Some Hidden Sources of Tree Nuts

• Artificial nuts can be peanuts that have been deflavored and reflavored with a nut, such as pecan or walnut. Mandelonas are peanuts soaked in almond flavoring.
• Mortadella may contain pistachios.
• Tree nuts have been used in many foods including barbecue sauce, cereals, crackers, and ice cream.
• Kick sacks, or hacky sacks, bean bags, and draftdodgers are sometimes filled with crushed nut shells.

Commonly Asked Questions

 

Should coconut be avoided by someone with a tree nut allergy?

A coconut is the seed of a drupaceous fruit. Coconuts are not typically restricted in the diet of an individual allergic to tree nuts. Some people have reacted to coconut, therefore, discuss this with a doctor before introducing coconut to your diet.

 

Is nutmeg safe?

Nutmeg is obtained from the seeds of the tropical tree species Myristica fragrans. It is safe for an individual with a tree nut allergy.

 

Should water chestnuts be avoided?

The water chestnut is not a nut, it is an edible portion of a plant root known as a corm. It is safe for someone who is allergic to tree nuts.

 

Keep in Mind

• Tree nuts can cause severe allergic reactions. If your doctor has prescribed epinephrine, be sure to always carry it with you.
• Most experts advise tree nut-allergic patients to avoid peanuts as well.
• Most experts advise patients who have been diagnosed with an allergy to specific tree nuts to avoid all tree nuts.

How to Read a Label for a Tree Nut-Free Diet
Avoid the folowing ingredients:

• almonds
• brazil nuts
• cashews
• chestnuts
• filberts, hazlenuts, noisettes
• hazelnuts
• nutella or gianduja (a creamy mixture of chocolate and chopped toasted nuts found in premium or imported chocolate)
• hickory nuts
• macadamia nuts
• marzipan/almond paste
• nougat
• Nu-Nuts^TM artificial nuts
• nut butters (i.e., cashew butter, almond butter)
• nut oils
• nut paste (i.e., almond paste)
• pecans
• pine nuts (pignolia, pinion)
• pistachios
• walnuts