We Finally Know The Reason Why Some Fruit Makes Your Mouth Tingle (2024)

FAQs

We Finally Know The Reason Why Some Fruit Makes Your Mouth Tingle? ›

It's also known as both food-pollen allergy syndrome, and fruit-pollen syndrome, and it affects about 25% of people with common allergies. The reason you experience a reaction to these foods is that there are food proteins in fruits, nuts. and vegetables that closely resemble those contained in tree and weed pollen.

My mouth tingles when I eat fruit

Instead of reacting to the fruit itself, the allergy is to pollen that happens to have proteins that are structurally similar to those in the fruit. It can happen with vegetables, too, and even nuts.

Oral Allergy Basics

Unlike standard food allergies, which produce systemic symptoms, oral allergy syndrome usually doesn't produce hives or itchy, watery eyes. Instead, an oral allergy experience is a tingling sensation in the mouths and on lips in the moments during and after eating the offending food.

Plus, it has all kinds of health benefits. But for some people it can cause a strange, tingly, itchy sensation in the mouth when consumed raw. “Mango mouth,” as it's been called, occurs in people who have a mango allergy, most commonly linked to the chemical urushiol.

If you have a true sugar allergy, you might experience certain symptoms when you eat sugar, such as: Hives. Congestion. An itchy, tingling sensation in your mouth.

The tangly, salty and slightly metallic taste of a fruit tingle was traditionally created by bicarbonate of soda – these days potassium bicarbonate is used instead. Both ingredients often appear in antacids, meaning fruit tingles are actually good for heartburn.

Oral allergy syndrome (OAS), a type of food allergy, is an allergic reaction that is confined to the lips, mouth and throat. OAS most commonly occurs in people with asthma or hay fever from tree pollen who eat fresh (raw) fruits or vegetables. Other pollen allergies may also trigger OAS.

Key takeaways: Oral allergy syndrome is a type of mild food allergy. It causes oral symptoms like tingling or itching in the mouth after eating raw fruit or vegetables. People who are allergic to pollen from trees, weeds, or grasses are more likely to have oral allergy syndrome.

You just might have Oral Allergy Syndrome. What is Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)? OAS is a food-related allergy to certain proteins located in specific fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts.

The weird feeling in your mouth after eating pineapple is due to bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins and can induce a tingling or burning sensation.

What fruits contain urushiol? ›

Foods From the Poison Ivy Family

Cashews, mangos, and pistachios are edible cousins to the poison ivy plant. Each of these foods can potentially contain urushiol, an oily substance that's present in the plants, and is often released when touched (like poison ivy) or bruised (pistachio, cashew, mango, or poison ivy.)

Ice cream. Another hot and cold combination, ice cream and mango should be avoided.

A mango allergy can cause mouth itching, hives, vomiting, or breathing issues shortly after exposure. A person may also experience a delayed reaction, such as a rash around the mouth or eye swelling. People with a mango allergy may develop symptoms after they have been in contact with mango peels or a mango tree.

That sugar overload can cause your blood sugar to spike, then crash and burn. While it's extremely rare to have a real sugar allergy, some people may be super sensitive to even a small amount of the sweet stuff. “There are people who cannot tolerate high sugar intake,” Tanya Freirich, M.S., RDN, tells SELF.

Urinating often: High blood sugar goes into the kidneys and urine. This attracts more water, causing frequent urination. Numbness and tingling: High blood sugar can also cause numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands, legs, and feet.

A sugar allergy, or intolerance, can cause symptoms like bloating, stomach cramps, nausea, gas, and diarrhea. If you're allergic to sugar, you may also experience symptoms like hives, itching, difficulty breathing, or anaphylaxis.

Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS), also known as oral allergy syndrome, is caused by cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and raw fruits, vegetables, or some tree nuts. The immune system recognizes the pollen and similar proteins in the food and directs an allergic response to it.

That tingling sensation can happen to any person with any type of jaw. The reason why your jaw tingles has less to do with your bone structure than your digestive system. When you taste something sour, tannic, alcoholic, or sugary, your salivary glands go into overdrive.

“If you are sensitive to a pollen, like birch, you might have a reaction if you eat apples, peaches and pears. This is because it contains a similar protein,” Dr. Amrol said. “When you eat that fruit, the protein causes histamines to be released in your mouth and throat, so you get itching and irritation.