You May Be Allergic To Certain Fruits And Vegetables Because Of Your Immune System

Does your mouth feel swollen or tingly after eating a banana? Do your ears feel itchy after eating a cucumber? Many fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other food products can cause these strange, mild allergic reactions. These sensations aren’t just in your head. You might actually have something called oral allergy syndrome or OAS. It is also often called pollen-food allergy syndrome.

This allergic reaction of sorts can happen when you eat raw fruits, vegetables or nuts that contain cross-reacting allergens. If you have seasonal allergies, you may have OAS as well. This basically means your immune system has a hard time determining pollen or other triggers and protein in these foods.

The symptoms of OAS might be itching, tingling, swelling (generally around the lips, mouth, throat, tongue or ears), nasal congestion, hives, sneezing, dizziness and even diarrhea. Generally, these symptoms are pretty mild and show up right after you eat something.

If you experience shortness of breath or tightness in your throat, call 911 because you could be experiencing a rare, but serious form of OAS that is life-threatening.

So, what foods could affect you if you have OAS? Keep in mind, reactions can be worse during the worst time of seasonal allergies as well. Avoid these foods if you notice issues or try peeling, cooking or eating the frozen version of these foods if you really can’t stay away. You only need to stay away from these foods if you find you have a reaction to them. If you simply have seasonal allergies, don’t worry too much.

Here are the foods you should watch for: apples, peaches, bananas, cantaloupe, almonds, kiwi, any peppers, carrots, watermelon, honeydew, celery, zucchini, chamomile tea, sunflower seeds, oranges, cherries, cucumbers, plums, tomatoes, and pears. Do any of these foods bother you?

Have you ever experienced any of these strange reactions? Do you avoid any of these foods because you have OAS or do you eat them anyway? Or do you simply suffer from seasonal allergies?

If you found this article informative, please SHARE with your friends and family, especially if they have ever experienced symptoms of OAS after eating some of these foods!