Can You Be Allergic To Peanuts And Not To Other Nuts?

Once little known and little diagnosed, food allergies are increasingly mainstream in American life. According to support group the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, or FAAN, the number of U.S. children with diagnosed peanut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2002. Both tree nuts and peanuts are common allergens, affecting millions of Americans.

Allergies and Sensitivities

Many Americans have unpleasant or uncomfortable reactions to foods. You'll often hear these described as allergies, but they are usually a milder type of reaction known as a sensitivity. True food allergies cause the body's immune system to turn on itself, creating reactions as mild as a case of the sniffles, or as severe as a life-threatening inability to breathe. Both tree nuts and peanuts are common and dangerous allergens.

Peanuts vs. Tree Nuts

Peanuts are not nuts at all but a type of legume, related to peas and beans. Its seed pods grow underground rather than above ground, which is why peanuts are sometimes called "ground nuts." Tree nuts, or true nuts, are the seeds of various species of trees from all over the world. They typically contain a rich, meaty seed inside a hard outer shell, though there are exceptions. Botanically, peanuts and tree nuts are unrelated, so it is very possible to be allergic to one and not the other. Neither is it uncommon to be allergic to both.

Peanut Allergy

A peanut allergy is a serious inconvenience at best, and can be lethal at worst. The peanut's versatility as a food and industrial product make it difficult to avoid. Peanuts are widely used in baking and confectionery, so trace amounts may be present in foods that do not apparently contain them. Trace amounts of peanut are also common in ethnic foods, pet foods, commercial marinades and dressings and numerous other food products. Many products made from tree nuts, including nut butters, are made in factories that also process peanuts and should be carefully scrutinized.

Nut Allergy

Allergies to tree nuts affect an estimated 1.8 million Americans, according to the FAAN website. This places them among the eight leading allergens that account for 85 percent of all food allergies in this country. Trace amounts of nuts can be found in many food products including pancake mix, salad dressing and honey. There is also a risk of tree nuts contaminating peanut products, which are often produced in the same factory. Pay close attention to food labels, and contact the manufacturers directly if in doubt.