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Allergy to avocado is quite rare. The exotic fruit has become commonplace for consumers, but there are times when people experience intolerance to the fruit. The disease can be unexpectedly detected in adults and even young children.
Can you be allergic to avocado?
Allergy is an inadequate reaction of the immune system to substances with which a person interacts. One of the varieties of this ailment is food allergy – a condition when allergic reactions occur when certain foods are consumed. In Our Country, the incidence of food allergies ranges from 15 to 35%. And research conducted by the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Foundation of America showed that about 2% of US residents suffer from food intolerances. Of these, 10% are allergic to avocados.
Avocado is not a strong allergen. But people who are prone to seasonal reactions to pollen (hay fever) or certain fruits may have an allergic reaction to these fruits as well. In some cases, the disease is quite serious. You need to know its signs in order to prevent the appearance of unpleasant consequences.
Causes of an allergic reaction
The reasons for the development of an allergy to avocados are in the fruit itself. The pulp of the fruit contains proteins – glycoproteins. This substance is a “provocateur”, and with a weakened immune system is perceived as foreign, which causes a negative reaction of the body. However, heat treatment of fruits contributes to the destruction of the substance and makes the fruit safe.
Naturally grown fruits do not contain harmful chemicals. But for safety during long transportation, green avocado fruits are still treated with ethylene on plantations. This is a special gas that penetrates the pulp of the fruit and contributes to its ripening. At the same time, the enzyme chitinase is produced – a strong allergen, which also provokes an adverse reaction of a weakened immune system.
Cross-allergy is a condition in which a person who has an intolerance to certain foods has a reaction to others that contain the same allergen. So, an allergy to kiwi, bananas or papaya is likely to cause a similar body response to eating avocados.
The final cause of an avocado allergy is heredity. According to studies, if one of the parents is predisposed to allergies, then the child has a 30% chance of developing an allergic condition. If the mother or father has the disease, then with a probability of 60 – 80% the child will also be affected. An avocado allergy is very difficult to detect at an early age, as the fruit is rarely included in baby food. However, at the first use of the fruit, it will make itself felt.
How does an avocado allergy manifest?
Symptoms of an avocado allergy are completely similar to those of a food allergy. The reaction may appear immediately or within a few hours after eating the fruit. Allergies often show up after a few days. Adults may not notice the first symptoms of an avocado allergy:
- tingling in the mouth and nasopharynx;
- sore throat;
- tingling and peeling of the skin;
- cough.
After a while, if you leave everything without attention, the situation will worsen and more pronounced signs will appear:
- redness and rashes on the skin;
- nausea and vomiting, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation;
- eye redness, conjunctivitis;
- numbness of the tongue;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose.
The manifestation of allergies in children is similar to the symptoms of an adult. The child becomes restless, naughty and cries. Constant itching of the skin can lead to sores and sores. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.
In severe cases of avocado allergy, swelling appears, similar to those shown in the photo. They begin in the lower part of the face and, if not treated, rise to the nose, eyes, gradually covering the entire face. Sometimes the situation is aggravated so much that angioedema occurs, or Quincke’s edema. With this reaction, the patient’s eyes stop opening. The edema extends to the mucous membrane of the larynx, which causes wheezing and makes breathing much more difficult.
Methods of diagnosis
Methods for the diagnostic detection of avocado allergy are resorted to after the patient has been examined by an allergist. In most cases, symptoms appear with a long delay. To identify the allergen, the doctor directs the patient to a laboratory analysis of venous blood. The study requires preparation: 3 days before blood donation, it is necessary to exclude any emotional and physical stress. Such a test has no contraindications, it is allowed to be carried out by children from 6 months. The results are not affected by the use of antihistamines.
The second method for determining the presence of an allergen is enzyme immunoassay. With its help, specific antibodies are detected in a patient in a variety of pathologies. This will help the doctor to more accurately determine the cause of the allergy and identify not only allergenic products, but also other substances to which a negative reaction occurs.
How to Treat an Avocado Allergy
It is impossible to completely recover from allergies – this is a chronic disease. However, if you undergo a course of medication and follow an appropriate diet, you can achieve a stable remission.
The patient should draw up a dietary menu with a nutritionist. First of all, avocados and any dishes containing it are excluded from the diet. In addition, foods with a high level of allergenicity and other fruits that can cause cross-allergy are removed from the menu – kiwi, banana, mango, papaya.
If a food allergy occurs, the menu must contain foods with an average allergenicity: lean meat (veal, lamb, turkey), cereals (rice, buckwheat), legumes, corn. The diet also includes fruits and vegetables with low levels of allergenicity: apples, watermelon, zucchini, lettuce.
As a rule, drug treatment is carried out to relieve the effects of a mild allergic reaction: swelling, redness and itching. The most popular antihistamines: Suprastin, Loratadin, Tavegil. To relieve acute reactions, drugs based on epiniphrine are used.
Folk remedies are ineffective in the treatment of pronounced food allergies, since most medicinal herbs themselves are strong allergens. But to relieve swelling, redness and itching, you can take baths and treat the skin with decoctions of chamomile, string or mummy solution.
For a medicinal infusion of mummy, 1 g of resin is dissolved in 1 liter of water. The liquid is used for lotions and washings. So you can reduce itching and redness of the skin without the use of medications. To prepare an infusion of string or chamomile, you need to take 2 tbsp. l. herbs, pour boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. The resulting solution is added to the bath.
Can You Eat Avocados With Allergies?
If a child or adult has an allergy to avocados, then the fruit is excluded from the diet. If this is not done, the mild manifestations of the disease over time will be replaced by more severe ones, which can lead to Quincke’s edema or anaphylactic shock. In this regard, in order not to risk your life, you need to completely abandon the consumption of avocados.
If you have an allergic reaction to avocados, you should be careful about eating foods that can cause cross-allergies. These include mango, kiwi, banana and papaya. If these fruits also cause unwanted symptoms, then it is better to exclude them from the diet.
Preventive measures
An avocado allergy can appear out of the blue. If such a problem already exists, it is necessary to completely abandon the use of fruits. However, there are times when avocados are not listed as an ingredient in dishes. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you should always clarify their ingredients, as well as carefully study the composition of the products in the store. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the composition of cosmetics and hygiene products. In some of them, manufacturers use oils or avocado extract. Additionally, it is recommended to take care of the state of immunity:
- exercise daily;
- perform breathing exercises;
- harden, take a contrast shower;
- give up cigarettes and alcohol.
You should not give an exotic fruit to a child if he is under 1,5 years old. The immune system is a complex structure, at such an early age it is only being formed, so it can often respond inappropriately to unfamiliar foods. If a negative reaction has appeared, then the allergy can remain for life.
Conclusion
An avocado allergy can be caused by a weak immune system, a propensity for seasonal fever, or an intolerance to related fruits. This must be taken into account in the treatment and proper formation of the diet. This is necessary so as not to cause a resumption of allergic reactions and not aggravate their course.
