Diet is the cornerstone of tree nut allergy management. People with tree nut allergies need to carefully plan their diets to avoid eating certain tree nuts. This means also avoiding foods that contain or may be contaminated with tree nuts, such as food products made in facilities that use nuts in other products, which is a potential source of cross-contamination. Most countries require that food labels clearly state whether a food contains tree nuts, and many labels voluntarily state whether cross-contamination is possible, so checking the label on all packaged food items is important for people with allergies.
Diet may even play a role in allergy prevention. Early introduction of allergenic foods (by approximately 6 months of age) alongside continued consumption reduces the risk of developing food allergies.[1][2][3]
References
- ^Fleischer DM, Chan ES, Venter C, Spergel JM, Abrams EM, Stukus D, Groetch M, Shaker M, Greenhawt MA Consensus Approach to the Primary Prevention of Food Allergy Through Nutrition: Guidance from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; and the Canadian Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract.(2021-01)
- ^Greer FR, Sicherer SH, Burks AW, COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION, SECTION ON ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGYThe Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children: The Role of Maternal Dietary Restriction, Breastfeeding, Hydrolyzed Formulas, and Timing of Introduction of Allergenic Complementary FoodsPediatrics.(2019 Apr)
- ^Abrams EM, Chan ESPrevention of Non-peanut Food Allergies.Curr Allergy Asthma Rep.(2019-Nov-28)