Tree Nut Allergy Diet

Avoid All Sources of Tree Nuts

If your child has a tree nut allergy, he or she must avoid all sources of tree nut protein. Read labels on food products carefully. Tree nuts have been used in many foods including barbecue sauce, cereals, crackers, and ice cream. Also, Hacky Sacks (kick sacks), bean bags, and draft dodgers are sometimes filled with crushed nut shells. Be careful when purchasing and using these items.

Nutmeg is safe to eat. Nutmeg comes from the seeds of a tropical tree. Coconut is also usually safe to eat. A coconut is actually the seed of a fruit. Some people have reacted to coconut. Discuss eating coconut with your health care provider before introducing coconut to your child's diet.

Tree nuts can cause severe allergic reactions. If your doctor has prescribed epinephrine, be sure that your child has it available at all times.

Read Food Labels

Knowing how to read a food label will help you avoid problems caused by nuts in foods.

 
Avoid foods that contain tree nuts or any of these ingredients:
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almonds                         natural nut extract        
artificial nuts                   (such as almond, walnut) 
Brazil nuts                     nut meal            
caponata                        nut meat
cashews                         nut oil 
chestnuts                       nut paste (such as,        
filbert/hazelnuts                  almond paste)           
gianduja (a nut mixture         nut pieces                 
  in some chocolate)            pecans (Mashuga Nuts)      
hickory nuts                    pesto                      
macadamia nuts                  pine nuts (indian nuts, pinon 
mandelonas                         nuts, pignoli nuts, pignon 
marzipan/almond paste              nuts, pigñolia nuts)
nan-gai nuts                    pistachios                    
nougat                          pralines                   
nut butters (such as,           walnuts                    
  cashew butter)
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• Artificial nuts can be peanuts that have been deflavored and reflavored with a nut, such as pecan or walnut.
• Mortadella may contain pistachios.
• Natural and artificial flavoring may contain tree nuts.
• Experts advise people allergic to any tree nut to avoid all tree nuts as well as peanuts.

Use Tree Nut Substitutes

Children who are allergic to tree nuts, which grow on trees, are sometimes not allergic to peanuts, which grow underground. Check with your doctor first to be sure your child can safely eat peanuts. You may be able to use peanuts as a substitute for nuts in baked goods and other foods.