Are allergies from pollen exposure something you need to deal with year after year? You may already know that you can take allergy medication, avoid grassy areas, and stock up on eye drops, but are you aware that you may be triggering your allergies by making a very simple mistake: eating the wrong kinds of fruit.
As much as 70% of people who deal with allergies from pollen have a bad reaction to eating certain foods. If you’ve ever struggled to breathe after eating an orange, or developed an itchy mouth after enjoying a fresh, crisp apple, you could have a condition called oral allergy syndrome, or OAS – an allergic reaction to raw fruits and vegetables that have proteins similar to certain pollen.
Many people know they have reactions to certain foods, but never make the connection between their symptoms and seasonal allergies.
Read: Ditching Allergy Medications for 9 Fool-Proof Natural Solutions
Let’s go over the foods you should avoid, by season and allergy.
Allergies from Pollen Be Gone! Foods to Avoid During Allergy Season
Spring – Birch Pollen
- Apples
- Apricots
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherries
- Kiwi
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Almonds
- Hazelnuts
- Parsley
Summer – Grass Pollen
- Cantaloupe
- Honeydew
- Oranges
- Tomato
- Watermelon
- Figs
- Peaches
Fall – Weed Pollen (Mugwort & Ragweed)
- Bananas
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Honeydew
- Peaches
- Watermelon
- Zucchini
- Artichoke
- Echinacea, chamomile, and hibiscus teas
Every year, from spring through summer, millions of people cough and sneeze their heads off due to allergies. The same thing happens to a lot of people when the leaves change color and start to fall. Throw in some itchy eyes and swollen sinuses and it can be nearly impossible to enjoy the sunshine and warmth, or the cool and crunch of leaves under your feet.
If you you’re one of those people, remember this list of foods to avoid during allergy season and let everyone know in if it helps with your allergies from pollen by commenting below.
Sources:
US National Library of Medicine/PMC4482820
The Daily Meal
Mother Nature Network
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