Fruit allergy?!
Question: It's something I've been wondering all my life... when I was little I could eat any fruit no problem. Ever since the age of around 12, most fruit raw (as in not cooked) would make my tongue itch really badly, and even swell my lip a bit. The weird thing is, it's only raw fruit ( I can't eat fresh apples, but apples in apple pie are fine), and some fruit don't bother me at all: Oranges, Bananas, Grapes. In other fruits it ranges from REALLY bad (watermelon) to tolerable where I'll eat it bc I like it (strawberries). Does anyone know why?
My friend thought something enzyme related, bc enzymes break down in heat? (hence why I can eat apple pie and have it not bother me?)
Answers: It's something I've been wondering all my life... when I was little I could eat any fruit no problem. Ever since the age of around 12, most fruit raw (as in not cooked) would make my tongue itch really badly, and even swell my lip a bit. The weird thing is, it's only raw fruit ( I can't eat fresh apples, but apples in apple pie are fine), and some fruit don't bother me at all: Oranges, Bananas, Grapes. In other fruits it ranges from REALLY bad (watermelon) to tolerable where I'll eat it bc I like it (strawberries). Does anyone know why?
My friend thought something enzyme related, bc enzymes break down in heat? (hence why I can eat apple pie and have it not bother me?)
This is called Oral Allergy syndrome
Oral allergy syndrome is due to a cross-reactivity between plant proteins from pollen and fruits or vegetables. When a child or adult with pollen allergy eats a fresh fruit or vegetable, the immune system sees the similarity and causes an allergic reaction. Interestingly, many patients with oral allergy syndrome can eat the same fruits or vegetables when they are cooked. The cooking process changes the protein enough that the immune system does not recognize the food as being the same as the pollen anymore.
Symptoms
Rapid onset of itching or swelling of the lips, mouth or throat are the most common symptoms of OAS. Other symptoms may include irritation of the gums, eyes or nose. Symptoms normally appear within minutes of eating the offending food.
Symptoms are often worse during the spring and fall pollen seasons.
for more information including a table showing the different allergies that cause ORS in relation to foods go to: http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/divisio...
(Watermelon is associated with ragweed allergy and apples with birch allergy)
it is because some fruits carry allergensthat are really bad to some who eat them. cooking the fruits like the applle pie will lessen the allergens.
Busybee is right. It is oral allergy syndrome. It used to have it to nearly all raw fruits and vegetables too. I could not even get watermelon juice on my skin without breaking out in a rash. It is linked with pollen allergies. I had desensitation shots for my allergies to pollen. After being on the shots for five years, my allergies to raw fruits and vegetables went away! Now I can even eat salad and watermelon with no problem.