The peanut allergy has changed the way we pack our kids lunches or chose snacks for ourselves. 

In the United States alone more than 3 million people show signs of being allergic to peanuts and/or tree nuts.

Even though it is a small number of people affected it causes more deadly anaphylactic reactions than any other food allergy.

On a good note just because you are allergic to peanuts doesn’t mean you are allergic to all nuts – since technically peanuts are not a nut. They are a legume related to the lentil and bean family. Like beans, peanuts grow in pods in the dirt through the root system of the plant. Nuts grow on trees. This does not mean you can’t be allergic to tree nuts as well. About a 3^rd of the people who suffer peanut allergies also suffer tree nut allergies. An allergist can help you determine which nuts/peanuts/foods effect you.

On a bad note traces of peanuts can be found in so many other products. The obvious are cookies, candy bars and cereals. The not so obvious are sauces, soup mixes, salad dressings and cake mixes. Check out the ingredients listed on food labels, watching for wording that warn consumers an item was processed or packaged at a factory where peanuts and tree nuts were also processed. Vegetarian foods also contain peanuts. They make a great substitute for meat.

Restaurants are also a big issue for people with peanut allergies. Peanuts are added into many dishes served up on the menu. Even if your food choice does not contain peanuts you might want to tell your wait person to please make sure your food isn’t prepared near any other dishes that contain peanuts.

Did you know mulch can contain peanut by products. Read the labels on your mulch or composting bags when shopping at your local garden stores or check with your landscapers to make sure they aren’t spreading peanut husks all over your beautiful flower beds.

Another fact is that some people with peanut allergies can safely eat foods cooked with peanut oil. Research suggests it might have something to do with the proteins in the peanut that are transferred to the oil.

Whatever your allergy take precautions. Read labels, learn how best to avoid allergens and get with your doctor to determine exactly what you are allergic to. Work on building your immune system to allergies with products from Allergena.