Nuts and Peanuts

About the Allergy
Foods to Avoid
More Information and Links

About the Allergy

What are nut allergies?
There are different types of nut allergies ranging from strictly peanut to all tree nuts. Individuals with peanut allergies should avoid all peanut containing products but are allowed to eat tree nuts. Whereas individuals with tree nut allergies cannot have any tree nut products but can have peanut products. Nut allergies are among the most common food allergies.

Why should I be concerned?
If you have a nut allergy, consuming nuts will cause your body to react to what it considers to be a "foreign body". As a result a person may suffer from a skin reaction (such as a rash), respiratory distress (runny nose, itchy eyes, etc.), gastrointestinal distress (diarrhea, vomiting, etc.), dizziness, fainting, anaphylaxis (constriction of the airways), or even death. Cross contamination can also be a hazard to ones' health. If foods are cooked or manufactured in a place that also prepares foods with nuts a person can suffer from a reaction. Therefore, it is crucial that labels are read to ensure that a product has not been manufactured in a place that has nuts. When in doubt just avoid the food all together.

Foods to Avoid

What products contain nuts?
Peanuts and tree nuts can be hidden in various foods. Obvious foods to avoid would be the nuts themselves. Below is a list of foods to avoid if you have a nut allergy. When buying fried food make sure to ask what kind of oil the food has been fried in.

Tree nut allergy:

• cashews
• almonds
• pecans
• walnuts
• macadamia nuts
• coconut
• fibrets
• chestnuts
• pistachios
• brazil nuts
• marzipan (made from almond paste)
• nut butters
• nut oil
• some multi grain breads
• nougat
• various Thai dishes
• some liquors

Peanut allergy:

• peanuts
• peanut butter
• peanut oils
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• hydrolyzed plant protein

Click here for a list of foods in the dining hall that contain peanuts or peanut oil as an ingredient.

More Information and Links

For more information check out this website: www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/nut-allergy

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