An allergy to nuts should be taken seriously. Some people have slight reactions when eating nuts, while others might develop life-threatening symptoms like wheezing or difficulty breathing, fast heartbeat, tightness in the throat or chest and swelling in the face or lips. Because nuts are used in the making of so many products, it's important that you identify them as soon as possible, so you can avoid them. If you eat a product that contains nuts by accident, pay attention to any developing symptoms and seek medical attention immediately if anything serious develops.
Step 1
Eliminate foods that include nuts in any form. This includes ground and mixed nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, nougat and marzipan and sauces. If eating out, ask the cook if he used peanuts to thicken sauce, a common practice. Many brands of ice cream, candy and baked goods also contain small amounts of peanuts.
Step 2
Read the back of any products you buy. A product might not contain nuts as part of the ingredients list, but you might find that it has been processed in a plant that also processes nuts. If you have a severe allergy, that might be enough to set it off. Look for warnings such as "produced on equipment that also processes nuts" or something similar. The warnings are usually located at the bottom of the nutrition label.
Step 3
Look for ingredients that indicate the presence of nuts. Hydrolyzed plant protein and hydrolyzed vegetable protein often contain peanuts. So do many granola and energy bars. If you're not sure the product is 100 percent nut-free, call the manufacturer before eating it, just to confirm.
Step 4
Choose plain cereals rather than those that contain dry fruits, as those are more likely to contain nuts as well. Muesli in particular can contain nuts or seeds that might trigger an attack if you suffer from a nut allergy.
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