whatilearned
Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/pollen_food_syndrome
TIL around 2% of people have Pollen Food Syndrome (aka Oral Allergy Syndrome). This allergy to types of pollen will cause reactions in foods, usually raw fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts. One study found a majority of people who had birch pollen allergy also would also react to fresh apples.
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Me! Worst culprits are kiwi, celery, peaches and Brazil nuts. I also have a birch pollen allergy and react to fresh apples. Weirdly, if the apples are processed in any way (including blended) it’s usually fine.
I discovered this after thinking everyone got an itchy mouth from apples. Half my life until I figured out maybe it was something to investigate.
I have this! Randomly became allergic to strawberries as an adult
It sucks. Started with fresh herbs (basil and parsley) and now I’m getting new allergies on the regular.
Mine is Spring OAS – worst ones are apples, tree nuts, carrots, celery. As long as the food is either processed or cooked, I’m fine. Apple pie is the bomb.
I have this and it’s so annoying. It came on around puberty and discovered it while eating pineapple at my grandma’s house. I miss orange juice!
I also have bad hay fever, birch trees are the main culprit. This year I tried taking apple polyphenols, ( a glass of unfiltered apple juice everyday), and the hay fever wasn’t that bad. I even thought there wasn’t any pollen until a friend told me his hay fever was bad this year.
Cranberries, red grapes, and celery make my tongue vaguely numb
I have bitch pollen allergy
OAS SUFFERERS UNITE!
For me it’s kiwi, apples, pears, cherries, mint (tea) and almonds.
Yep thats me! No raw apples, pears or cherries
I react to bananas, almonds, and probably some kind of pea protein. Poultry too, but not sure if that’s related.
I had a friend with this. She would eat no fresh fruits.or vegetables
Same here. Apples and anything with pits gives me an allergic reaction. Carrots too now that i think about it I wondered why i could eat canned cherries and not fresh ones
I only experience this phenomenon with honey. I have tried various brands and types of honey, and the reaction is always the same: itchy mouth and discomfort in my throat/esophagus. It’s so weird as no other pollens cause this reaction.
I always have fun explaining this to people when I ask about raw carrot or broccoli in dishes. I have a mugwort pollen allergy