How To Know If You Are Allergic To Nuts

Reactions Occur With Any Nut And Nut-Containing Foods

There are eight common food allergies in the United States: eggs, soy, milk, fish, shellfish, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts. Peanuts are legumes that grow underground while other nuts grow on trees. Most individuals allergic to nuts are also allergic to peanuts. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act requires all food manufacturers to include the presence of peanuts on the label of any food product that contains peanuts, peanut flour, peanut butter, and peanut protein hydrolysate. Nuts can be hidden in some foods such as baked goods, candy, chili, egg rolls, enchilada sauce, and nougat.

Diagnosing A Food Allergy

Board-certified allergists are the professionals trained in diagnosing and treating food allergies. After obtaining a detailed medical and diet history, the allergist can apply a variety of diagnostic strategies. The elimination diet is the simplest of these strategies and consists of eliminating one suspected food allergen at a time. If the symptoms subside, then the allergen is identified. The Skin Prick Test is a procedure in which a small amount of a food extract is injected below the surface of the skin. Within minutes, redness and swelling will occur near the injection site of the allergen if the person is allergic to it.