I have random food related things to tell you about so today’s What I Ate Wednesday post may appear more like a ramble and less like it’s usual structured self.
Cherries were finally on sale this week so I made my way to the store as fast as I could to pick up a bunch.
I am allergic to cherries. Yeah. I know. It’s not fair.
My stubborn side tried for a few days to eat them in the hope that the itchy mouth and throat feeling wouldn’t keep happening.
But it did. Every time.
If you recall, I have food allergies in the form of Oral Allergy Syndrome. Sometimes I can consume the raw fruits and vegetables I am allergic to and sometimes I can’t.
Cherries so far this year are on the “can’t” list. And, the symptoms were annoying enough that I don’t think I will try again.
My son is happy though because now he doesn’t have to share them with me.
The fruit that I packed for the beach on Sunday contained the cherries but I didn’t eat them. I don’t get a reaction if they touch the other fruit in the container which I guess is the bright side I need to focus on as I sit here sad that a bowl of tasty cherries are in my refrigerator and not safe for me to consume.
On the topic of allergies, recently I also mentioned a weird oatmeal allergy which only affects my mouth when the oats are first cooking. Once they are cooled or even reheated the next day, I have no issue.
The other morning while I was cooking a few servings of oatmeal, I tasted a spoonful from the pot which I know I shouldn’t do but do anyway and immediately my mouth reacted with torn up gums and a swollen upper lip that looked like I went for botox injections.
This reaction was the most severe I have ever had and my giant lips didn’t return to normal for over four hours.
The only thing I used that was different this week was a newly purchased, fresh container of organic steel-cut oats which I filled myself at the bulk bins from Whole Foods.
I most certainly returned the container of oats to Whole Foods as quickly as possible where they informed me that the bulk bins are always filled with the same items but they can’t guarantee what the food may have come into contact with prior to being loaded into the bins.
After some research in the form of googling, it’s possible I am allergic to a protein found in oats or, more likely, that my oat allergy stems from oat dust.
You know, the powder that comes off of the raw oats which you also see cooking off as you prepare a pot of oatmeal?
I am still doing my reading on this subject but it seems that this odd reaction is related to my other OAS allergies.
If it’s the protein in the oat, the gluten-free version should do the trick so I bought Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Steel-Cut Oats just to be on the safe side.
Who knows.
Leave it to me to have random allergic reactions however I remain forever grateful to not have a peanut butter allergy.
I don’t care in the least that I am allergic to almonds. I couldn’t live without peanut butter.
I also can’t live without Red Mango.
If frozen yogurt is becoming taboo, including my beloved Red Mango, then consider me a rebel.
I love Food Babe and I value her opinion, research and information but please let me turn a blind eye to the frozen yogurt article. There are worse things in life to be eating and the only thing that will keep me from consuming Red Mango parfaits on a daily basis is the rising cost per ounce.
Which is just insane by the way, insane. I tell the Red Mango employees this every time I am there. They love me, really they do.
And if you are wondering what you miss by not following me on instagram:
The usual chick pea/avocado mash on cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread on top of a salad for lunch yesterday.
My lunch makes faces at me. I think this was to mock my swollen oatmeal lips or something.
I must admit that looking at the above photo and realizing that I post such things on Instagram has me not only questioning my age but the whole purpose of social media.
Be sure to check out what everyone else is eating today!
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Do you have weird food allergies?
Which oatmeal do you buy most often?
Which brand of peanut butter is your current favorite? I am still loaded up on Peanut Butter & Co. Crunch Time and Mighty Maple.
You owe me a red mango date in NYC….and I expect you to make it as pretty as my Sunday morning instagram hits. I developed an intolerance to oats a few years ago when I legit lived off them as my carb source- think 3 meals a day!
Arman @ thebigmansworld recently posted…Eating in Iran
You got it. Next time you are here, I will meet you in the city and make you a parfait…. Oatmeal allergies are just not acceptable, who would have ever thought one can be allergic to oats when most of the time, products are made with oatmeal to calm allergic reactions.
Are you allergic to all stone fruits or just cherries? Either way, I am sorry…. Stone fruit and cherries are my favoritest things. And the oats issue, oy! How frustrating for you to have to deal with, and so randomly! I hope buying the uncontaminated version works for you–I can’t imagine that you would have developed a reaction so quickly to something that you have regularly without there being a contamination issue.
In 5th grade a developed a weird reaction to Rice Krispy Treats made with chocolate. (I had a healthy breakfast, let me tell you). It was more of a toss-your-cookies reaction and less the swelling, but still unpleasant at school. I don’t remember what healthy fare I graduated to next….
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…GF Cauliflower Pizza, Chicken Parm, and Potlucks #WIAW
Stone fruits are all an issue for me. I tend to avoid them or cook certain ones to eliminate the allergy. I do eat apples though but mostly granny smith or pink lady as I can tolerate them most of the time with no problem. And taking Zyrtec certainly helps. The oat thing is annoying but only when it first cooks. I have known for a while but this week was the first more serious reaction I had.
Stone fruits are all an issue for me. I tend to avoid them or cook certain ones to eliminate the allergy. I do eat apples though but mostly granny smith or pink lady as I can tolerate them most of the time with no problem. And taking Zyrtec certainly helps. The oat thing is annoying but only when it first cooks. I have known for a while but this week was the first more serious reaction I had.
Alex has oral allergy syndrome too, so he can’t eat ANY raw fruits and vegetables (watermelon, cherries, strawberries, carrots, etc.) unless they’re in some sort of dressing or yogurt or something. He takes allergy pills sometimes and that works for him, but it’s so sad when he can’t dig into a big slice of watermelon with me!
I am the same way – certain fruits and vegetables are okay for me if they are cooked or covered in something which takes away the allergic reaction. I also take zyrtec to minimize the effects.
You just had to throw the peanut butter comment in there, didn’t you 😛 Allergies of any kind are a pain in the butt, especially if they’re life-threatening. It’s gotten to the point where I completely panic if I get an itchy throat or swollen lips because I think I’m going to go into shock and end up in the ER again. Once was enough. But boo to fruit allergies — my mom can’t eat cherries either, and it kind of sucks.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. WIAW… an ode to almond butter .
I am not happy about the cherries. Part of me knows I will try the Rainier cherries or a different batch but the other part of me knows I probably shouldn’t. I was more ok last year but that’s the thing with this type of allergy – sometimes it is there, sometimes it isn’t and sometimes the reaction can be more severe so it’s best to just avoid the raw form and eat them cooked or something like that.
Hmmm that is so strange, I would never have put that together, but I guess now you know, you can watch out a little more. As always I love your red mango pics, mmmm, and I am right there with you about a little froyo in your life….like my DQ pic on IG last night….although there is no universe that is good for you hahaha! I love making my own PB right now, but I do love PB and Co…the white chocolate wonderful, heaven!
Tina Muir recently posted…Skoop Review
Ugh I so need a Dairy Queen Blizzard in my life again. I used to love those but it’s hard to find a Dairy Queen in my area!
Love your lunch face from yesterday. I have the same oral allergy and really had no idea what it was until a couple years ago. Such a pain because I love those raw fruits!
It’s the worst. Sometimes the symptoms aren’t there but you never know when you will have them. I have learned which fruits and vegetables to totally avoid and which I can tolerate. And, which I can cook which eliminates the allergy.
It’s the worst. Sometimes the symptoms aren’t there but you never know when you will have them. I have learned which fruits and vegetables to totally avoid and which I can tolerate. And, which I can cook which eliminates the allergy.
I always buy Bobs gluten free oats. In fact by the case from Amazon! Life without nutbutter! Hard to imagine.
jill conyers recently posted…5 Healthy Food Swaps
I don’t know if it would help at all, but have you ever tried soaking your oats overnight? I developed a random sensitivity to zucchini and summer squash a few years ago. I get the strangest looks when I tell people that.
Jaclyn @ BumpSweat recently posted…32-Week Bumpdate
Squash allergies make sense to me because you must have a pollen allergy similar. Check out the Oral Allergy Syndrome charts to figure it out…I only react to the oats when they are freshly cooking or cooked. Once they cool and reheat, I am good. Soaking would probably help as well but I hate overnight oats. I do cook my regular oats though sometimes the night before and let them sit out to finish cooking in the morning which is always good for the volume!
My current favorite brand of pb is probably the classic Skippy Natural. I’ve tried a few of the other more blogged about brands and they’re just too pricey for the amount of pb I consume! Plus there’s a new dark chocolate Skippy Natural…uh oh.
Ouch. I’ve never met anybody with allergies as random as yours. And by random I mean complicated to navigate. Like not being able to taste the oats during the initial cooking but when reheated. Or always risking an allergic reaction when eating the fruit you mentioned. Are you still able to spontaneously enjoy them or always weighing issues up depending on the individual situation [like when out at a restaurant, at the market or a friend’s house]?
As of yet I have no known allergies to any foods. I do have to be careful around bell peppers because they’re causing me stomach aches on and off. I’m not sure what it depends on but just try to keep the amounts low.
Thankfully my allergies which are associated with Oral Allergy Syndrome don’t lead to anaphalactic shock (or if they do, the chance is extremely extremely low)…I don’t stress it very much and never need to alter my restaurant ordering at all except for if desserts come with fresh almonds or walnuts on top, I just ask them to skip that. In the event that somehow I do eat raw almond or walnut, I am really okay just feel a bit itchy/uncomfortable in my mouth.