If your mouth starts itching and swelling when you take a bite of a raw apple, but you have no problems eating cooked apples in a pie, you might be suffering from oral allergy syndrome. While there is no cure for the syndrome, you can keep it in check by understanding why your body reacts to certain raw foods and which foods are best avoided unless they're cooked.
About Oral Allergy Syndrome
Oral allergy syndrome is a condition in which you have an allergic reaction to certain types of raw foods, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and spices. When the same foods are cooked, the allergic reaction usually does not occur. The allergic reaction hits your mouth and throat area but can also occur on your hands after touching the foods.
Why it Happens
Oral allergy syndrome is more likely if you have hayfever, or allergies to pollen, which is your body's reaction to a plant protein found in pollen. Your body recognizes that same plant protein that is in pollen is also in certain raw fruits and vegetables, which results in a host of symptoms when you eat or come in contact with the protein.
Symptoms
Your tongue, lips, throat and palate are where the majority of symptoms occur when you try to eat the food items that contain the suspect protein. Symptoms include itchiness, tingling and swelling. The allergic reaction can also result in watery and itchy eyes, sneezing and a runny nose. Touching the food item can also result in sneezing, runny nose and watery, itchy eyes as well as a rash or swelling where the food comes in contact with your skin. The more severe allergic reactions include diarrhea, cramps and vomiting while the most severe include wheezing, difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis, an extreme and life-threatening reaction. The more severe reactions usually come from foods such as kiwi, peaches, celery, apricots, apples and nuts, according to the Allergy/Asthma Information Association.
Culprit Foods
The type of food that triggers an allergic reaction depends on the type of pollen to which you are allergic, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Ragweed allergies are likely to result in allergic reactions to zucchini, cucumbers, melons, chamomile tea and dandelions. Birch allergies often result in reactions to kiwi, celery, potatoes, peppers, parsley, fennel, apples, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, coriander, parsnips, plums, cherries, nectarines, prunes and carrots. Grass allergies often carry over to melons, tomatoes, celery, oranges and peaches while alder allergies are likely to trigger reactions to peaches, parsley, apples, almonds, pears, celery and hazelnuts. Mugwort allergies can result in reactions to kiwi, fennel, carrots, sunflower, peanuts, apples and peppers. Latex allergies often result in reactions to papaya, chestnut, avocado, kiwi and bananas.
