Strawberry Allergy
For people who look forward to fresh strawberry season every June, a strawberry allergy can be a major disappointment. No more strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, strawberry sundaes, strawberry ice cream or strawberry yogurt. As you might have guessed, the treatment for a strawberry allergy is a strawberry-free diet.
Technically, strawberries are not a fruit or a vegetable. In order to officially be considered as a fruit, the seeds must be inside, where with a strawberry the seeds are on the outside. There are in the area of fifteen different kinds of strawberry plants so there are many different strawberry proteins. In fact, researchers in Sweden have discovered that an allergy to strawberries has to do with the color--but exactly what it has to do with it is still unknown. As a result, however, if you have a strawberry allergy and you just cannot give them up, you might be delighted to find that white strawberries are safe, not containing the allergen of the red ones.
If you do have a strawberry allergy, the symptoms are sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, hives, contact dermatitis, wheezing, diarrhea, vomiting, hay fever, or asthma. If you have an allergy to birch pollen you probably have an allergy to strawberries but not vice-versa. Some people have allergies to the leaves of the strawberry plant but most are allergic to the fruits.
A strawberry allergy is like other allergies in that it is an immune system response to what it mistakenly believes is an invading toxin--the strawberry protein. Symptoms can be mild or can progress to respiratory failure and death should you go into anaphylactic shock. This condition needs immediate emergency room treatment or self-injection with epinephrine. Antihistamines usually help with the other symptoms.
A strawberry allergy can be diagnosed as other allergies with a skin test or a blood test. In the first a skin prick is given, then strawberry protein is applied to the opening. If a hive or little bump appears it means you have the allergy. It can also be identified with a blood test for immune system antibodies if you get to a doctor or emergency room immediately after experiencing an allergic reaction.
As already noted, the treatment for a strawberry allergy is a strawberry-free diet. This is easy to follow by reading labels carefully as strawberries are not frequently combined with other ingredients like wheat, corn or gluten. If you really miss strawberries in your meal choices, then go out and search for some white ones, or grow them yourself.