Peanut Allergies Can Be Very Dangerous

If you suffer from a peanut allergy you need to be very careful about what you eat. It can be very difficult to stay vigilant and read all food packaging to ensure you do not inadvertently eat something that contains an extract from a peanut shell or peanut oil. The problem is that even a trace of anything related to a peanut can cause a very bad reaction if you are allergic.

Unfortunately, there is a common misconception amongst peanut allergy sufferers that it is only whole peanuts that will cause them problems. And this misconception could prove genuinely fatal. Anaphylactic seizure and ultimately death can be caused by even a minute instance of something extracted from a peanut being present in a foodstuff.

Many people with peanut allergies can also be allergic to peas and beans which are also members of the same legume family that peanuts belong to. They may also be allergic to some other species of nut such as pecans and cashews.

What are some of the symptoms of a peanut allergy being triggered? Tightness in the throat, breathing difficulties, stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting.

Peanut allergy seems to be becoming more common now than at any time in the past. More and more children seem to be being born with this particular allergy and no one really knows why this is.

Unfortunately, it is very rare for anyone to outgrow an allergy. If you suffer from an allergy to peanuts you are just going to have to get used to the fact that you'll have to remain vigilant for the rest of your life.

Exactly why does your body exhibit the symptoms of a peanut allergy? The symptoms are a result of your body seeing the peanut or peanut extract as a dangerous product. It then mobilizes your immune system to try to expel it or fight it off.

The major problem for anyone with a peanut allergy is that peanuts and their byproducts are very commonly found in a wide range of foods. Crushed nuts are often to be found in sauces and many Asian and Italian foods also use peanut extracts in some form or another.

If you have been diagnosed as having a peanut allergy you must take it very seriously indeed. Eating a food with even a trace of peanut in it can cause a potentially fatal reaction.

Remaining vigilant and studying food packaging literally could mean the difference between life and death if you have an allergy to peanuts.