Does your Throat Itch?

Does your throat itch or burn upon eating certain fresh produce? If so, you may suffer from Oral Allergy Syndrome. OAS is an allergic reaction to (often fresh) fruits, nuts, and vegetables, mostly by hay fever sufferers. On occassion, other symptoms may occur, such as swollen lips, tongue, or uvula (the hanging thing in the back of your throat). These reactions occur within just minutes of eating. Worse yet, if the food is swallowed, more reactions may occur subsequently, such as vomiting, cramps, indegestion, or diarrhea.

This allergy is due to specific pollens. Reactions may begin with one type of food, and later extend to another in the same pollen group. There is a chart to help determine what types of food may cause more allergic reations. These are called cross reactions. Typically, if a food is well cooked, pasteurized, frozen, or canned, the reaction may no longer appear.

If you are allergic to one of these, you may need to watch for allergies to the group:

Allergies to Alder pollen

almonds, apples, celery, cherries, hazel nuts, peaches, pears, parsley

Allergies to Birch pollen

almonds, apples, apricots, carrots, celery, cherries, chicory, coriander, fennel, fig, kiwifruit, nectarines, parsley, parsnips, peaches, pears, peppers, plums, potatoes, prunes, soy, wheat
Potential: hazel nuts, and walnuts

Allergies to Grass pollen

fig, melons, tomatoes, oranges

Allergies to Mugwort pollen

carrots, celery, coriander, fennel, parsley, peppers, sunflower

Allergies to Ragweed pollen

banana, cantaloupe, cucumber, honey dew, watermelon, zucchini
Potential: Dandelions or chamomile tea

Possible cross-reactions (to any of the above)

berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc), citrus (oranges, lemons, etc), grapes, mango, figs, peanut, pineapple, pomegranates, watermelon