Oral allergy syndrome or OAS is an allergic reaction of the skin and mucus membranes caused by raw fruits, vegetables, spices and nuts because they contain a protein that is structurally similar to that of pollen you are allergic to. This condition is very common in people who have allergies to the seasons(weeds/trees/grasses). Here’s an oral allergy syndrome foods list that I’ve compiled for convenience as well as an oral allergy syndrome diet to follow during the seasons that you experience these symptoms.

Oral Allergy Syndrome Foods List

If you have this condition, as do I, it can be annoying to search for the foods that you should avoid during the allergy seasons. As a health-conscious person, I know that I should avoid foods that I am going to have a reaction to because these allergies can cause long-term damage and inflammation to the body. (1)

If you have allergies to the seasons and you react to certain foods, be sure to avoid them until you cure the root causes of your allergies in the first place. Avoidance of an allergic reaction is the first step to curing them naturally.

Foods To Avoid For Spring Allergies (Birch Pollen)

In the spring, usually starting around February and ending in May, you may experience a cross-reaction to the proteins in foods with the pollen from birch trees that you are allergic to. If you are first learning of this, it may make a lot of sense because it has happened to you throughout your life. It was probably very annoying and stressful to eat foods that made you itchy during some times of the year.

In the spring, if foods make you itchy then you should avoid the following:

Fruits : Peaches, Kiwi, Apples, Pears, cherries, plums

: Peaches, Kiwi, Apples, Pears, cherries, plums Vegetables : Celery, potatoes, carrots

: Celery, potatoes, carrots Nuts : Walnuts, hazelnut, soybean, peanuts

: Walnuts, hazelnut, soybean, peanuts Spices/herbs: Parsely, Caraway, Fennel, Coriander, Aniseed

Foods to Avoid for Fall Allergies (Ragweed Pollen)

In the fall, starting at the end of August and ending when the ground first sticks with snow or ice, the air will be filled with ragweed pollen. These little devils are the common weeds you see on the edges of highways.

Foods that cross-react with ragweed pollen protein include:

Fruits: Banana, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, zucchini, cucumber, kiwi

Ragweed allergy is very common in North America and especially Canada.

Foods to Avoid for Summer Allergies (Grass Pollen)

In the summer, its not uncommon to be allergic to grass pollen. Usually, this stuff doesn’t travel in the wind too much, but since we mow our lawns so often, the pollen gets frequently kicked up into the area we breathe and in our faces, through our windows, etc.

If your skin or eyes get itchy when someone is mowing a lawn nearby, you are allergic to grass pollen. If you have oral allergy syndrome, these foods will bother you:

Vegetables : Celery, potatoes, swiss chard

: Celery, potatoes, swiss chard Fruits : Watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, peaches, oranges

: Watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, peaches, oranges Legumes: peanut

Foods to Avoid for Late Summer to Early Fall Allergies (Mugwort Pollen)

A lesser-understood allergy season is for mugwort pollen. This plant pollenates from August to October and are located at the edges of small bodies of water. This plant is originally from Asia, but somebody must have intentionally brought seeds to Europe and North America so that we could suffer from more allergies.

Mugwort is beginning to appear in higher amounts in North America during the pollen seasons, and in some areas in Europe, the plant thrives year-round as an invasive species.

If this allergy season affects you and you suffer from oral allergy syndrome, avoid the following foods:

Vegetables : Broccoli, bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, onion

: Broccoli, bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, onion Spices : Garlic, black pepper, aniseed, caraway, coriander, fennel, mustard

: Garlic, black pepper, aniseed, caraway, coriander, fennel, mustard Tea: Chamomile, mugwort

Latex Oral Allergy Syndrome Foods

If you are allergic to latex, you can also suffer from oral allergy syndrome from a cross-reaction of proteins in food with latex. This is a very strange phenomenon that is usually overlooked, so if you can’t determine the cause of your oral allergy symptoms, this may be it. (2)

Here is an oral allergy foods list for latex:

Fruits : avocado, banana, fig, kiwi, peach, tomato

: avocado, banana, fig, kiwi, peach, tomato Vegetables : Bell pepper, white potato

: Bell pepper, white potato Herbs: chestnut

Oral Allergy Syndrome Chart

Here is a compounded chart of all the foods and seasonal allergies that can cross-react. Some websites will give a varying degree of foods for each pollen, and I tried to collect them all.

Oral Allergy Syndrome Diet

If you suffer from oral allergy syndrome symptoms, it is best to change your diet around that condition so that your body does not experience uncomfortable reactions, which can lead to long-term damage and inflammation.

This inflammation leads to an even further exacerbation of allergies and even more discomfort. The only way you can treat the root cause of your allergies naturally, you will need to avoid allergic reactions. This will allow your body to reach a point free from inflammation so that it can start healing its conditions.

In nature, we would not be this affected by pollen and strange allergies because our lifestyle would allow us to detoxify and rest as evolution intended. However, society and culture has changed our lifestyles to fit the needs of a fast-paced and demanding day.

So, to get rid of your oral allergy syndrome, along with avoidance of the foods that bother you, try to fix your diet and lifestyle in other ways that will help you out.

Water

It’s important to be hydrated if you experience allergic reactions because histamine is very dehydrating. Adequate pure water as well as drinks and foods that contain electrolytes will be effective. Coconut water and bananas are great for hydration if you aren’t allergic to them.

Reduce Stress

Stress increases cortisol and stress levels in the body that cause inflammation. This can further exacerbate allergic reactions and make it harder for you to treat them. Yoga, meditation and a warm bath is always nice.

Support Your Digestive System

The majority of the immune system, which works with allergies, is located in your gut. You can reduce the load on your immune system by avoiding foods that harm your gut, like sugars and salt. Make sure that you implement probiotic and prebiotic foods because they have what you need to maintain a healthy intestinal environment.

Cooking Offending Foods

Cooking will denature the protein that cross-reacts with the pollen you are allergic to. Raw carrots trigger my oral allergy syndrome symptoms, but once I cook them in boiling water, I Can eat them just fine.

Rapidly freezing the foods can also denature the protein in some cases.

I am always here for you, so if you have a question or something to add about this oral allergy syndrome foods list, please leave me a comment below!

Talk to you soon,

Anthony