Fruit allergy is a very common food allergy. Learn about its symptoms, how it is diagnosed, and what the most commonly prescribed medical treatment is.
They are very common -and therefore known – specific food allergies, such as allergies to egg, the protein allergy fish, or soy allergies. However, did you know that a fruit allergy is also quite common? In fact, according to the Spanish Association of Allergy to Food and Latex, the percentage of allergic reactions corresponding to fruits in adults is 37%, while the percentage of these reactions in children is 11%.
It is, as you surely know, a group of essential foods in our diet and daily diet, mainly due to its fiber, vitamin and mineral content.
However, like other foods, fruits present in their composition with some substances and components that can trigger allergies in people sensitive to them.
As we already mentioned in the article on the differences between food allergy and intolerance, food allergy appears when the immune system (in charge of defending our body from external aggressions), interprets that a certain food, or additive contained in it, is an invader. This causes a disproportionate immune response, causing the allergic reaction. In it, the body releases a series of chemical substances, among which we can find histamine.
In the case of fruits, the main allergens present in them are proteins that our immune system identifies as harmful and therefore dangerous components.
Symptoms of fruit allergy
As many specialists state, the symptoms of a fruit allergy are not always the same, since the same allergen can produce adverse reactions of different degrees.
Among the most common fruit allergy symptoms that can appear after ingesting, touching or inhaling fruit, we find:
- Trouble breathing.
- Throat tightness.
- Itching in the mouth and throat.
- Hoarseness and cough.
- Stomach ache.
- Vomiting
- Urticaria.
- Inflammation.
- Decrease in blood pressure.
How is a fruit allergy diagnosed?
The allergist is the appropriate specialist to make the diagnosis. For this, it is necessary to carry out a complete medical history, a physical examination of the patient and a dietary survey, which among other aspects will provide the possibility of knowing the time that has elapsed between the intake of the food in question and the period that would have taken symptoms appear.
On the other hand, you can also perform a blood test and the so-called skin test, which consists of exposing the allergen to skin contact to analyze whether or not any adverse reaction occurs.
Fruit allergy treatment
The allergist will prescribe drugs that help treat the symptoms related to the adverse reaction. On the other hand, it is very important to avoid the consumption of the fruit, as well as any other food or food product that presents the fruit as an ingredient, such as yogurts, jams, sauces and pastry products.
What are the fruits that cause the most allergies?
The fruits that tend to cause the most common allergies or adverse reactions are: banana, avocado, apple, cherries, kiwis, grapes, pears, figs, melon, papaya, apricot and peach.
