When my allergist officially diagnosed my peanut allergy,
she advised me to eliminate all nuts from my diet. This was a shock for me as almonds were a
staple in my packed lunches and pecan pie was one of my favorite fall
treats. Nuts are so healthy, how can
they be so dangerous??
Why did I have to give up some of my favorite snacks?? Cross-contamination, of course!! My allergist explained that most varieties of
nuts are processed in the same facilities.
So, peanuts might be shelled and cleaned on a machine that then
completes the same process with walnuts, almonds and pecans. Pieces of peanut might be left behind on the
machinery to mix with other types of nuts.
These other types of nuts are now “contaminated” by the peanut
remnants. This would go unnoticed by the
majority of consumers, but even microscopic levels of peanut protein could
cause anaphylaxis to a peanut allergy sufferer.
Be considerate of your friends who have nut allergies –
don’t take it personally if we avoid foods and recipes that may contain ANY
kind of nuts. We are just taking
precautions to protect our lives.
Keep out of the nut house!!
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