|  | Conditions Treatments | Allergies

Fruit & Vegetable Allergies

An allergy is a sensitivity to substances that are commonly harmless to the majority of people, causing the immune system to overreact. They are referred to as allergens. Allergens include dust to mold spores, but the most common are pollen and food. Developing an allergy can be caused by being exposed to allergens when your body has a low or weak immune system. It is important to know your allergies and have them treated; some can block your breathing channels and be dangerous to your health.

  1. General Symptoms

    • The general symptoms common to most allergic reactions are nasal congestion, itchy and watery eyes (especially from pollen allergies), coughing, fatigue, sneezing, irritability and stomach ache. Symptoms that are particular to fruit and vegetable allergies include hives and rashes. Oranges and apples are known to trigger asthmatic allergy symptoms.

    Allergic Reactions

    • Allergic reactions are triggered when you breathe, touch or ingest an allergen that you react to. The most common allergic reaction from fruit allergies is oral allergy syndrome that causes a swelling and itching in the tongue, lips, palate and throat. Reactions to vegetable allergies include asthma, rhinitis, hives and hyperkeratosis.

    Fruit Allergies

    • Most fruit allergies occur when the fruit is raw. If the fruit is microwaved or baked, it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. If you are allergic to any fruit, you may be able to eat it raw if it is peeled, since most fruit allergens are contained in the skin. Another factor is ripeness. The riper the fruit, the more likely it is to cause an allergic reaction.

    Vegetable Allergies

    • As with fruits, vegetable allergies mostly occur when the vegetable is raw. Processed vegetables such as purees and canned soups may contain preservatives with sulphites that are know to cause hives and can trigger asthmatic reactions. Reactions to vegetable allergies occur mainly in the digestive system and the skin.

    Diagnosis

    • Allergies to fruit are usually diagnosed through blood tests, where doctors can detect levels of antibodies reacting to a particular allergen. For vegetable allergies, there is the allergen-specific lymphocyte proliferation test that can diagnose immediate and delayed-type allergies. There are also prick and intradermal tests specifically for immediate allergies and the patch test for delayed-type allergies.

    Treatment

    • The most effective way to deal with an allergy is avoiding the fruit, vegetable or preservatives that give you an allergic reaction. Antihistamine medication is also a good alternative once the allergy symptoms are felt. Cromolyn sodium and corticosteroids are alternative medications that are also used to relieve allergy symptoms.

Allergies - Related Articles