Can you be allergic to cucumbers?
Although cucumber allergies are not frequently reported, they can have negative effects. The Cucurbitaceae plant family, which also includes melons and pumpkins, includes cucumbers. There are frequent reports of hypersensitivity reactions to other fruits (see below).
Cucumber can induce symptoms of food allergy in sensitised individuals. Oral allergy syndrome and pruritis of the lips, tongue and throat have been reported. Contact with cucumber may result in atopic dermatitis or contact urticaria.
The most uncommon food allergens include bananas, beef, carrots, celery, corn, fish, garlic, ham, honey, lamb, lemon, malt, onion, orange, pork, pineapple, rice, salmon, sugar, turkey, and vanilla. Reading the ingredient list is the best way to determine if a food contains an allergen.
These allergies generally appear suddenly, and can be present in both children and adults. The thing that most people don't realize about pickle allergies, is that they are typically caused not by the pickle itself, but by the preservatives used in the pickling process.
If you've ever finished eating a fruit or vegetable and started feeling a tingling sensation in your mouth, it's not just in your head. According to the National Jewish Health center, you're probably experiencing oral allergy syndrome (OAS).
Allergic reactions to many different vegetables have been reported, but celery, specifically celeriac (celery root) is a particularly problematic food. Symptoms of vegetable allergy are often mild and observed in the oral cavity with itching of the oral mucosa, swelling of lips, tongue and throat.
The disease is caused by a bacterium, and the initial symptoms are small, water-soaked spots that develop on the undersides of leaves. These lesions expand until they become limited by the larger secondary veins in the leaf, giving the spots an angular shape (Figure 1).
Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. Peanuts are not the same as tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.), which grow on trees. Peanuts grow underground and are part of a different plant family, the legumes. Other examples of legumes include beans, peas, lentils and soybeans.
Shellfish is the most common allergen for adults, followed by peanut and tree nut.
Anaphylaxis-symptoms that occur are hives, swelling, wheezing, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea and low blood pressure. This leads to IgE mast cell degranulation. Allergy skin testing, specific IgE lab testing and fresh food skin testing with cucumber all can be used to test for cucumber allergy.
Why does my throat itch when I eat cucumber?
Oral allergy syndrome
Some people get an itchy mouth and throat after eating raw fruit or vegetables. This is called oral allergy syndrome. It's not usually serious and eating fruit and vegetables that have been well cooked helps.
People have loved pickles for 4,000 years, but there are some side effects to all this goodness. Eating too many pickles or drinking too much pickle juice can make you sick, due to all the sodium. That could mean higher blood pressure, stomach cramps, bloating, indigestion, water retention, diarrhea, or gas.
If eaten in moderate quantities, cucumbers won't do any harm to your body. But if had in excess, they can lead to some stomach troubles. Excess cucumbers can make you feel bloated because they are 95% water. The seeds of this vegetable are a rich source of cucurbitin, which has diuretic properties.
If you are allergic to ragweed pollen, you may develop oral symptoms when eating melons, zucchini, cucumber, kiwi, or bananas. If you are allergic to grass pollen, you may develop oral symptoms when eating melons, tomatoes, oranges, swiss chard, or peanuts.
The actual cause of bitterness in cucumbers and other gourds, like zucchini, is due to a compound known as cucurbitacin. This compound is always present in cucumbers, but the levels change based on the growing process of the vegetables. The higher the level of cucurbitacin, the more bitter the cucumber.
They can manifest as a spectrum of symptoms, ranging from itching, redness and swelling for milder reactions, to vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and other potentially life-threatening symptoms for severe reactions.
The Rosaceae (apple, pear, cherry, peach, and plum) and Cucurbitaceae (cucumber, melon, watermelon, zucchini, pumpkin) plant groups and kiwi fruit are particularly likely to cause allergies.
The most common food allergens are cow's milk (dairy), egg, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, soy, fish, shellfish and wheat. Almost any substance that is eaten (including herbal medicine) can trigger an allergic reaction.
Foodborne Outbreaks and Recalls
Between 2000 and 2020, at least 41 cucumber-associated outbreaks were reported to CDC's National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS), causing 2,401 illnesses, 323 hospitalizations, and 7 deaths. Cucumber salad, cucumber sandwiches, and raw cucumbers are among the implicated food items.
Powdery mildew, mainly caused by the fungus Podosphaera xanthii, infects all cucurbits, including muskmelons, squash, cucumbers, gourds, watermelons and pumpkins. Powdery mildew infections favor humid conditions with temperatures around 68-81° F. In warm, dry conditions, new spores form and easily spread the disease.
What diseases are cured by cucumbers?
The lignans may help prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, and some cancers. Antioxidants such as beta carotene in cucumbers can help fight free radicals in your body, unpaired electrons that damage cells and can lead to disease. Cucumbers may also have health benefits outside your body.
Any food may cause an allergic reaction, but 90% of food allergies in children are caused by just 6 common foods or food groups—milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and wheat.
There's currently no cure for food allergies, although many children will grow out of certain ones, such as allergies to milk and eggs. The most effective way you can prevent symptoms is to remove the offending food – known as an allergen – from their diet.
- Milk. Cow's milk allergy is the most common food allergy among children. ...
- Eggs. Egg allergies affect about 2% of children, although 70% of those children will likely outgrow their allergy by the time they are 16. ...
- Peanuts. ...
- Tree Nuts. ...
- Fish. ...
- Crustaceans (Shellfish) ...
- Wheat. ...
- Soy.
Cold urticaria is a rare condition that causes an allergic reaction to cold temperatures. It usually triggers a rash or hives after exposure to cold air, water, food or drink. But symptoms can be more severe. The condition is sometimes associated with an underlying blood cancer or infectious disease.