Eating a strawberry is one of the most heavenly things you could ever do with a ripe strawberry. However, when you are allergic to strawberries, eating red berries can give you a number of symptoms. These may include rash, a weird sensation in your mouth, or worse anaphylaxis. For an individual who has strawberry allergy, one has to abstain from consuming the fruit and possibly some similar fruits from experiencing allergic reactions.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of a food allergy can develop within a few minutes or up to two hours after eating a certain food.
- throat tightness
- itching or tingling mouth
- skin rashes, such as hives or eczema
- itchy skin
- wheezing
- cough
- congestion
- nausea
- stomach pains
- vomiting
- Diarrhea
- dizziness
- lightheadedness
You can use antihistamines to treat mild or moderate allergies. These are over-the-counter medications that can alleviate symptoms. However, OTC drugs will not be of much help if you have a severe allergic reaction.
A severe allergy to strawberries can cause anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis is a condition in which several symptoms occur simultaneously and require immediate emergency medical treatment.
- Major allergic reactions symptoms include
- swelling in the tongue
- obstruction in the air passage or swelling of the throat
- high fall in the blood pressure
- racing heartbeat
- Dizziness
- lightheadedness
- unconsciousness
Anaphylaxis needs to be treated with epinephrine. An auto-injector, such as an EpiPen, can administer the epinephrine. If you have a severe allergy, you will always need to carry one. An intolerance may be more of an immune system reaction, but not involving the types of antibody that can cause anaphylaxis, IgE. Symptoms of an intolerance may be delayed and take up to 72 hours to present.
How common is it?
An allergic reaction to strawberries means you have a food allergy. Food allergies are somewhat common. They affect 6 to 8 percent of children under age 3, and up to 9 percent of adults.
Fruit and vegetable allergies are still common, but they occur less often.
What are the causes?
Food allergies occur when the immune system reacts to a food you’ve eaten. Or, in severe cases, a food you’ve touched. Your immune system mistakenly identifies that food as something bad, like bacteria or a virus. In response, your body creates the chemical histamine and releases it into the bloodstream. Histamine can cause many symptoms that range in severity.
A food allergy isn’t the same thing as a food intolerance. Food intolerance doesn’t cause an allergic reaction. But, a food intolerance can cause symptoms similar to a food allergy.
What are the risk factors?
Family history of allergies, eczema, or asthma increases the chances you might have a food allergy. You can develop one at any time, though children have a higher rate of allergies than adults. However, children sometimes outgrow an allergy.
You can also develop a food allergy even if you don’t have a family history of allergies. Delayed introduction of allergenic foods to babies older than 7.5 months can actually increase risk of food allergies, so introduce between 5.5 and 7 months for protection.
If your child develops allergy symptoms after eating strawberries, eliminate the fruit from their diet and talk to your doctor.
What else could I be allergic to?
Strawberries belong to the Rosaceaefamily. Other fruits in this family include
- peaches
- cherries
- apples
- raspberry
- blackberries
If you know that you are allergic to a fruit in this family, you might also be allergic to strawberries. Even though blackberries are from the Rosaceae family, there are no reported cross-reactions from strawberry and blackberry allergies. Raspberries contain several known allergens and therefore are more to blame for reactions in this fruit family.
An example of a cross-reactive allergy is oral allergy syndrome. Some people develop this condition as older children, teens, and adults.
The symptoms include:
- itchy mouth
- scratchy throat
- swelling in and around the mouth and throat
This allergy is linked with pollen allergies. Strawberries and other fruits in the Rosaceae family are linked to birch allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
Foods to avoid
If you notice allergic symptoms after eating strawberries, eliminate them from your diet right away. This includes foods that contain strawberries in any form, including flavoring.
You can react to strawberries even if they are not in the food you eat. For instance, a strawberry used to decorate a piece of chocolate cake may cause an allergic reaction if you eat the cake, even though you did not eat the strawberry.
You may also develop food allergy symptoms from fruits related to the strawberry. If you experience symptoms after eating fruits such as peaches, apples, or blackberries, eliminate them from your diet as well.
Outlook
Living with a strawberry allergy can be inconvenient, but you shouldn’t experience allergy symptoms if you avoid strawberries and other trigger foods.
Strawberries are used to flavor many foods, so you’ll need to check ingredient labels closely to make sure they aren’t in processed food. When you go out to eat, let your server know about your allergy and make sure anyone preparing food for you is aware of your allergy.
Depending on how severe your allergy to strawberries is, you may find it necessary or desirable to gradually reintroduce the fruit into your diet to find out if the allergy persists. If this happens, discuss conducting an oral food challenge with your doctor.
Food substitutes
Avoiding strawberries doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy other fruits. But, be mindful of the fruits related to strawberries that may also cause allergic reactions. Bananas, blueberries, and melons aren’t part of the Rosaceaefamily, so you may want to eat those fruits in place of strawberries.
If you can’t eat several fruits and vegetables because of allergies, ask your doctor if you should supplement your diet to ensure you’re getting all necessary vitamins and minerals.
Recent studies on breeding hypoallergenic strawberries are underway. Some studies indicate breeds of strawberries with their red color removed can lessen allergic reactions. Someday, you will be able to have certain varieties of strawberries, even with a strawberry allergy.
