The Dark Side To Your Spice Cabinet
Sugar and spice aren't always nice! While spices are a less common source for food allergies, according to a review from the Louisiana State University Health Science Center, as many as 14 of every 10,000 people may have a spice allergy. Symptoms of a spice allergy can range from mild to life-threatening. If your doctor thinks you have a spice allergy, they may perform an allergy test. But, here we must mention that your personal experience is extremely important to making an allergy diagnosis.
This is why…
Most allergy tests involve applying skin patches, but not all spices can be tested this way. This is especially true for hot spices that can inflame and irritate the skin.
There are some blood-based allergy tests available. But here too, many of them can't test for the broad range of potential spice allergens. So it's really your experience with the different spices that counts.
Be sure to pay attention to the foods you eat, what they contain, and how you feel after eating them. Report all of this information to your healthcare provider. The more detail, the better
A person is rarely allergic to just one type of spice. There is a high cross-reactivity between spices, nuts, and even tree pollens. What this means is that the chemical structure of certain foods is so similar that they both can trigger an allergic response.
