Many patients experience allergic or allergic-type reactions when eating various foods, and are confused when subsequent allergy skin testing shows only negative reactions (their adverse reactions to foods are not substantiated by allergy testing). This discrepancy between observed symptoms and lack of skin test reactions can be explained, in many instances, by the fact that several foods are related to common inhalant allergens (Oral Allergy Syndromes).

RAGWEED POLLEN:
Patients who are highly sensitive to ragweed may experience lip tingling, itching of the tongue and throat, and swelling of the throat when they eat cantaloupe, banana, watermelon, honey dew, or drink chamomile tea. Ragweed patients are especially likely to have these symptoms if they consume these foods during ragweed season (mid-August through the first hard frost).

BIRCH TREE/MUGWORT POLLEN:
Patients who are allergic to birch tree pollen or mugwort pollen may experience similar symptoms after eating celery, carrots, apples, potatoes, peaches, and spices that belong to the Apiaceae family (caraway, coriander, cumin, parsley and parsnip). These symptoms are more likely to occur during the Spring and Summer months.

LATEX:
Over the past few years, many people, especially those in the health care industry, have experienced adverse reactions whenever handling latex gloves or materials made with latex. If one has experienced an allergic reaction while handling latex products, and the subsequent allergy blood test for latex antibody is positive, these patients should be very careful when eating banana, chestnut, avocado, apricots, grapes, passion fruits, pineapple, figs, peaches, papaya or kiwi, as these foods have been reported to cause Oral Allergy Syndrome in Latex-allergic individuals.

MOLD:
Many patients who are allergic to mold will experience increased allergy symptoms whenever they eat foods that have been fermented (such as alcoholic beverages, cheeses, dairy products, smoked meats, etc.). Patients who have mold allergy and who wish to obtain a more complete list of fermented foods should ask the nurse or doctor for our handout sheets. Patients with mold allergy more typically experience nasal or chest congestion, headache or increased mucous production.

FOODS THAT CAN HAVE HIGH HISTAMINE LEVELS:
There is another group of foods that cause allergic reactions because these foods are rich in histamine (histamine is the commonest chemical mediator that our body produces that causes allergic reactions such as rashes, hives, eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, etc.) Histamine-rich foods would include not only the fermented (molds) foods noted above, but also chocolate, spinach, chicken liver, strawberries, egg white, tomatoes and seafood, especially Crustaceans such as shrimp, lobster and clam.

EXERCISE:
Some patients experience allergic symptoms when exercising. With vigorous exercise, these patients with exercise-induced allergies can experience symptoms ranging from feelings of warmth and flushing to hives and itching palms, soles and mouth, to wheezing, bronchial spasms, obstructed breathing and loss of consciousness. Many of these patients can prevent this type of generalized allergic reaction if they do not eat solid food for at least two hours before exercising. Foods that seem more likely to cause this exercise-induced anaphylaxis, especially when eaten within two hours of exercise, include apples, celery, peaches, cabbage, shrimp, oysters, clams and crabs. It should be noted that eating food after exercising has not been associated with any adverse reaction.

For patients who suffer with these Oral Allergy Syndromes, it should be noted that eating these foods during pollen season, or eating these foods in large, frequent quantities will often precipitate these allergic-type reactions. These Oral Allergy Syndromes are therefore very different from true food allergy problems in which allergic symptoms always occur after that particular food is eaten. In highly allergic individuals, even very small quantities of allergenic food can cause severe, generalized reactions.

This handout is written to help patients better understand symptoms caused by the production of allergy antibody (i.e., a history documenting adverse reactions to specific foods confirmed by positive allergy skin tests) versus foods that cause allergy symptoms because they are related to natural substances such as pollens, foods rich in histamine or foods causing symptoms when combined with vigorous exercise.

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Michigan Allergy, Sinus & Asthma Specialists

6330 Orchard Lake Road #110 West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Tel: 248.932.0082 Fax: 248.932.0182 view map

37595 Seven Mile Road #320 Livonia, MI 48152 Tel: 800.739.6100 Fax: 248.932.0182 view map

Web: www.michiganallergy.com
Web: www.michiganfoodallergy.net
Email: miallergy@comcast.net

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