephrine immediately for any obvious signs of anaphylaxis.
  • Check the affected individual’s pulse and breathing and administer CPR or other first-aid measures if necessary.

Looking for more allergy info and management tips?

Eating Out With Peanut Or Tree Nut Allergy

The risk of accidental exposure to food allergic trigger/s can never totally be removed, but some simple precautions will reduce or minimise the risk:

  • Contact the restaurant, cafe or home cook that you plan to visit in advance, and let them know of the food allergy.
  • On arrival at arestaurant or cafe, ask to talk to the manager about any dishes that should be avoided,. Also ask them to let the chef know so they can take extra care in preparing your meal, to reduce the risk of cross contamination.
  • Don’t rely on the menu descriptions of what is in the food. For example, pesto and dips may have nuts in them, and many salads have nuts or seeds added for texture. Sometimes nuts can be added to gravies and sauces too.
  • Think about the cooking methods, possible cross contamination and the likelihood of shared utensils and cookware.
  • Teenagers or adults who are eating out can cautiously touch test a small amount of the food on their outer lip before putting it in their mouth. Tell-tale warnings such as a burning, chilli-like reaction, and tingling or swelling, should alert you to the possibility that food allergen is present.
  • If an adrenaline autoinjector has been prescribed, always have it and your ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis with you. For people who are not thought to be at risk of anaphylaxis and therefore have not been prescribed an adrenaline autoinjector, an ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions should be provided by a medical doctor.

Read Also: How To Treat Swollen Eyes From Allergies

Emergency Treatment For Severe Allergic Reactions

If you are at risk of a severe allergic reaction , carry an adrenaline injector such as EpiPen® or Anapen® and a mobile telephone.

  • Lay the person flat do not allow them to stand or walk.
  • Administer adrenaline with an injector into the outer mid-thigh.
  • Always dial triple zero to call an ambulance in a medical emergency.
  • Further doses of adrenaline may be given if there is no response after 5 minutes.
  • Give adrenaline first, then asthma reliever puffer, if required.

If you are at risk of a severe allergic reaction, make sure you:

  • Have an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis.
  • Carry an adrenaline injector to treat a severe allergic reaction.
  • Consider wearing medical identification jewellery this increases the likelihood that adrenaline will be administered in an emergency.
  • Avoid medication that may increase the severity of allergic reaction or complicate its treatment such as beta blockers.
  • Avoid the food that causes your allergic reaction.
  • Tell food staff about your allergy when eating out.
  • Seek medical advice from a doctor or clinical immunology/allergy specialist.

Why You Should Never Eat Almonds

Food Allergy Minute | Tree Nuts

Anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that can cause rapid blood pressure drops and difficulty breathing, can occur in people who have a severe allergy to almonds. An allergic reaction can occur if you come into contact with only one almond or if you consume only a trace amount of almonds in a single meal. If you have a tree nut allergy, you should always have an emergency Epi-Pen on hand, and you should avoid all tree nuts, including almonds, if you have a severe allergy.

Also Check: Will Benadryl Help With Seasonal Allergies

Are There Other Allergens I Could Be Sensitized To*

Some people with an almond allergy may also experience symptoms when eating other seemingly unrelated foods. This is called cross-reactivity and occurs when your body’s immune system identifies the proteins, or components, in different substances as being structurally similar or biologically related, thus triggering a response. The most common cross-reactivities with almonds are plant foods such as fruits , berries , vegetables , legumes , and nuts .6

If you experience an itchy mouth or ears, scratchy throat, hives on the mouth, or swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat after eating almonds or other related fresh fruits, raw vegetables, or tree nuts, you may suffer from Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome also called Oral Allergy Syndrome . This condition is caused by your immune system’s reaction to similar proteins, or components, found in foods and pollens.5 It is quite common, as one study suggests that up to 25 percent of children with allergic rhinitis also suffer from PFAS.8 Common pollen allergies that could cause OAS when eating almonds include trees weeds , and grasses.6

*These products may not be approved for clinical use in your country. Please work with your healthcare provider to understand availability.

Types Of Tree Nut Allergy

If you suspect you are allergic to tree nuts, it is important to visit your GP and seek a referral to an allergy clinic.

Tree nuts include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts.

There are two types of tree nut allergy. The first type is known as a primary food allergy. This is where a person becomes allergic to the nut through direct contact. Although the severity of the allergy can vary, this type of allergy has the potential to cause a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction .

You May Like: What Does An Allergy Test Do

Foods Made With Tree Nuts

Tree nuts are used in a variety of foodssome obvious, some perhaps not.

For example, milks like almond milk and main dishes like chicken with cashew sauce very clearly contain tree nuts.

But tree nuts are also often ingredients in baked goods, ice cream, cereals, sauces, and other manufactured products. You might only know they are there after reading the food label or asking the baker.

Some of the foods that always have tree nuts as ingredients include:

  • Nutella, made with hazelnuts
  • Nut liqueurs, including Frangelico, Amaretto, and Nocello
  • Turrón, a candy typically made with almonds
  • Gianduja, a creamy chocolate mixed with almonds, hazelnuts, and sometimes other nuts
  • Almond and other nut flours
  • Wintergreen and other nut extracts

As with many common allergens, tree nuts are sometimes found in unlikely foods. This list does not include them all, so be sure to read labels on all packaged foods before buying or eating them.

S For Almond Allergens Detection

Allergy to Almonds &  Sunflower Oil

Most of the methods used for the detection of almond allergens are based in immunochemical properties, DNA techniques and, lately, in Mass Spectrometry approaches .

The immunochemical methods are based on the interaction between immunoglobulins and epitopes present in the target protein. For almond allergen detection, lateral flow devices , immunoblotting and especially Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , are very standard methods and the usual techniques for quantitative and qualitative detection of food allergens . This comes from the fact that ELISA tests, for example, have enough sensitiveness for protein detection , being the main advantage of the fast assessment, which is important for clinical purposes . Several immunological commercial kits, such as the ones exemplified in Table 3, have been developed with the objective of delivering the most sensitive result in the shortest amount of time. As seen in the kits characteristics, ELISA-based methods provide more sensitive results, as their limit of detection is lower than the LFD-based kits. However, the assay time is longer for the ELISA cases. Taking this into consideration, the assay type should be taken into serious consideration, according to the situation that are supposed to be used.

Also Check: What Color Is Allergy Snot

Diagnosing A Tree Nut Allergy

It is important to seek advice from a Healthcare professional if a tree nut allergy is suspected. In the first instance, this will usually be your GP. They may arrange for allergy testing to be carried out or refer you to a specialist allergy service for skin prick testing and/or specific IgE blood testing to tree nuts. These tests help determine if a food allergy is likely although a positive test on its own does not diagnose food allergy. Allergy tests cannot predict how mild or severe an allergic reaction will be, or when an allergic reaction is likely to happen.

Alternative types of allergy testing other than those recommended by a Healthcare professional are not advised as these may be from an unreliable source with no value in diagnosing allergy and could lead to removing food from the diet that does not actually need to be avoided. If you are unsure, call Allergy UKs Helpline to be signposted to your nearest NHS or Private allergy service.

*If you have had cause for concern over tree nut allergy and have been avoiding these nuts, it is important not to reintroduce tree nuts back into the diet without medical advice. Advice on whether it is safe to eat specific tree nuts and whether there is a need to avoid peanut should be sought from your GP/allergy specialist*.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of An Allergic Reaction To Treenuts

Signs and symptoms usually occur within minutes of contact with tree nuts, but can also occur up to two hours later. Most allergic reactions to tree nuts are mild but for some people they can also be moderate or severe. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction which can be life threatening.

Mild to moderate symptoms include:

  • Itchy mouth, tongue and throat
  • Swelling of lips, around the eyes or face
  • Red raised itchy rash
  • Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea
  • Runny nose and sneezing

Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

  • Swelling of the tongue and/or throat
  • Difficulty in swallowing or speaking
  • Change in voice
  • Wheeze or persistent cough
  • Difficult or noisy breathing
  • Dizziness, collapse, loss of consciousness
  • Pale, floppy, sudden sleepiness in babies.

Any one or more of the severe symptoms are a sign of a severe allergic reaction and should be treated as a medical emergency. If available, an adrenaline auto-injector device should be given without delay and an ambulance called. It is important to tell the operator that the person is having anaphylaxis, so medical advice and priority can be initiated.

Please see our Factsheet on anaphylaxis and severe allergic reactions for more information and guidance on what to do when these severe symptoms occur.

Don’t Miss: How To Help Allergies Naturally

Detection Of Almond Allergens

Several methods have been developed for almond allergen detection, mainly based on immunochemical, DNA-based techniques, and mass spectrometry .

3.1.1. Immunochemical Methods

Immunochemical methods have been used to detect allergens in food by precise binding between epitopes present on the target protein and an immunoglobulin. These methods, primarily ELISAs, have become the standard for qualitative and quantitative detection of allergen in food products . ELISA detects protein and is sufficiently sensitive , thus providing rapid assessments . A number of immunochemical methods have been used for almond allergen detection, including ELISA, lateral flow devices and immunoblotting.

ELISA Methods
Lateral Flow Devices or Dipstick Assays

These are based on the same principle as ELISA but are simpler and faster and used by industry for rapid allergen screening . The results are primarily qualitative or semi-quantitative so the drawbacks with this method are the potential for false negatives and lack of quantitative data. However, these tests provide quick on-site detection of almond allergens within minutes. For example, detection down to 1 ppm in 10 min.

Immunoblotting

3.1.2. DNA-Based Methods

3.1.3. Mass Spectrometry -Based Methods

3.1.4. Allergen Microarrays

3.1.5. Adenosine Tri-Phosphate and Total Protein Methods

Difference Between Almonds And Peanuts

Diagnosing nut allergies: Should all tree nuts be avoided?

Although peanuts seem like members of the same nut family as almonds, they aren’t. Peanuts are legumes, a separate plant family that includes lentils, beans, soy and peas like green split peas.

By contrast, almonds are a tree nut, as are walnuts, cashews, pecans and macadamia nuts. According to Food Allergy Research & Education, an allergy to a legume like peanuts is not a certain indicator that you will also be allergic to a tree nut, such as almonds.

Don’t Miss: Can You Develop A Nut Allergy Later In Life

Get Allergy Tested At Northeast Allergy

With the help of an allergist, your symptoms usually can be prevented or controlled with major improvement in quality of life. The first thing an allergist will want to do is perform tests to determine what allergens are involved. Once that is addressed, they will develop a treatment plan for your individual condition with the goal of you living symptom-free!

At Northeast Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, we can now desensitize to peanut, milk and egg-containing foods. If a patient has an accidental small amount of any of these foods, desensitization can help protect them from developing a severe allergic reaction. It is important to note that these treatments take a lot of time and multiple office visits to ensure the treatment is given safely and effectively. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular