Because tree nuts share common proteins, if you're allergic to cashews, you are most likely allergic to other tree nuts, such as almonds, pistachios and walnuts, according to the Food Allergy Initiative. One of the main symptoms of a cashew allergy is digestive complications from intestinal inflammation. If you develop gastric symptoms after eating cashews, call your doctor. Not all digestive system symptoms may be related to an allergy. You may have a cashew intolerance, which is commonly confused with an allergy because of similar symptoms.
Intestinal Cause
If you're allergic to cashews or other tree nuts, your immune system malfunctions when you eat cashews. Your immune system helps to defend your body from illness and disease. During a cashew allergy, your immune system reacts to the proteins in the cashew as if it was a threatening substance. The body releases various chemicals, such as antibodies and histamine to fight off the cashew proteins, according to Kids Health. The presence of these chemicals in the intestines causes the lining to become swollen, inflamed and irritated.
Symptoms
Symptoms in the intestines can develop within a few minutes or up to two hours after you ingest the nut. As inflammation develops in the intestines, you will experience unpleasant symptoms that can range from mild to severe. The University of Maryland Medical Clinic states that common gastric symptoms with a food allergy include cramping, gas, bloating, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Any symptoms need to be discussed with your health-care provider for further evaluation.
Intolerance Consideration
Food allergies are commonly confused with food intolerance. If eating cashews causes gastrointestinal symptoms exclusively, you may have an intolerance, not an allergy. If you have cashew intolerance, your digestive system fails to create the appropriate amount of enzymes needed to digest the proteins or sugars found in the nut. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that only about 2 percent of adults have a genuine food allergy. Your doctor can determine the cause of your symptoms.
Identification
Further evaluation of your symptoms may include allergy tests to diagnose the condition. Your doctor may use a sample of your blood and your skin to determine if your body reacts by creating IgE antibodies when exposed to the proteins in cashews. Your doctor may also recommend implementing an elimination diet, where you eliminate all nuts from your diet for two weeks and then slowly re-introduce one type at a time. This diet helps identify if cashews cause an allergic reaction.
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