Don’t Let Pumpkin Allergy Ruin Your Halloween Festivities
Can Halloween be complete without pumpkin? 🎃 It’s literally EVERYWHERE…from pumpkin lattes, pies, shakes, muffins, bars, bread, cheesecake, cookies, pancakes, flam, pudding, squares, soups, and yes even, pumpkin chili, and lasagna, to pumpkin Jack-O-Lanterns and fancy pumpkin carvings!
What seems so normal during Halloween is not so normal for individuals who have a pumpkin allergy. Yes, pumpkins can also be dangerous for some people!
Though allergic reactions to pumpkin “flesh” are rare and so is pumpkin seed allergy, it is also possible that pumpkin allergy is underdiagnosed. Some symptoms of pumpkin allergy can include itchy/watery eyes, swollen eyelids, hives, sneezing, and chest tightness.
Pumpkins are in the gourd family. This also includes squash and zucchini. Pumpkin seeds are usually eaten after they are toasted as appetizers, used on salads, or in breads. Pumpkin seeds contain large amounts of protein and the most common ones to trigger allergies are profilins and lipid transfer proteins (LTP). Most of the patients who had pumpkin allergy also had other allergies to banana, strawberry, peach or nectarine; allergic rhinitis to pollen; or asthma.
Put your mind at ease this Halloween and get tested immediately if you suspect an allergy to pumpkin. Whenever in doubt, avoid eating or using the product.
