What is Almond Allergy?

Almonds belong to the family of Rosacea (apricot, peach and apple). However, almonds are classified under tree nuts. Almonds   are listed among the top 8 food allergens by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hence, it is important for those with tree nut allergies to completely avoid eating almonds.

Almond allergy is caused when our body mistakenly identifies certain proteins in almonds as harmful and reacts to it, resulting in various allergic symptoms. People with almond allergies can be allergic to other nuts such as peanut, walnut, cashewnut and hence should be careful.

Sources of Almonds:
Almonds are available in various forms such as whole, paste or chopped. They are used in bakeries for products such as cakes, cookies and pies. Some of the forms in which almond is available are:

• Almond paste
• Almond butter
• Almond cream
• Almond extract

The FDA requires food manufacturers to list almonds as allergens on packaged food products. Hence, it is important to read labels to avoid almond allergy.

Symptoms of Almond Allergy:
Symptoms of almond allergy can start with itching around the mouth, swelling, hives all over the body and watery eyes. This can lead to life threatening anaphylactic reaction which can be fatal. The symptoms of anaphylaxis are:

• Difficulty breathing and swallowing
• Shortness of breath
• Low blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness

To prevent an anaphylactic reaction, you should inject Epinephrine. Hence, people with almond allergy should always carry self-injectable Epinephrine such as Epi-Pen.

Managing Almond Allergy:
To determine if you have almond allergy, you can undergo allergy tests. The only way to manage almond allergy is to avoid them completely in all forms. Reading the labels of the food products, asking about the ingredients while eating out and making sure there is no cross-contamination in the food   are some of the ways to prevent almond allergy. It is also important to always carry a self-injectable epinephrine to manage anaphylactic reaction.

Diagnosis of Almond Allergy:
Skin tests are considered to be the best method to detect almond allergy. In vitro tests are also sensitive. Oral challenge tests are not performed regularly due to the harshness of the allergic reactions caused by tree nuts.

Avoidance of Almond Allergy:
Almonds may be present in commercial food preparations such as curry. These need to be avoided. Other tree nuts such as Brazil nuts and hazelnuts should also be avoided by almond-allergic patients.

Effects of Almond Allergy:
Allergic reaction to almonds starts with a tingling feeling in the mouth. This may be followed by diarrhea or abdominal cramps. To deal with any allergic reaction, the patient should take Claritin or Benadryl. If the reaction escalates to wheezing, swelling of tongue or shortness of breath, take an epinephrine shot and call 911.