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Allergy to Mint

Mint can add a cool, refreshing flavor to anything. Mint helps cool drinks feel cooler and meats such as lamb bring forth their flavors. Mint is a natural herb that freshens the breath and has certain healing powers. Unfortunately, some people suffer from mint allergies with symptoms that become quite serious.

  1. Allergic Reactions

    • According to the Cleveland Clinic, a food allergy occurs when the body mistakes a food or an ingredient in food as something harmful. The body then builds its defenses against this ingredient. The allergic reaction occurs when the body begins to do battle with what it thinks is an invader.

    Effects

    • According to Medhelp.org, a mint allergy can affect a person's life significantly. Several brands of toothpastes and mouthwashes are flavored with mint. Mint allergy sufferers often have to purchase special mint-free brands that cost far more than regular brands. Most breath mints are also off-limits to mint allergy sufferers due to the quantity of mint they contain.

    History

    • The first known adverse reaction to mint occurred in the 1940s. Two Florida bartenders suffered from contact dermatitis when they made drinks containing mint leaves.

    Significance

    • Although natural mint is a fairly common ingredient, the vast majority of reactions actually come from mint derivatives. Mint flavorings found in many toothpastes, candies and mouthwashes cause the most problems. Natural mint accounts for a very small amount of adverse reactions.

    Physical Reactions

    • An allergy to mint can bring about a wide range of physical reactions. Minor symptoms such as itching, swelling and rashes forming on the skin are quite common. However some suffer from far more severe symptoms such as increased heart rate, drop in blood pressure and difficulty breathing.

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