Ask the allergist is a regular feature in our newsletters where Canadian allergists answer your questions!
Please note: The allergists featured in this series answer questions on general topics, please talk to your doctor if you have questions about your own health or the health of your child.
This month Dr. Julia Upton answers a question about chestnuts and tree nut allergy.
Are water chestnuts safe for someone who is allergic to tree nuts? What about chestnuts?
Water chestnuts are different from chestnuts.
Water chestnuts are not nuts, they are aquatic vegetables that grow in marshes and other shallow water. Since they are not botanically related to tree nuts, people with tree nut allergy can eat them.
Chestnuts are tree nuts. Some people are allergic to multiple types of tree nuts, while others are allergic to only one type of nut. Even so, chestnut allergy is not that common. If you have a tree nut allergy and are concerned about eating chestnuts, talk to your allergist.
Those who are allergic to chestnuts can follow safety practices like reading labels. If chestnuts are an ingredient in a pre-packaged food, they must be listed on a food label.
Keep in mind that other tree nuts are considered “priority food allergens” and are associated with 90% of the reactions in Canada: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts (pignolias), pistachio nuts and walnuts. Priority food allergens must be listed in the ingredient list or in a “Contains” statement that follows the list.
Learn more
Do you have a food allergy-related question you’d like to ask an allergist in the months to come? If so, send it along to us at info@foodallergycanada.ca.
Dr. Julia Upton is the Division Head of Immunology and Allergy at The Hospital for Sick Children and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto. She is on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and is a member of our Healthcare Advisory Board.
Please note: Dr. Upton is answering as an individual allergist and her answers do not constitute an official position of her affiliated organizations. Her responses are for informational purposes only and do not constitute specific medical advice, recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Please talk to your doctor about any concerns or questions you may have regarding your own health or the health of your child.
Tags: chestnuts, tree nuts