If you notice that when you eat foods that contain cinnamon and oats you develop adverse reactions, you may have a food allergy. Food allergies affect about 4 to 8 percent of children and about 2 percent of adults in the United States, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. While most food allergies are caused by consuming fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, milk and eggs, any food can trigger an allergic reaction. Testing is required to confirm and diagnose an allergy to cinnamon and oats.
Food Allergies
Food allergies are caused by a hypersensitivity of the immune system. Your immune system protects the body from infectious organisms and infections, but during a food allergy, it malfunctions. The malfunction of the immune system occurs when your body mistakes the proteins in certain foods, such as cinnamon and oats, as dangerous substances when in fact they're safe. This mistake causes the body to produce histamine, immunoglobulin E antibodies and other chemicals. The release of these chemicals in the body causes inflammation in soft tissues in your intestines, sinuses, lungs and skin. Food allergies are incurable and are only managed through diet modification, according to MayoClinic.com.
Cinnamon Allergy
Cinnamon is a common spice used in baked goods, cereals and desserts. You may develop an allergic reaction by touching cinnamon or ingesting the substance. Allergic contact dermatitis is a topical allergic reaction that occurs after your skin comes into direct contact with cinnamon. This allergic reaction causes red blisters to form within minutes where your skin touched cinnamon. Ingesting cinnamon that causes an allergic reaction can lead to common food allergy symptoms, including shortness of breath, nasal congestion, diarrhea, skin rashes and stomach pain.
Allergy to Oats
Oats are made from a grain, which contains various proteins. If your immune system identifies one of the proteins as unsafe, you will experience an allergic reaction. Oats are commonly found in various foods, such as oatmeal, bread, processed meats and cookies. Read the ingredients of any packaged food before you ingest it. Look for rolled oats, oat flour and oat protein and avoid consuming any product with these ingredients.
Warning
A food allergy to cinnamon and oats may cause a severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that affects your entire body and could lead to death in some cases. Common symptoms of anaphylaxis are lightheadedness, severe stomach pain, swelling in your face, inability to breathe, a lump in your throat, hives and a metallic taste in your mouth.
