This tree nut allergy alert for several other natural products is my second post sharing what I’ve learned from my own daughter’s severe tree nut allergies.
Last year I wrote about my daughter’s strange allergic and anaphylactic reaction after eating at a restaurant at Disneyland.
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We had no idea why she had this reaction as the chef swore that there had been no tree nuts, or any form of cross contamination in her food. Yet clearly, she’d ingested some form of nuts as her airway had started to close, and she was feeling her lips swelling as well as other symptoms.
You will find that post here. However, I can tell you that the offending allergen was the pink peppercorns (which are related to cashews) in a four-blend pepper that the restaurant used. How I discovered this two weeks after the reaction was extremely serendipitous, I’m very thankful to an Amazon reviewer for the information.
Since then, I’ve discovered that there are some other hidden or obscure tree nut allergens. These may cause those with allergies to tree nuts to react, so I want to inform you about those, too.
Tree Nut Allergy Alert
NB: please understand that I am not a doctor or allergist. I am simply passing on what I feel is vital and helpful information. Anyone with a tree nut allergy (or those who have children with allergies) can do their own research on these allergens. Given that my daughter has a severe tree nut allergy, I would very much appreciate anyone putting out such information that may save her from an anaphylactic reaction in future.
Sumac
Sumac seems to have popped up a while ago as a great, new spice that is being used in restaurants and recipes. I even spotted it in my local Trader Joe’s spice shelf. However, this flowering plant is similar to the pink peppercorns. It is also part of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae), as noted in Wikipedia. Luckily, my daughter has not encountered this spice, but now she knows to avoid it. We’d rather be safe than sorry.
Argan (Argan Oil)
This was a complete surprise to me, as I didn’t know the derivation of Argan oil. I had been using it in my hair as a friend gave me some to try. It was also in the hair, skin and nails supplement I had been taking. The shock came when I was reading the label on the bottle and saw this below the ingredients.
“Contains Soy and Tree Nut (Argan) ingredients.”
Of course, I immediately hopped on to google to read more about Argan oil, and told my daughter to avoid it, too. Here is what I read on Wikipedia:
“Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree (Argania spinosa L.) that is endemic to Morocco. In Morocco, argan oil is used to dip bread in at breakfast or to drizzle on couscous or pasta. World-wide, it is gaining a reputation both as an ingredient in high-end, personal-care products and as a heart-healthy gourmet product.[1]“
Who knew? Not me! If you have a tree nut allergy, please take care with argan products.
Shea Butter
Yep, you guessed it, shea butter comes from a nut. Interestingly, my daughter had reactions from a face lotion and a sunscreen that contained shea butter on separate occasions. The strange thing is that she realized she had been using other products with shea butter that has no effect on her skin.
I’ve told her to avoid it, once again, just to be safe. You’ll have to do your own research, but I’d rather put this on the list of things that come from nuts, and which may cause reactions, than to leave it off.
Mango
Believe it or not, mangoes are also related to cashews as they too, are part of the Anacardiaceae family! My daughter has eaten mangoes in the past with no reaction whatsoever. However, in some comments on my last allergy post (or in emails from readers), readers have shared that some people with nut allergies have reacted to mangoes.
Marula
Marula is used to make Amarula liqueur is also in the Anarcardiaceae family (like mangoes and cashews, stated above). Marula oil made from seeds of the marula plant may cause allergic reactions to those with nut allergies.
Once again, I am sharing this information in the hope that spreading the word may save nut allergy sufferers from future reactions. This is especially important as they could be anaphylactic reactions.
Do you know of any other such allergens with cross reactions to those with tree nut allergies? I’d love to hear from you! You may help my daughter with her severe tree nut allergy, and many others!
Please pass on this important information to anyone you know who has a tree nut allergy or knows others who do. I’m sure they will be more than grateful.
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
That must have been so scary. I had no idea that mango and argon oil were related to tree nuts! The only allergy I have is to pineapple.
Wow, so much important information here for people with allergies. Who knew? I’m going to share this with a number of people I know will find it helpful, and I’m glad your daughter is okay.
Thank you, Lois!
Coconut oil is becoming a big thing right now and people are cooking with it too. I am sure that you know that coconut is a type of tree nuts.
Although coconuts are from trees, they are not in the same category as tree nuts such as hazelnuts, cashews and walnuts, Jonnie. My daughter is completely okay eating coconut: fresh, dried and oil. That’s not to say that some people who are allergic to tree nuts are not allergic to coconut. Allergies are very strange.
I just read that pink peppercorns are from Brazillian peppers. I was told by my dad growing up that they were poisonous and to never eat them. I wonder if he knew they were in the same family as mangos??
Maybe he did!
I’m allergic to mango tree sap and have known that since I was a baby. All my life I’ve avoided mangos and products with mangos. I have never had an allergic reaction to anything else since. Until 2013! I live in Florida and there’s an invasive plant species here called Brazillian Pepper(the pods are dangerous, this is not an edible pepper) and we had a huge plant in my backyard and my dog was outside on his chain one night and got stuck in there. This happened often, we always watched him and sometimes he could get out. If he couldn’t, we would get him out. Well on that one night, I went in and had to untangle his chain and I was climbing/stepping over limbs to get him. I got him out and went to bed. I woke up and had dried sap on me and my clothes. I didn’t realize that the night before and it hadn’t happened the other times either. I washed it off but noticed a small rash on my wrist. Within days I had rashes everywhere that the sap had touched me. I had to also wash every surface in the house I had touched that night to make sure there wasn’t any oil left. I had to re wash the bed sheets in case I had touched a dirty doorknob and then got into bed. It wasn’t going away, I ended up going to the doctors twice for steroid pills and the second visit I also got a shot and an antibiotic bc I had scratched so hard on my arm where it first showed up that it was showing signs of being infected.
I found out shortly after all that that Brazillian Peppers are in the same family as mangos. Luckily I can eat nuts but I also don’t go into shock from getting the sap on me. So it’s possible I could eat mangos and be okay. Some people can eat mangos and are only allergic to the sap. It’s curious to think I could be allergic to the sap of nut trees!
If anyone is reading this and have a known allergy to mango sap, please avoid Brazillian pepper plants in Florida!
Good advice, Patricia! Thanks for sharing that information and I’m so sorry you had to go through that ordeal in order to figure that out! Unfortunately, allergies are so strange and seem to affect everyone differently. I wish there was more known about them.
So glad that I don’t have any allergies and that no one in my family actually does either. Great info, I will pass it on to friends!
You are very lucky, Andi! Thank you for passing on the info! CC
Thank you!!!
You’re so welcome, Debbie!
Just found your blog Christina and wanted to thank you for posting this. My young adult son has the same allergy and I always forward this type of information to him to keep him on his toes….Mom still worries even when they are on their own!
I’ll have to read some of your older posts. Some of your recipes look very yummy!
Have a great weekend
Jeannette
Trust me Jeannette, I know. The photo of my daughter is from years ago, she’s starting college in August! I’m really concerned about her going off on her own with the fact that she has these allergies :( However, the more information we have the better it is. Thank you, I hope you do check out some recipes and hope you like them! CC