Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)

Has anyone ever heard of the above before? Today, I've been diagnosed with it and I don't even know there's such a thing. I only realised recently that everytime I eat a fruit with skin on, such as peaches, nectarines, cherries, apples and apricots, I'll get an allergic reaction. The symptoms are very similar to that of hayfever. My throat gets itchy and my lips start to swell. OAS is a cross-reaction, caused by the body mistaking a food allergen for an allergen iti is already allergic to such as pollen. Now I get the whole picture. I do indeed suffer from hayfever. The dietician told me that it is the protein just underneath the skin of fruits which causes the reaction. So beside staying away from the fruits that I am allergic to (no way since I love fruits), I can try cooking them or try them canned. Apparently, the cooking process will destroy the allergens causing the symptoms. I don't fancy cooked fruits so I'll try to peel the skin off. Wonder if it works.

Foods which normally cause OAS:

• apple
• pear
• strawberry
• cherry
• peach
• nectarine
• apricot
• plum
• kiwi
• melon
• watermelon
• orange
• hazelnut
• almond
• brazil nut
• walnut
• peanut
• almond
• coconut
• celery
• carrot
• tomato
• potato
• avocado pear
• lettuce
• spinach
• coriander
• dill
• carawy seeds
• parsley
• fennel
• cumin
• sunflower seeds
• honey
• mustard

I'm so glad I'm not allergic to DURIANS.