Strawberry allergy: Symptoms and foods to avoid

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Strawberry is a delicious berry and is loved by many people. But if you have a strawberry allergy, eating this fruit can cause a range of symptoms, such as a rash or even anaphylaxis. And if you're allergic to strawberries, you'll also need to avoid similar fruits to prevent an allergic reaction.

1. Strawberry allergy symptoms

Similar to other types of food allergies, strawberry allergy usually shows symptoms within minutes to 2 hours after eating. Common symptoms include: feeling of tightness in the throat, itchy mouth, skin rash, itchy skin, wheezing, cough, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, ...
For mild or moderate allergies, you can use antihistamines to treat them. These medications are over-the-counter medications that can relieve allergy symptoms. However, over-the-counter medications don't do much for people with severe allergic reactions.
A severe allergy to strawberries can lead to a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis consists of many symptoms occurring at the same time, requiring immediate medical attention. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include: Swelling of the tongue, airway obstruction or swelling in the throat, severe drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse, dizziness, loss of consciousness,...
Anaphylaxis epinephrine, injected with an EpiPen (auto-injector). People with severe allergies need to carry an EpiPen with them.

2. Causes of Strawberry Allergy

Being allergic to strawberries means you are allergic to the food. Food allergy is a fairly common condition, occurring in 6-8% of children under 3 years of age and 9% of adults.
The cause of a food allergy is the immune system's response to a food that you have eaten or come into contact with. Your immune system mistakenly identifies that food as harmful (like bacteria or a virus). In response, the body produces the chemical histamine and releases it into the bloodstream. Histamine can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
Food allergy is different from food intolerance. Food intolerances do not cause an allergic reaction but can cause symptoms similar to those of a food allergy. Food intolerances can occur due to many factors such as food poisoning or a lack of a digestive enzyme, a certain component of foods. A doctor can determine if a person has a food allergy or a food intolerance.
In terms of risk factors, a family history of allergies, eczema or asthma increases your chances of having a food allergy, especially a strawberry allergy. You can also have allergies even if you don't have a family history of allergies. The risk of food allergy may be increased in infants up to 7.5 months of age who have not yet been introduced to solid foods. Therefore, you should give your baby solid foods when he is 5.5 - 7 months old. And if your child develops allergy symptoms after eating strawberries, eliminate this fruit from his or her diet.

3. What foods should people with a strawberry allergy avoid?

Strawberries belong to the rose family. Other fruits in this family include: pears, peaches, cherries, apples, blackberries, and blackberries. If you are allergic to a fruit in this family, you may also be allergic to strawberries.
Some people have allergic cross-reactivity with symptoms including itchy mouth, itchy throat, swelling inside the mouth and throat. This allergic reaction is related to pollen allergy. Strawberries and other fruits in the rose family have been linked to birch allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
People who eat strawberries with allergies should avoid eating this fruit and also foods containing strawberries, including in the form of flavoring or strawberry decoration on cakes (even if you only eat cake, do not eat strawberries) ,... At the same time, you can also have a food allergy to fruits related to strawberries such as peaches, apples or blackberries.

4. When should you see a doctor?

If you suspect you have a food allergy, you should see your doctor. Your doctor will discuss your allergy symptoms and family history with you. They may also suggest that you do some food allergy testing including: Skin testing, elimination diet (eliminating suspected foods), blood tests, food tasting (Determine if you have an allergy to this food.)

5. Alternative food options

Avoiding strawberries doesn't mean you can't enjoy other fruits. However, you need to be careful to avoid fruits related to strawberries to not experience an allergic reaction. You can eat bananas, blueberries, and melons instead, as they're not in the rose family.
If you can't eat a variety of fruits and vegetables because of allergies, you should consult your doctor to see if you should take additional vitamins and minerals needed by the body. Several recent studies are looking at the breeding of hypoallergenic strawberries. Many studies show that strawberry varieties without the red color can reduce allergic reactions. Perhaps, one day, you will be able to eat strawberries even if you are allergic to this fruit.
You can completely avoid strawberry allergy symptoms if you avoid strawberries and other allergenic foods. Because strawberries are used to flavor many foods, it's important to double-check a food's ingredient label before eating it. At the same time, when you go out to eat, you should talk to the restaurant's wait staff to make sure your dish does not contain strawberry ingredients.

If you have any problems, you can send questions to the website of Vinmec International General Hospital to be answered by doctors and necessary to be able to perform some routine tests in the general health checkup package. general to assess current health status.
The quality of examination at Vinmec is always guaranteed with a team of doctors, experts with many expertise combined with a system of modern equipment and machinery. Therefore, customers can be assured of the test results at the hospital.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: healthline.com