Tree-nut allergy confusion? Hope this helps…
Is coconut considered a tree nut?
There is conflicting information on whether coconut must be avoided by people who are allergic to tree nuts.
Coconut has not in the past been considered a tree nut, but in 2006, the FDA began to define coconut as a tree nut. However, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, “the available medical literature contains documentation of a small number of allergic reactions to coconut; most occurred in people who were not allergic to other tree nuts. Ask your doctor if you need to avoid coconut.”
According to Allergy New Zealand, “coconuts are not tree nuts but are monocotyledonous plants of the palm family Arecaceae. Nut bearing trees, on the other hand, are dicots and are only distantly related to the palm species. Coconut rarely causes allergy. Most allergists will not suggest coconut avoidance unless there has been an allergic reaction to coconut.”
My daughter, who is allergic to cashews (and we don’t know yet about other tree nuts), eats coconut. We have never avoided it and never had a problem. I think that some people may have a coconut allergy in addition to a tree nut allergy, but whether the two are related remains unclear.
What about palm oil?
A friend told me that a pie she saw in a store had on the ingredient label “palm oil (a tree nut allergen)”. This is a case of the manufacturer not understanding what constitutes an tree-nut allergen, because palm oil does not come from a tree nut.
Palm oil comes from directly from the tree but has nothing to do with a tree nut. In addition, palm oil does not contain any [tree nut] proteins to which people are allergic. I verified this fact on the phone with FAAN. Palm oil is safe for tree-nut allergic individuals, unless they also have an allergy to palm oil (highly unlikely). [Correction: I meant to say that palm oil does not contain any tree nut proteins, but someone could be allergic to palm oil as a separate allergy from tree nuts.]
Is a water chestnut a nut?
A chestnut is a nut, but a water chestnut is a vegetable. No problem for the tree-nut allergic!
Does nutmeg come from a nut?
Nutmeg comes from the seeds of a tropical tree. It is not a nut and therefore safe for nut-allergic people. Someone might be allergic to nutmeg for other reasons, but a nutmeg allergy is probably rare.
Any other questions? Comment below and I will try to answer!
Tiffany says
I have an allergy to Acai Berries. I am slightly allergic to tree nuts almonds, walnuts. Also peanuts. Not pignolas (pinenuts). Also, not allergic to Coconut. I understand Acai Berries are a small fruit from the Palm tree. Is there something related in these berries that is a kin to the tree nuts that cause allergies? Sadly, I am also allergic to strawberries, raspberries, blackberries (yum!). But thankfully not blueberries or cranberries or pomegranates.
Thanks!
alison says
Hi Tiffany,
The acai berries don’t have anything to do with tree nuts.
But after some research, it seems that many people have a reaction to acai berries. Here is one forum where people are talking about it:
Allergy to Acai Berries
I’m glad you asked this question, because everyone talks about acai as being a superfood. I will be on the lookout for allergy to this in my family!
CatherineWO says
I’m interested in your statement that people are not allergic to palm oil. My four-year-old grandson gets a terrible rash on his bottom if he eats anything containing either palm oil or cottonseed oil. He comes from a long line of people with food allergies. I have wondered, however, if his sensitivity might be to the pesticide/herbicide chemicals used on the plants rather than to the plant itself. I know that cotton crops are raised with massive amounts of pesticides. Have you heard of this before?
Rhe says
My daughter has a severe peanut and tree nut allergy. She recently has been interested in trying pomegranates – some children at her school have been eating them. I’m concerned – are they at all related to any nut? Are they safe for her to eat?
alison says
Catherine,
Good question – I really don’t know how much of the chemicals get into the oil itself. Definitely something to check out! I is possible that he is allergic to both palm oil and cottonseed oil – and you are sure you have been able to isolate it to just those oils, and not the foods that were eaten with them?
Rhe,
Regarding pomegranate, it seems that there could be “a cross-reactivity between pomegranate, hazelnut and peanut”, according to an article in the publication Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006 Jan;96(1):122-3. I was not able to find the contents of the article, but found another article about the pomegranate where they mention the same thing:
Pomegranate
Thanks for asking this question – not sure what I will do with this information (my daughter is also allergic to tree nuts and peanuts).
Betty M. Elder says
There is something in Red Palm Oil to which people can be allegic because I am. I used it from a bottle and could not eat the food. It made my mouth feel like it was sunburned. I also bought some Smart Balance, not realizing they had a new formula, that now has red palm oil and had the same reaction. This leads me to believe it is something in the Red Palm Oil and not the version I bought.
Debby Foby says
I just now this week developed a severe allergy to coconut. I was sharing a chunk of raw coconut with my daughter when I had an anaphalactic allergic reaction and almost died. Now I am trying to figure out how my life is changed other than carrying an epipen with me everywhere and being fearful of hidden coconut… am I at risk with fragrances or soaps or palm oils or coconut oils? I am trying to get information if there is anyone out there like me help would be appreciated. Thank you
alison says
Oh my gosh Debby! That sounds frightening. I would think that if you had such a severe reaction you should avoid anything with coconut in it just to be safe, but don’t you think that you have been using products for years with coconut in it?
kelly h says
My daughter is allergic to tree nuts and sun flower seeds.We live in the mountains of West Virginia and she likes to hunt deer and squirrel.These animals eat lots of tree nuts, is it safe for her to eat the meat? Noboby so far can say yes or no, do you have any info on this?
pauline stevens says
I have to disagree with you in regards to allergies to pure palm oil. If i consume anything that has “palm oil” in the contents within 5 minutes I am nauseated,severe stomach cramps, diahrrea and larthargic. blood pressure drops, requires a shot of adrenlin. This has happened 5 times and only when I have eaten something with “palm oil” in the food. Now I have to check every thing I eat to make sure it has no “palm oil” in the food. Including restaurants. This allergy can be very devastating to very few people.
alison says
Kelly,
Wow — I have no idea on that question! I would think this wouldn’t matter since it seems the allergenic protein wouldn’t make it through like that. But I’m no scientist!
Pauline,
I have corrected my sentence in the original article… what I meant was that palm oil does not contain tree nut proteins, but a person could have a separate allergy to palm oil. Thanks for pointing out my mistake.
Renee says
My three year old is allergic to peanuts. Should I avoid the coconut? Not sure of the severity of the allergy as it was found out during a test for his milk allergy. I do have an epi-pen as it could be that serious. Is it worth the risk to try?
Benji Adams says
I just recently discovered that I am allergic to both palm oil and cottonseed oil. This site came up in a search for those two allergens, and I see that the boy mentioned in the comment above is also afflicted by these same two allergies. I wonder about the pesticides. It’s worth investigating. I’m also allergic to peanuts, by the way.
vivian says
My son has a palm oil allergy that we dicovered when he ate a natural peanut butter that contained palm oil. Before seeing his reaction (spots then blowing up like a balloon) we had only noticed that he seemed foggy brained. About a year after the peanut butter incident we discovered that milk and many cereals are fortified with vitamins a and d, from palmitate. Now we are more vigilant to keep any type of palm product away from him. After less than a week, we noticed a dfferent kid: less whining, more attentive, and for getting less than he ever had. I hope this helps someone.
Chelsie says
Hello,
My 3 year old son just had a allergic reaction to what they think is the peanuts..Ive been calling all over to manufatcutres to make sure that the foods I am feeding him are peanut free or made in a peanut free facility. One of his favorite lunch foods are Pizza pops that I notice have cocanut in them… Is cocanut considered a nut, should I avoid giving him this???
alison says
Chelsie,
It seems clear that people have allergies to coconut and palm oil. I would speak with your allergist have him tested specifically for coconut and palm oil.
Elene says
My son (5), is allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and coconut. My question relates to the coconut allergy. I have not gotten a clear answer to this question – even from my pediatric allergist … should my son avoid palm oil, palmitate because of the coconut allergy? He has never actually consumed coconut, but prior to the diagnosis, he had consumed items with coconut oil, palm oil and palmitate and experienced no visible reaction. That said, I am very careful about palm because of the coconut allergy – I am just wondering if I really need to be. Any input would be helpful. Thanks.
alison says
Elene,
What kind of testing was done to determine the coconut allergy? I would verify that your son is allergic to coconut specifically. And then I would ask if he could be tested for an allergy to palm oil. When my daughter did skin testing, even if the extracts weren’t available for certain foods, I was asked to bring in the real food itself and they put it into the skin, just as they would the extract. This is how we confirmed my daughter’s avocado allergy. She actually didn’t react to avocado extract, but given her history with a reaction to fresh avocado, he had me bring in fresh avocado and sure enough she had a big skin reaction. She was also tested with fresh banana when she was younger and even fresh raw fish.
If your son doesn’t react, ask if it would be possible to do a food challenge with your doctor. That was going to be our next step with the avocado if she didn’t react to the skin test.
Kelly H. says
Can a person eat vanilla extract,or pure vanilla when they have tree nut allergies.I understand this is a bean but are they any relation to tree nuts,would it be safe to eat.
alison says
I have never heard that someone with a nut allergy should avoid vanilla. My daughter is allergic to peanuts, cashews and pistachios, and she has vanilla all the time.
Charlyn Hughes says
I feel like I have had blisters in my throat for about 10 days now. I am allergic to peanuts and I have been eating (for 10 days) Paul Newman chocolate cookies which are made with “palm fruit”… is that considered part of the peanut family?
Shenola says
Hello, my son is 4 and has an epi-pen for tree nut and cat allergy. He has numerous other allergies as well, including wheat, soy, and corn. These 3 are a class 2. Now they are considering to test him for celiac disease. Does anyone know if a mild wheat allergy would be the same as gluten allergy, in which causes celiac? Just trying to see his chances of being a celiac, and if I should be worried before he even takes the test. If anyone could shed some light on this for me I would greatly appreciate it.
Sara says
Hi Shenola,
My son is 3 1/2 and he had a wheat allergy at age 1–so we avoided all wheat, gluten etc. When he was re-tested the following year he had outgrown it and now does fine with all products containing wheat and gluten. I believe that a wheat allergy and celiac disease can be 2 different things. Does your son have any other symptoms of celiac or is there a history in the family? I know how you feel–as soon as they said wheat allergy I thought of celiac.
jm says
are palm dates tree nuts?
katrina says
My teacher son has a tree-nut allergy and his daycare called and asked if he could have coconut and she said no becuase she didn’t know if a coconut is a nut so she went on google and checked if a coconut is a tree-nut but she found the best thing to do is talk to the allergy doctor. So if you have a kid that has a allergy of tree-nuts check with the allergy doctor.
katrina says
I think coconuts are fruit
katrina
ciara says
It is vital that all people with food allergies (or any intense allergy, like bee stings) carry one or two “EpiPens” with them at all times. They now distribute “practice” EpiPens (no needle, no epinephrine) so the real injector isn’t a strange device. I expect that the EpiPen is probably painful, but it’s got to be an improvement over not breathing.
If you have, or think you have, allergies, find a good allergist. Ask your internist or family doctor, and your friends and neighbors, who they’ve seen and who they think is a good allergist.
Keep in mind that even doctors can recommend some real losers. An outstanding internist I had a number of years ago recommended a gynecologist for me to see; she was also listed in a local magazine as one of the best doctors in the area. When I woke from the gyn’s surgery on me, my abdomen looked like I’d been hit by a truck and felt worse. I had nearly identical surgery two more times with no bruising.
If you have any question about an allergist’s competence or interest, you have no reason to return to see that doctor again. You don’t have to explain to anyone why you’re changing to another doctor. Doctors are actually employed by us “patients” and we are under no obligation to return to a doctor we don’t feel comfortable with.
There are insurance policies that limit which doctor(s) you can see, but push the insurance company if you don’t feel that available doctor(s) are competent.
NEVER underestimate a food allergy. They can be quickly fatal. They can be dramatically worse each time you’re exposed to the allergen, so don’t assume that you’ll be safe because you only had a few hives last time you ate the offending food.
Kelly H. says
If you are allergic to sunflower oil and seeds can you eat safflower oil.
Jennifer M. says
I am very new to this now, I had to take my son to the ER today because he had a allergic reaction to a Brazilian Nut. He has never had a reaction before to mixed nuts or any kind of nut until today. I decided to take him to the ER and I am so glad I did. He would have died if I hadn’t, and on top of having asthma. My question is on sunflower oil and any other oil that may contain nuts. I have to wait until Monday to talk to his doctor. I am allergic to certain nuts now also. He has been eating peanut butter since he was one or two. Could you advise me on what to look out for on ingredients labels? I have somethings that contain coconuts and sunflower oils. Thank you from a mom that never had to deal with this in any of her kids until now. Any suggestions I would be greatly indebted to you.
Thank you,
Jennifer M.
alison says
Jennifer,
That is really scary about your son.
Sunflower seeds are not nuts, but some people have an allergy to seeds, such as sunflower, sesame and poppy.
Coconuts are also different from tree nuts, but people could also have an allergy to coconut.
Here is a Tree-Nut Allergy Guide to help you:
http://surefoodsliving.com/diet-guides/tree-nut-free-diet-guide/
I hope this helps and good luck.
Alison
jennie... says
Hi… My 17 yr old son is allergic to Peanuts and tree nuts. Also Chicken and turkey… Over the last cpl of months we have found that he has an allergy to baked beans!….. Is it well known that once u have anaphalaxia you will become more ‘prone’ to other things! Thanks
Vilma Wilson says
First of lets be clear so there is no misunderstanding by the readers here. Red Palm Oil or palm oil does not come from a nut so the prospects of someone being allergic to it is not true. Red Palm Oil/Palm Oil comes from the outer layer of the palm fruit that is indigenous to the equator/tropical regions of the world. Palm is considered a vegetable in terms of classification.
Palm Trees of this kind do produce a nut with a hard shell. This shell is more rigid than that of the walnut shell and would require a nutcracker to get to the core of this nut. The core can be used to produce palm kernel oil which can be found in ice cream and store shelf products. Even so because this oil is from a vegetable it is difficult to classify the core as a nut since it is nothing like a peanut, or related nuts.
Palm oil is considered a vegetable oil like olive oil, corn oil, soybean oil, etc. It is not a tree nut. There is some degree of misinformation going on here and there is usually underlying intent as a reason to misinform people. So, just to be factual, palm oil comes from a vegetable so if you are allergic to that you must be allergic to vegetable oil in general.
lisa says
my son has been allergy tested and it has said he is allergic to trees, quite high. my husband has been growing palm trees and cultivating them, and is very successful, mr doctor seems to think that these trees are ok, but surely trees are trees, does any one know if this is correct. my husband has them growing around the house.many thanks.lisa
rose says
Dear Alison,
I have a 20 year old daughter who has had peanut allergy ever since she was 2 years old, also allergic to other nuts as well. Please are you able to tell me if palm oil would be safe for her.
Many thanks
Rose
alison says
Rose,
To my knowledge, palm oil has nothing to do with peanuts. I have heard of people having an allergy to palm oil, however. The safest thing would be to get her tested first.
Barb says
How come I’m allergic to tree nuts but not peanuts?
alison says
Barb,
Peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts! For some reason, some people can be allergic to both tree nuts and peanuts.
Pat Pollard says
I had a bad allergic reaction to using tea tree oil on my skin and just had the same reaction when I found coconut oil in my Vit E oil. Are they related?
Heather says
Hello,
My 3 year old son was just diagnosed with severe peanut and tree nut allergies. He has been eating food that “may contain peanuts or nuts” since he could eat real food and he has never had a reaction. Do you know what the chances are of actually having a reaction from a product like this? Can he absolutely NEVER eat these foods again?
alison says
Hi Heather,
This is an excellent question. The problem is that there is no standard law for the use of allergen statements. They are working on these standards which should make it easier for all of us. I would call the company and ask about their processing. If they say that they have dedicated lines for the peanut vs. non-peanut products, you might feel safer about your child eating it than if they say that they run everything on the same line.
Mary says
Hi, Would love to hear people’s opinions on if there is any connection between tea tree oil and tree nuts. My daughter is allergic to both peanuts and tree nuts . . . but I want to use tea tree oil on her–for yeast diaper rash and or when she gets cuts etc. Can I?
Of course I know she could be allergic to tea tree as well (separately) but–is there a connection between tea tree and tree nuts?
alison says
Mary,
I can’t imagine why tea tree oil would have anything to do with tree nuts. Tea tree oil comes from the leaves I think.
Unregistered says
FYI – Just read on the FDA website that all grains are expected to have some cross-contamination from other grain glutens. I keep seeing Oat based cereals now have the “may contain traces of soy” on the labels, but just want to let everyone know they should expect gluten traces from other grains as the same farm equipment and transport barrels are used for all crops.
Could there be a link between the rate of allergies and the GMO (Genetic Modification) of different foods now available such as wheat ? I’ve read potatos are now GMO but what other products have been tinkered with (Frankenfood)?
Brent says
I know that I am allergic to coconut. Every time I eat it I get a sore throat. Is there anything else that is related to coconut that I should avoid?
Alison says
Hi Brent,
According to the Botanical Food Family List from The Calgary Allergy Network in Canada, coconut is part of the Palm family, which includes: Coconut, Date, Palm Cabbage, and Sago. This doesn’t necessarily mean you are allergic to all members of the family, but might want to be aware of them.
Steve says
This may or not be useful, but: for a while I thought I had some kind of super-severe IBS, but a bit of sleuthing tracked down the culprits: palm kernel oil and cottonseed oil, materials that have crept into almost all commercial baked good, candies, cookies, crackers, even some breads. One chips ahoy or pecan sandy has the same effect as eating about 3 bars of ex-lax. I keep trying to get the word out: palm kernel oil, even in tiny amounts, can cause crippling cases of the runs. If you have that problem, try cutting it out of your diet. But read labels closely, it’s in almost everything!
Okay with butter, sesame, peanut, canola, and olive oils, no ill effects from lard. But for me palm and cottonseed oils are dangerous.
Alison says
Thanks Steve. I haven’t heard of many people with this problem, but maybe they don’t it!
Jeanne says
Hi Alison, I have “latex food syndrom”. I am 50 yrs. old and do not know what to eat. I was born with spinal biffida and scoliosus. I got a laytex allergy at birth due to doctors using latex gloves. I never imagined I would have a fruit allergy.Since I have stopped eating fruit, I am nearly pain free. I also have issues with gluten, lactose, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts and wheat. I am trying to rule out foods and perservatives.I got a flu shot in Oct. and it made all my allergies more intense. Fruit made me an emotional and crazy person, from inflamtion in my head. I am so blessed that I now have a diagnoses. I gave bloood and was sick for 2 weeks,from what they cleaned my arm with. I guessit means I have a shellfish allergy as well.I grew up eating basically meat, potato, veg, and bread. I have not found a butter I can use. They have fruit as a sweatner or soy. I have a little reaction to coccunut butter. I am at a loss as to what to spread on a potato. When ingedients list “spices” I usually have a reaction. Along with fruit, I have read that legiumes are an issue as well.I have been eating alot of brown rice pasta and usually, turkey, chiken or beef, with broccoli. Do you have any ideas that would lengthen my food list. I am afraid to eat. I have a sweet tooth as well, but I know sugar causes inflamtion as well. But…any candy ideas? Bread? soups? Butters? Thanks, Jeanne
Alison says
Jeanne,
Can you have olive oil? I enjoy olive oil and salt on a potato. My family uses Pamela’s bread mix with egg replacer. I like to make a roasted chicken soup — one night I roast a chicken in the oven for 1 hour on 450 degrees, surrounded by carrots, potatoes, onions, any other root veggies, all sprinkled with kosher salt. We eat that for dinner. The next night I add the leftover chicken and bones and veggies to water or broth, bring to a boil and simmer until chicken falls off bone easily. I make rice spaghetti or fettuccine and add to the soup. Hope these ideas help!
Hannah says
Hello, what a very helpful website.
My son is allergic to coconut. Should palm oil be avoided? Thanks for your help.
Kady says
If my daughter is allergic to blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, will she also be allergic to pomegranates?
Alison says
Hi Kady,
Being allergic to one food doesn’t necessarily mean you will be allergic to all foods in the same family, though you could be. According to this Botanical Food Family List, raspberries and strawberries are in the same family. Blueberries are in a different one, and pomegranates are also in their own. If you suspect an allergy to something, get tested for that particular food.
Mayra says
I have a group Presentation for school On a how to make a salad. I chose a “creamy hawaiian fruit salad” that I saw from a kraft food magazine. With the following ingredients
2 cups seedless red grapes
1 large orange, sectioned
1 banana, sliced
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1 container (8 oz.) BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1/4 cup BAKER’S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted
In my class there are people who are allergic to melons, pineapple, gluten, dairy, peanuts (almonds).
do my ingredient fall within these category & what can I substitute or perhaps options on a fruit salad I can use that does not affect anyone?
Alison says
Mayra,
Your salad is gluten-free, but contains dairy in the sour cream. You could try a dairy-free sour cream (but make sure it does NOT contain milk protein) — I’m not sure if it will taste good in this salad.
For nut allergies, be sure the coconut is not cross-contaminated with nuts (it should say on the label). Otherwise, coconut should be fine, unless someone has a specific allergy to coconut. Make sure the fruit is not cut where there are nuts present or with knives that have come into contact with nuts.
For pineapple, you could substitute mango to keep it tropical!
Xzigalia says
Coconut allergy can be topical as well as oral. I had reactions topically to soaps and shampoos for years before I finally reacted to pure coconut oil which gave me my first clue, and then as a food.
Coconut derivatives are in basically any cosmetic or cleaning agent, in the form of sodium laureth sulphate, cetearyl alcohol (sometimes) and many others.
For a good blog, I recommend http://coconutallergy.blogspot.com/
Amanda Bowers says
Thank you so much for this article. I have searched everywhere trying to find this answer. My son is tree nut allergic,but I really enjoy using Organic Palm Shortening and have had lots of trouble getting an answer on this one. Thanks.
Suzanne Lamb says
I have been aware of my peanut allergy for many years, I get migraines from them, @ first I could cheat with peanut butter(but if I ate a small handful of peanuts I would get a migraine outright), 1 or 2 sandwiches and I’d be fine, but after years of indulging very little a co-worker walked by w/ something w/ peanuts/peanut butter, and it about made me sick. I discovered cottonseed oil years after the peanut allergy, after trial and error, so have had to be very careful w/ food labels, since it is in everything…I was still getting migraines sometimes every week, and finally after more investigation this past December found out I’m also allergic to palm oil…which makes it equally as frustrating since cottonseed and palm are in almost everything, which means the only things I’m truly safe from is meat, vegetables, and fruit….it becomes annoying during holiday celebrations when store bought cakes are considered. Or when I go out to eat b/c I’m wondering am I going to get a migraine from this outing…Why are the food companies so willy-nilly w/ these oils if they are so dangerous to so many?
Jill says
I have an anaphalectic reaction to tree nuts. My allergist tested me and said I also have to avoid peanuts. Do you know about peanut or cocunut oils, which seem to be in everything?
Alison says
Jill,
Coconut is not considered a nut, so you should be able to eat coconut oil, unless you have a separate allergy to it (talk to your doctor). You should avoid peanut oil because even though some say that highly refined peanut oil has no peanut proteins in it, you can’t be sure of the quality of the oil, so it may still contain peanut protein.
Seran Carne says
I have recently developed an intolerance to a wide range of foods including bread. Because the bloating reaction I have is so fast and violent I have managed to cut out most of the foods causing me this discomfort, and through trial and painful error I was able to identify the key ingredient causing my problem which is PALM OIL (this is often hidden within UK labelling law under a non-specifical label of vegetable oil). It is really amazing just how much processed food contains palm oil now and how difficult it is to avoid. My sympathies go out to anyone who has a dangerous reaction to foods, as this has highlighted to me how hard it is to determine the ingregients of even everyday processed food products. Great blog – I finally found someone else with palm oil problems!