Allergies to fruit and vegetable skins/peels only?!
Question:
Allergies to fruit and vegetable skins/peels only?
I seem to be mildly allergic to certain fruit and vegetables, but only the skins. Canned, peeled, or cooked I have no reactions at all (with one exception below). Raw apples, plums, and pears irritate my gums and lips even when I wash them thoroughly. When I peel potatoes I sneeze and get a runny nose. Eating raw potato even without the skin also irritates the back of my throat but not my lips and gums like apples and pears do. (A little salt on raw potato tastes pretty good!) I just generally avoid eating these items, but I hate to not eat them at all. The symptoms usually subside after a half hour or a little more.
I just didn't know if this is very common or a sign of something more serious I might not be aware of. Does anyone else have this same thing? I hate popping antihistamines for everything but I might have to try that.
Answers:
This is called Oral Allergy Syndrome, or OAS. With this syndrome, cooking reduces the proteins that cause your allergic reaction. Please read the following for a list of foods you may be allergic to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oral_allerg...
If a food causes discomfort, USE CAUTION. This mild allergic reaction you are experiencing may suddenly become anaphylaxis, which is deadly. The more allergic reactions you have, the more likely the next one will be anaphylaxis.
Regarding eating raw potatoes, raw potatoes contain a toxin called glycoalkaloid. This toxin may make you slightly ill.