An Introduction Into Peanut Allergies

by Shereen Jegtvig

The most common food allergen in the United States is the peanut allergy.  At least one percent of children are allergic to peanuts (This is at least double what it was a couple of decades ago).  One percent  may not sound like a lot, but that is one child out of every 100, so there are going to be several children with peanut allergies at just about every school in the country!  And it tends to be permanent – most kids don’t outgrow peanut allergies like they do with other foods.

It wouldn’t be a big deal if it just meant a rash or a tummy ache, but peanut allergies can (although rarely) be life-threatening.  And it doesn’t matter if earlier exposes caused mild reactions, it can become dangerous at any time.  It doesn’t take much exposure to cause a reaction so people with peanut allergies have to be extra cautious at home, school and in restaurants where peanuts may be used in any of the foods, even foods they don’t eat. 

Common symptoms of peanut allergy include one or more of the following, usually within a few minutes after eating peanuts or foods that contain peanuts:
•    Skin rash
•    Itchy mouth or throat
•    Trouble breathing
•    Stuffed or runny nose
•    Diarrhea
•    Cramps
•    Nausea

In severe cases, a person may get dizzy, feel their throat swell and suffer from a major drop in blood pressure.  These cases are emergencies and require immediate medical care.

If you think you or a family member may have a peanut allergy, you can see your doctor for lab tests that will tell if you are allergic to peanuts or not.  If so, you’ll need to keep away from peanuts to avoid a severe and possibly life-threatening reaction.
So where might you possibly find peanuts? Aside from the obvious bag of peanuts, peanuts or peanut oils may be found hidden in a lot of different foods:
•    Candy bars
•    Mixed nuts
•    Peanut oil
•    Baked goods
•    Salad dressings
•    Sauces
•    Ice cream
•    Breakfast cereal
•    Protein bars
•    Peanut butter
•    Asian and African and Mexican foods

There is no treatment for preventing an allergic reaction to peanuts.  If you or a member of your family have an allergy to peanuts, its best to keep all peanut-containing foods out of your house and notify schools or other places where peanuts or similar foods may be found.  When you dine at restaurants, ask if they use peanuts or peanut oils in any of the foods on the menu, and choose accordingly.

Read the labels on everything you buy at the grocery store and use our FoodEssentials tool to hunt for hidden peanuts.  You may be surprised where you’ll find them.  With the Food Essentials tool, I found peanuts in two varieties of instant soup mixes:

And snack cakes:

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