Was It Something You Ate?

The surprising connection between spring
sniffles and food allergies

Have you ever heard someone say that oranges make her mouth itch or that cantaloupe burns his throat? If you've become inexplicably sensitive to certain foods and you also have hay fever, there's a chance you're dealing with oral allergy syndrome (OAS)—symptoms caused by similar substances found in both pollen and some raw produce. In fact, up to a third of people with seasonal allergies also develop these kinds of localized allergic reactions to food.

"The body's immune system recognizes and reacts to some of the same proteins on raw fruits, vegetables or nuts that are also found on certain proteins," says Andy Nish, M.D., medical director of NGPG Allergy and Asthma in Gainesville, Ga. Even if the proteins aren't identical, they can be similar enough to confuse your immune system.

How to know if you have it: The main signs of oral allergy syndrome are swelling in the tongue, mouth, throat, or lips; as itchy mouth or ears; or a scratchy throat directly after eating a raw fruit, vegetable, or nut. The irritation usually goes away quickly and doesn't require any treatment, but "up to 10 percent of the time, the symptoms can progress to a more body-wide, or anaphylactic, reaction like hives or racing pulse that can be dangerous or even deadly," says Nish. These more severe reactions are likely to happen with peanuts and tree nuts, so people with OAS responses to those foods may need to carry an EpiPen, he says.

What to do: Pelling the offending fruit or veggie might minimize the reaction, since allergy proteins are often located in the food's skin. Sticking with produce that has been canned, baked, or microwaved often helps, too, since cooking can deactivate the offending substance. Antihistamines or allergy shots may prevent an OAS reaction in some people, but the evidence isn't great, so don't count on them to work for you, says Nish. "As with so many allergies, the best treatment is simply avoiding the triggers that cause you trouble," he says.

If You're Allergic to Birch pollen You may also react to Apples, almonds, carrots, celery, cherries, hazelnuts, kiwis, peaches, pears, and plums.

If You're Allergic to Grass pollen You may also react to Celery, melons, oranges, peaches, and tomatoes

If You're Allergic to Ragweed pollen You may also react to Bananas, cucumbers, melons, sunflower seeds, and zucchini