Spices are unlikely sources of anallergy.
With that being said, spice allergies have been known to occur.
Some common spice allergies include garlic, celery, onion, cumin, and mustard.
Verywell / Nez Riaz
Sesame is one of the most common food allergens and is present in some spice mixtures.
These irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth.
This may be mistaken for an allergic reaction to a spice.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
This is known ascontact dermatitis.
Heating certain spices may decrease its potential allergenicity, but heat doesn’t affect some allergens.
Symptoms of Anaphylaxis
In some cases, a potentially deadly, full-body allergic reaction known asanaphylaxiscan occur.
Not all spices have commercially available extracts and blood tests.
In many cases, a medically supervised challenge may be the most helpful test that an allergist can perform.
This should only be performed in a setting where anaphylaxis can be quickly identified and treated.
Your personal experience is extremely important to make an allergy diagnosis.
Repeated episodes can usually help narrow down what you may be allergic to.
However, both allergies and intolerances can have some of the same symptoms.
Pay attention to the foods you eat, what they contain, and how you feel after eating them.
Report all of this information to your healthcare provider (the more detail, the better).
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.
Many foods are pre-seasoned or use seasoning agents made from multiple herbs, spices, and chemicals.
Dishes prepared in a restaurant may include spices not called out on a menu.
A person is rarely allergic to just one pop in of spice.
There is a high cross-reactivity betweenspices, nuts, and even tree pollens.
Just because you have to avoid one or two spices does not usually mean you must avoid them all.
Some people can tolerate a food that is cross-reactive with one or more of their allergens.
Summary
Although it’s rare for someone to have a spice allergy, it can sometimes occur.
People may even experience severe allergic reactions when they eat particular spices.
Most allergy tests only test for a small variety of spices.
This is why you should pay close attention to the foods you eat.
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ACAAI Public Website.Anaphylaxis: Causes, symptoms & treatment.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Can spices cause allergic reactions?
