What Is a Safe Diet for Someone with a Nut Allergy?

Avoiding products that could possibly have nuts is absolutely necessary

Anyone with a nut allergy needs to avoid all foods that could possibly contain nuts, but how is this possible? Nuts are put into many foods, including granola bars, cereals, cookies, frozen meals, sauces, baked goods, candy and many more. They are sometimes hidden in foods that do not taste like nuts. They could even be in chili or ground up and added to pasteries or donuts so that don't even look like nuts. Bakeries often ground nuts and add cinnamon, butter and flour to make a crumble that they put on rolls or coffee cakes. Unless someone reads the label, they may not know that nuts are hidden in this product.

Products without labels have the potential of containing nuts

Donuts or pastries from the local bakery often don't have labels listing the ingredients in the product. Neither do foods from restaurants everywhere you go. The only way to be sure that they do not contain nuts is to speak with the manager of the eatery to see if nuts have been used in making the food. Even then, there could be a mistake made. Parents should explain that eating a tiny piece of nut could cause a serious or reaction to cashews, almonds or other nuts in the food product.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the most serious of all food allergies is peanut allergy. Nut allergies are often just as serious and are rated among the top food allergies. Tree nuts are often in foods that may not taste nutty to a child such as nougat candy. The Cleveland Clinic points out that tree nuts may also be used in shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and other beauty products that could cause an allergic reaction.

Many people are allergic to both tree nuts and peanuts

Although peanuts are technically a legume and not a nut, according to Children's Hospital Colorado, approximately 1.5 million people in the United States are allergic to peanuts, and 50% of these people are also allergic to tree nuts. Allergists often recommend that if a person is allergic to peanuts that they do not eat tree nuts as a precaution since so many children and adults have allergies to both peanuts and tree nuts. Avoiding peanuts and tree nuts can be even more confusing to parents and those who are allergic to these foods.

Making your child's food at home is the only sure way to avoid nuts

Although very few people want to do all of their own cooking and baking, it is the one sure way that you or your allergic child will not eat foods with nuts or peanuts. When this isn't possible, eating simple, natural foods can save the day. A child can pack a lunch with sunflower seed butter on bread, a banana or apple, and a box of milk or juice for lunch. If it is necessary to eat processed foods, parents need to read every label on each food item that their child eats. If a label says, "Peanut products produced in our factory," it's safe to assume that there could be cross-contamination of peanuts or nuts in the food that you are considering.

Educate everyone who comes in contact with your child about the nut allergy

Relatives, friends, daycare and your child's school should be told about your child's allergy to nuts. Explain to everyone that allergic reactions to nuts and peanuts can be different. Even if your child has only developed hives from nuts in the past, the next time that he eats them could result in a more serious reaction.