Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for you ... but bad for me

Great news! It turns out that "rabbit food" is actually good for you. Who'd a thunk it?

A new UCLA/Louisiana State University study of dietary data on more than 17,500 men and women finds consumption of salad and raw vegetables correlates with higher concentrations of folic acid, vitamins C and E, lycopene and alpha and beta carotene in the bloodstream.

Published in the September edition of the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the study also suggests that each serving of salad consumed correlates with a 165 percent higher likelihood of meeting recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for vitamin C in women and 119 percent greater likelihood in men.


Wow, a shocker! So maybe an apple a day actually does keep the doctor away. Unless you're me, that is.

You see, I'm allergic to raw apples. You read that right: raw apples. I'm perfectly okay with cooked apples. I could eat apple pie until I get sick (from eating too much pie) without having even the slightest reaction. But pop a thin slice of Granny Smith (for some reason McIntosh apples don't bother me nearly as badly) in my mouth, and within seconds my lips and gums will itch and throb while my throught will itch worse than if I had a feather stuck back there. I'm the same way with carrots. I could easily live on soups and stews that are overloaded with carrots, but raw? No way.

Which brings me to a necessary tangential tirade. Why does practically everyone insist on puttng shredded carrots in their salads? That really pisses me off! Do you have any idea how hard it is to pick out every little shred of carrot from a salad? I'll tell you: it's not even worth trying. But roughly 90% of the time that I eat out, I have to pass on the salad. And I LOVE a really good salad. It's not fair!

To varying degrees, I'm also allergic to various other raw fruits and vegetables, including almonds, peaches, pears and cherries. Cherries are kind of funny for me. I can't stand any of the "denatured" varieties, be it Marachinos or that sickeningly sweet and sticky topping some people put on their cheesecakes (strawberries or blueberries are far superior). But I actually like raw cherries ... at least for the few seconds before my mouth explodes into a volcano of itching and swelling.

The common thread with all my food allergies seems to be that cooking gets rid of the allergen. And the worst reaction that I've had is merely irritation (albeit major irritation). On three separate occasions, I've witnessed people being taken away in ambulances after going into anaphylaxis from eating shellfish and peanuts (the third was a bee sting). Luckily, I've never gone anaphylactic. I'm also lucky to have the cooking solution; people with peanut or shellfish allergies don't have this option. I always thought of my food allergies as being somewhat unusual.

My seasonal pollen allergies are anything but, though. I get really bad springtime allergies. It turns out I'm allergic to just about every variety of spring-blooming grass that grows wild in fields and is planted on peoples lawns. It sure sucks to be me. Surprisingly, I'm not allergic to such common allergens as mold spores and dust mites. I am allergic to birch, though. I remember when I was a child, coming home from the doctor's office where I had just had a skin scratch test, asking my parents what a birch was. After being shown the offending white-barked tree, I proceeded to naively avoid it from then on, as if it was poison ivy.

It might seem odd that I've spent as much space as I have on birch. I seem to recall that I had a pretty big reaction to the birch skin scratch, but being that birch is not anywhere near as ubiquitous as all the grasses I'm allergic to, it really has to be considered a minor player in my allergy profile. Or maybe not?

Just this weekend I found out about oral allergy syndrome, or OAS (I promise not to tell the Western hemisphere alliance about this). It turns out that allergies to raw fruit and vegetables is closely related to pollen allergies. Go figure!

OAS symptoms are the result of a "cross-reactivity reaction" between allergy antibodies directed toward target pollen proteins with similar proteins found in other parts of plants. Common symptoms of OAS included an itchy mouth and throat with mild swelling immediately after eating fresh fruits or vegetables.


I was pretty fascinated by all this, but I was absolutely floored by the what came next.

OAS can also occur in people with birch tree allergy symptoms when they eat peaches, apples, pears, cherries, carrots, hazelnuts, kiwis, and almonds, the AAAAI said.

Generally, cooking foods will eliminate an OAS reaction, according to the AAAAI.

THAT'S ME!!! And my allergy even has a special name. All of a sudden I don't feel like such a freak anymore.
;-)

UPDATE:

Since I get several hits a day to this page from people Googling "itchy, mouth, raw, vegetables" etc, I thought I would add a few extra resourses for OAS.

Here's the Wikipedia page for OAS. It has a nice chart showing which vegetables relate to which pollens.

Here's the CHOP (Children's Hospital Of Pennsylvania) OAS website. It's an all-around good resourse.

And finally, here's a link to AllAllergy's OAS page. It contains links to 5 separate articles on OAS as well as a ton of comments that express the same sentiments as this post and those who have commented here.

Finally, I'd like to thank all of you who have commented on this post so far. When I first wrote this, I saw it as just a personal revelation. I never imagined that I would actually be helping people find out the truth about what was happening to them.

52 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have the same problem

Anonymous said...

I have this same problem and I never knew what the problem was. It bugs me too because I love fresh apples but can only eat them cooked.

Anonymous said...

I have the same problem also...and my doctor thought I wasnt washing my apple well enough..

Anonymous said...

We have a few key things in common... I'm a Capricorn, was a lab tech, and I LOVE raw apples and carrots and now can't eat them.

I had horses and cannot count the numbers of carrots and apples we went through until I left for college (my seasonal allergies started to get worse around then...right after they removed Seldane from the market). In college, I ate like a college kid...fewer apples, more pizza. When I got out, I started eating better, and began to see the symptoms. I finally pieced it together and, like so many of us, felt like an oddball for the wierd response, which, by the way, my doctors also cited as pesticides/improper washing. (sigh). I MMMMIIIIIISSSS raw apples....... but I read that there's a slim chance that we can still "grow out of it". I doubt that will happen, but have picked up great suggestions as to how to work around it. The most recent I want to try is making a fruit salad with it and using lemon juice as the preservative...the acidity suppposedly can denature the allergen sufficiently....

I suppose this is something like what Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde might have felt.... :-)

The Science Pundit said...

Thank you all for your comments. I've updated my post to add a few OAS resourses.

Anonymous said...

My son started this allergy when he was about 8years old. He always loved pears and carrots and then one day he was eating a pear and he got all flemmy and had to throw up and that was the last time he could eat raw fruits or vegetables. I never know there was a name for it but I am going to tell him about your website. Thank you for doing this.Oh he is 27yrs old now.

Anonymous said...

My 10 year old son has this same thing. Started with fresh apples when he was about 5 yrs. Just this weekend we had our worst episode, he at a raw sugar snap pea and within 10 minutes was really in pain with a sore throat and very phlegmy. We got him settled down and breathing easier, because he was starting to panic. Within 40 minutes he vomitted lots of phlegm and felt fine. We are taking him to have the scratch tests.

Anonymous said...

And I thought I was the only oddball :)...I have severe allergies, so it would make sense that I am allergic to all fresh fruits and vegetables. And yes, it is annoying going to the restaraunt and having carrots in the salad!! At least I can pick out the tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. etc.. or tell them to leave them out. When you tell people they think your nuts or they say to wash the food better....One does not have a clue what it is like to one day be able to eat what you like and then the next, it is unattainable unless cooked!! You said you were just ranting, thank you for the ranting. I know how it feels. My oldest daughter as of now is unable to eat carrots, apples and kiwi...I feel for her as kids are harsh...

Anonymous said...

I got to tell you, this is amazing. My "itchy mouth" allergy (what my family calls it) has been the family joke for years. My wife even didn't believe it and thought it was very suspicious that I could eat chocolate and candy, but not fresh fruits and vegetables :-). Now I can show her and my family this site and prove once and for all that there are many weirdos around the world. Now when I am at a restaurant and I ask them if they have carrots on their salads I can say, "I'm only asking because I have OAS." Awesome.

Anonymous said...

Haha, yes! Ive had this problem for a few years now, and I get the same reactions from people. My parents even thought it was all in my head and I was causing it to happen mentally. The thing with me tho, is that it seems like ALL fruits and vegetables. Even when I eat a salad, I get the feeling, however, this may have been because of the carrots covering the leafy part. I will have to investigate!

Unknown said...

thanks a-lot!

Anonymous said...

My 14 year old daughter suddenly developed carrot and fresh fruit allergies in the last year. It's killing her not having fresh fruits. Thanks for your insight-good to know she's not alone.

Unknown said...

This allergy may have a genetic component, since both my father and daughters have it. My dad gets the itchy mouth and throat, but my daughters get hives on their stomachs and thighs.

Another OAS is melons with a fall weed, maybe ragweed.

Anonymous said...

I am also allergic to all fresh fruits and vegetables even some nuts. I am overweight and it is hard to find things to eat that are good for you. I can't just eat a salad! I can usually eat canned vegetables or as long as they are cooked, but I don't know what to do about fruit. Canned fruit seems to have too much added sugar. Can anyone give me some advise? What can I do? Does anyone know if eating canned or cooked vegetables and fruits, does it do any good for you as far as nutrition?

Anonymous said...

And all these years I thought that mouth tingling from eating fresh apples was from their "acidity."

Anonymous said...

I love tree fruits and have the same problem, I also can't enjoy a spring without a face mask on to breath. Does any one know a solution to this?

Destiny Storm Photography said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Destiny Storm Photography said...

WOW, Im glad I ran into this! I have wondered for years why I couldnt eat MANY raw fruits, and veggies! I thought I was nuts, as did others Ive told, especially since they only bother me RAW! Ha! I normally get a fat lip, itchy mouth, and a tad of an itchy throat.
I had an issue tonight after eating a SLICE of apple, more severe than usual, and decided to look it up, and see if I could find anything, and here I am, not feeling like a freak so much anymore!
I also seem to have the same reaction after eating avacado, but dont see that on the list anywhere? Maybe that has a different relation, afterall?! Hmmm!

Well, thank you so much for making this blog!!!!

E. said...

Thank you so much! Both my dad and I have this condition, though I'm much worse; I can't eat ANY raw fruits, vegetables, or nuts, not even raw lettuce anymore! Some things that I've noticed: It seems pretty universally to start in kids between the ages of 5 and 10; apples and carrots are pretty much the worst for everybody; it gets worse as you get older; and NOBODY BELIEVES US. My doctor thought that I made up/psychologically caused my allergies and asthma problems because I was traumatized by my parents' divorce (over ten years ago now). Again, I cannot thank you enough for showing me that I'm not a COMPLETE anomaly, and the Wiki article states that us OAS' are very responsive to hyposenitization (am I the only one who thinks that Science is just making up big words so they don't have to acknowledge that HOMEOPATHICS WORK?), so I might actually be able to get help, now. I've always been rather terrified of getting an allergy test done, since I seem to be allergic to EVERY LIVING THING ON THIS PLANET. With enough exposure, I'll probably develop a reaction to human dander, as well, and suffocate alone in a sterile chamber.

Unknown said...

Thank God I'm not the only one!! It sucks, but I did notice a few years back when I was recieving allergy shots once a week, that all of a sudden I could eat raw fruits and vegetables with minimal or no reactions at all. I don't recieve them anymore so the OAS is back. Now it makes sense when you said OAS is associated with pollen allergies. With all the hype about organic foods, I decided to try raw carrots the other day, and much to my surprise I had no reactions!! So maybe there is hope for us out there. I'm going to try other organic fresh fruits and vegetables soon, and hope that I finally found a solution to this annoying problem, because I too love these foods!! It's hard to eat healthy without being able to grab a snack like apples and oranges..etc.. I hope this helps.

meerae@gmail.com said...

Thank you!!! I've always wondered. the worst is when you have a small cut on your lip and it swells and hurts and you not only feel like a freak with an itchy mouth, you look like one!

TupeloHoney said...

I also have the same problem with raw vegetables (yet I can still eat raw spinach...?) and some fruits, except my reaction is that my throat begins to swell and my esophagus goes into a spasm almost immediately. The last time I ate cantaloupe, I ended up in the ER with anaphylactic shock. (IV Benadryl is no friend of mine!) Does anyone else have the esophageal spasms?

Natalie said...

Thank you so much! I went to the allergist about this last year and he did the "scratch" test. The tests shown that I did not have a food allergy. But I told my doctor that I know I'm allergic since I get itchy ears, throat, tongue, and gums. He just looked at me like I was crazy. The stuff I can't eat:

raw---apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and avocado.

soy milk gives me the itchy throat. Even the powdered slim fast makes my throat itch.

Hazelnuts are the worst for me!

Thanks so much for this post! I thought either I was crazy or my Allergist was.

Angie Moge Wali said...

wow. It is really comforting to know that I'm not alone in this. All of a sudden, about 2 or three years ago, I started having horrible reactions to raw apples, and then peaches, and then melons, and I was able to eat less and less fruit (thank God I can still eat bananas). Whenever I tell people I can't eat raw fruit, they look at me like I am some kind of freak. I'm glad to hear that there is actually a name for it. I just wonder why it never affected me before I was 17.

Liz said...

researching this too because it is the same for me and I hate it!
When I was like ten it started eating cherries, then it was oranges and yes raw lettuce the ice burg kind. and bannanas you name it, broccili. well I can now eat most veggies if they are steamed, like broccili, but dark lettuces are fine now and raw carrots never a problem. But most fruits like melons and oranges still, I can drink oj, and I just steamed a peach well I mean really boiled it and was scared eating it even then but all was fine. Mna I hate this and yes The name to it I jut found out.
I thought I was the only one in the world with this stupid problem..

Gringa845 said...

My son has the same problem, I was wondering if it had any connection to Lyme Disease. We live in New York and he has a history of Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease causes an increase in allergies.

Unknown said...

Excellent Comments. I thought I was Nuts too. Many raw fruits, nuts and vegetables not only result in an itchy and tingling sensation for me, but, I am so allergic to these foods I exhibit debilitating intestinal reactions that manifest themselves as severe back pain...and I mean severe. Beware many of the new concentrated polyphenol "antioxidant" and "cleansing" beverages like Monavie et.al. These drinks are so concentrated in the phytonutrients called polyphenols, for anyone with fruit and vegetable allergies, these drinks can be vicious. Before I figured out what was happening, many times, I was so ill I ran fevers, could't bend (my abdomen was so painful) and would be flat on my back for days.

Anonymous said...

hey guys! watch out for the NUTS on the cross reaction with birch list. I got a trip to hospital after my second taste of fresh hazlenuts - never had a problem before that so it can hit out of the blue.

Anonymous said...

oh yeah i tracked down an allergen content list for various varieties- this matches the clinical reactions you get.
http://www.food-allergens.de/symposium-vol1(3)/data/apple/apple-data.htm scroll dooown

GOODNEWS! SAFE are working on the allergen free genetic modified apple
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/agricultural_sciences/report-46191.html

Clan and a Zoo said...

So nice to know I am not alone...Any fruit from trees causes me to itch and my tongue to swell. Seems I am fine with fruit from vines and some tropical fruits and melons.

ianc said...

Great site ... thanks for posting all of this. I too have suffered from this for years (I am 43 now) ... this past weekend I had a bad episode with a raw snap pea ... same thing a year ago with a hazelnut ... itchy mouth followed by serious pain in esophagus. I actually had surgery 10 years ago (nissan fundal plication) to address what was believed to be the issue ... reading all of this now leads me to believe that I was misdiagnosed and the condition persists. Alas ... at least I know what it is now and can be more careful! Very informative site ... thank you!

Unknown said...

My daughter age 12 started when we moved from London to rural France where it rains pollen in spring ! Simple solution - take Zyrtec - antihistamine drops used for hayfever. Shame that many people re-iterate the same comments but no one suggests an obvious medication.

Anonymous said...

Yup. I'm a googler. :) I've finally gotten sick and tired of this obviously 'psychological' allergy. But how can it be? I LOVE raw vegetables. They just drive me NUTS. And its gotten worse with age. The straw that broke the camels back is that TWO of my kids are now complaining about sore mouths after eating CHRISTMAS oranges. :( :(

Thanks for the links.
Cathy

thinx2much said...

i have learned in life to trust myself and not others, especially doctors. they get degrees and such in fields that may or may not apply to the general masses. and although 2010 sounds like an advanced year, it is not. we are barely into the stream of time for human evolution. our medical science is impressive compared to what it once was, but not impressive compared to what it should be (and hopefully WILL be long after we here are dead and gone.) until then, when your body tells you not to eat something but everyone else says to eat it, then don't. when you say "i know my reactions and trust my senses" but your friends and doctors tell you that it's anything but that, listen to yourself. we can help each other with these obscure challenges. i wish everyone the best of luck and remember to ALWAYS take action to share your knowledge with others, especially through the internet. cumulative open knowledge is what will allow us to take hyper-strides in advancement against these problems in the future.

That being said, thank you so much for creating this forum and bringing us all together. Thank you all for taking that extra step and contributing. THIS is how we change the future for the better.

thinx2much said...

BTW - I am also sensitive to citric acid. I can't eat foods with it added, or use products like hair or skin-care products that use it for ph-balancing. ITCHY!

along those same lines, no grapefruit.

Also, i can only eat very limited amounts of purines or i'll have gout-like flare-ups and very itchy scalp and dandruff.

next, i can't eat out of aluminum or teflon pans, cans, bottles, drinking fountains, etc. not even a glass bottle with an aluminum cap since the grinding aluminum residue on the glass threads will get on my lips and burn for hours (same sensation as the raw fruits/vegetables).

very limited amounts of fructose sugars, no corn (it's technically a grass you know), no cane sugars, only filtered water with salt added to it (otherwise it dilutes my body's electrolytes too much and i get itchy scalp, acne, and a "hotflash". See Dr. Wilson's book "Adrenal Fatigue" from 10 years ago. changed my life by finally answering some of those questions)

limited iodine or else acne problems (dermatitis herpetiformis)

limited wheat gluten, although rice and oat glutens are much worse for me. Rice is almost completely unacceptable, ironically.

All random challenges that took me decades of research to figure out. i sincerely hope it saves you that much time, and keeps someone that is also being driven crazy trying to figure them out sane.

Unknown said...

Has anyone had any luck using local honey to combat this problem?

BUTTAFLI said...

I TOO HAVE SUFFERED FRON OAS AND OF COURSE YOU TELL SOMEONE EVEN YOUR DR AND THEY THINK YOU ARE CRAZY.JOE WHAT DOES HONEY HAVE TO DO WITH THIS IF IT IS A CURE PLEASE SHARE WITH US BECAUSE I KNOW WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO BITE INTO AN APPLE SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.I AM NOW 36 AND HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO EAT FR OR VEGG IN ABOUT 20 YEARS

Natalie said...

I am just so happy to know that I'm not crazy. I went to my allergist, had the fantastic skin test done..and he told me I had no food allergies. Um...yeah...I can't eat a hazelnut without my throat almost shutting and apples and cherries make my mouth,teeth,throat, and tongue itch so bad I have to do this really gross throat-scratching noise.

Unknown said...

Unlike you, a very green Granny Smith is fine for me but not the others. Diffrent strokes I guess! My OAS only started and increased with subsequent pregnancies. Hormone changes perhaps? But curiously though, as well as carrots and celery I fall into the apple, pear and stone fruit category and yet I'm OK with avacado, mango and kiwi. Being those aren't indigenous to my country, I wonder if that has any bearing.

The Science Pundit said...

@Karen

Avocado and kiwi bother me slightly, but I'm mostly okay with mangoes. I doubt that how often you eat any particular fruit or vegetable has anything to do with it. It probably comes down to different reactions to the pollen that these fruits and vegetables are similar to.

Sarah said...

Thanks for the info! I have this problem too. I am allergic to every tree and weed I was tested for, so it's making sense now!

Unknown said...

What a great site. I'm 50 and only started having itchy throat issues 10-12 years ago and mainly with hazel nuts and raw peas. Had some problems with apples, but that seems to have gone away?? I suffer hay fever in spring and had an allergy test that had mild response to hardwood tree pollen (incl birch). A friend suggested Quercetin with bioflavanoids for the hay fever and have not had symptoms since! (4 seasons and counting) Apparently does not work for everyone, but if works for you, you're able to enjoy spring w/o the need for antihistamines and their side effects.

Meg said...

I have this too-with apples...I had a food sensitivity test done and it said I was NOT sensitive to apples? Not sure if that means I'm full out allergic and thats why it didn't confirm what I thought. Does anyone notice that their outdoor/animal allergies get worse when they eat cheese or other dairy products?

sophia said...

Can you believe it - it's got a name! Many thanks, Science Pundit. Generally, most raw fruit and veg have this effect on me. Strangely though, I can eat anything in a fruit salad - it seems as if, once cut up, the fruit's allergen reacts with oxygen (or something) and loses its sting. Ditto for avos - as long as I dress it with lemon juice or balsamic, I can eat it. As a rule, the riper the fruit, the lesser effect it has on me.

Jana said...

I've had this issue for years (am 53 now) - started with raw carrots & celery (watch out for those potato salads!) but only just thought to see if there was anything online. So cool to see it's not as rare as I thought! I'm able to eat raw apples (mostly, but there have been occasions when I've gotten that fat lip over an apple - usually when eating them whole, so I only eat them sliced up), raw pears, but have had reactions to raw peaches & cherries. Haas avocados are fine, but the smooth avocados can mess me up! Raw nuts - no way, but toasted, roasted, etc. fine. I've taken to microwaving baby carrots for a couple of minutes and then I can cool them & eat like raw carrot sticks. Like mentioned, I HATE when they put shredded carrots in salads... but have gotten very adept at picking them out & will occasionally remember to ask if they add them (which they often do) & then can request NO CARROTS please. I can eat a lot of veggies raw still (cucumbers, turnips, radishes, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes) & fruits too (all citrus is ok) but I'm always hesitant to try anything raw that's new, preferring to steam or cook it to eliminate the allergic reaction. Thanks for posting this - so great to see I've got other "weird" food allergy friends out there!

Unknown said...

I get irritated from raw Carrots, Cucumbers, Any kind of melon, Apples (although granny smith isn't as bad as others), Pears, Walnuts, Chestnuts, Celery, Almonds, Bananas, and Grapes.

I remember telling my mother all the time that I thought I was allergic to a lot of that stuff, she just told me I didn't want to eat my fruits and veggies! She is a Registered Nurse at a Children's Hospital! Seriously you'd think she'd know better.

XCardak said...

I have had this condition for over 20 years. Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Kiwi, pretty much all fruits except citrus fruits, and all Melons except Watermelons. I find I can eat ORGANIC fruits with very minor discomfort, so please try that. Also I do have a different approach to the symptom relief. Very Strong Ginger Tea. Boil down some fresh ginger in a sauce pan. Boil down 1 cup of water with the ginger in it, down to half a cup of water. The ginger essence is drawn out of into the water like tea, but stronger. Remove the ginger from the pan, and pour the contents into a cup and let it cool down. You can add honey to this if you want to cut the flavor. Eat any fruit you have OAS with. Once the itching and discomfort starts, drink the Ginger Tea. The ginger will burn your mouth and throat, but leaves it with a cooling sensation. This will counteract the OAS effects. This has always worked for me, but I would have to prepare this very strong ginger tea before I even think about eating a non-citrus fruit. Also ginger tea bought in stores will not work. I have tried them. Fresh Ginger should be used. I hope this helps some of you fellow OAS people.

XCardak said...

I have had this condition for over 20 years. Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Kiwi, pretty much all fruits except citrus fruits, and all Melons except Watermelons. I find I can eat ORGANIC fruits with very minor discomfort, so please try that. Also I do have a different approach to the symptom relief. Very Strong Ginger Tea. Boil down some fresh ginger in a sauce pan. Boil down 1 cup of water with the ginger in it, down to half a cup of water. The ginger essence is drawn out of into the water like tea, but stronger. Remove the ginger from the pan, and pour the contents into a cup and let it cool down. You can add honey to this if you want to cut the flavor. Eat any fruit you have OAS with. Once the itching and discomfort starts, drink the Ginger Tea. The ginger will burn your mouth and throat, but leaves it with a cooling sensation. This will counteract the OAS effects. This has always worked for me, but I would have to prepare this very strong ginger tea before I even think about eating a non-citrus fruit. Also ginger tea bought in stores will not work. I have tried them. Fresh Ginger should be used. I hope this helps some of you fellow OAS people.

Coach Jennifer Parham said...

Thank goodness I found this info. My family thinks I am crazy or trying to get attention. I even built a.garden so I could try organic. No such luck. Yesterday then again tonight I tried eating my sugar snap peas. I ate them as fast as I could manage but within minutes I was burning and itching. Apples carrots avocadoes cherries soy.... ahhh. You all.should try pink lady apples. They don't make me.itch.

Unknown said...

I can't eat any kind of fruit or vegetable without a reaction. Though there are some that give a worse reaction than others. The worst are carrots, bananas, almonds, peas... sometimes I can bear a chef salad but basically everything has to be cooked. Maybe I should get checked out lol

Unknown said...

Well, well, well, at long last other people with same allergy as me, I thought I was the only person to have this, I was fine until I was in an accident in 1992, since then I can not eat any raw fruit or vegetables, EVERYTHING has to be cooked.... If I eat any raw fruits and veggies My throat swells up and I get nauseous and throw up, after wards I will feel better.... I miss eating raw fruit and veggies..... My friends and family also could did not believe me, they just said where have you ever heard of people being allergic to raw fruits and vegtables, I used to like going on a fruit diet, but am not sure if cooked fruit will have the same effect.... Thank you for your page, now I know that I am not alone......

Coercus said...

I know this is much later, but I also find I am mildly allergic to the skins of most apples, but true Pink Lady apples do not usually bother me. The markets often substitute other varieties for Pink Lady when they are not available so beware