Strawberries are a member of the Rosaceae family, commonly called the rose family. Many other fruits belong to this plant family, though being allergic to one food in a family doesn't always mean you are allergic to all foods in that family. If you have a reaction to strawberries, there also is a small chance that are you suffer from oral allergy syndrome (OAS), which can cause sensitivity to many raw fruits and vegetables. If you have a strawberry allergy, it's important to visit an allergist to determine which other foods, if any, you need to avoid.
Rose Family Plants
Other plants in the rose family include the youngberry, quince, loganberry, dewberry, boysenberry, blackberry, raspberry and apple. None of these fruits are in the Fragaria genus like the strawberry is. You also may have reactions to some of these foods if you have a strawberry allergy. However, it's also possible that none of them will produce a reaction, notes the Allergy-Asthma Information Association of Canada.
Rose Hips
Rose hips, frequently found in vitamin C supplements, are in the Rosaceae family. You'll also find rose hips in teas. Rose hips have 1,250 mg vitamin C per 100 g. That compares to 50 mg per 100 g in citrus fruits and 100 mg per 100 g in broccoli, kiwi and kale. As with other foods in the rose family, just because you are allergic to strawberries does not automatically mean you'll be allergic to rose hips.
OAS Foods
Strawberries are not one of the top offenders of OAS but are occasionally a culprit. If you have hay fever due to birch or ragweed pollen, you are especially prone to OAS. OAS can cause a tingly, itchy mouth, throat and lips in mild cases. Stronger reactions may include typical allergy symptoms like a swollen tongue, lips and throat, sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny nose. Severe symptoms include cramps, vomiting, diarrhea and even the life-threatening condition anaphylaxis. OAS happens because the proteins in certain veggies or fruits are similar to the proteins in the pollens. Common offenders on the OAS list include apples, pears, plums, peaches, prunes, cherries, nectarines, apricots, peanuts, beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, carrots, celery and parsley. This condition usually is more severe during allergy season. It may affect up to 70 percent of people who have pollen allergies. Cooking your fruits and veggies can change the offending proteins in them so they no longer closely resemble those in pollen.
Allergy Testing
When checking for allergies, your doctor may conduct a skin test or a blood test. The test can diagnose food allergies, pollen allergies and other types of allergies such as mold or animals. Elimination diets also are used to check for allergies. In this method, suspected foods are removed from your diet, and then reintroduced slowly one at a time while you are monitored for an allergic reaction.
References
- Allergy-Asthma Information Association of Canada: Food Groups
- Allergy-Asthma Information Association of Canada, Calgary Branch: Botanical Family Food List
- Medline Plus: Allergy Testing
- Drugs.com: Rose Hips
- Allergy-Asthma Information Association of Canada, Calgary Branch: Oral Allergy Syndrome; Anthony Ham Pong; 2000
- CNN Health: Oral Allergy Syndrome May Explain Mysterious Reactions; Elizabeth Landau; April 2009
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