Generality
In the United States, peanut allergy constitutes:
- The most frequent food allergy
- The leading cause of death from food allergy
- Have an overview of which foods are potentially allergenic, in order to exclude them from "feeding the child up to a more suitable" € ™ age
- Read food labels carefully, as it is not uncommon for products such as peanuts (or their derivatives) to be used as ingredients in baby foods
- Knowing how to recognize an anaphylactic reaction and intervene promptly by calling 118 and immediately carrying out the essential first aid maneuvers.
Peanuts
Peanuts are the shelled seeds of Arachis hypogaea, an annual herbaceous legume of South American origin imported by the Portuguese to Europe in the 16th century AD; despite being a legume, peanuts (also called peanuts) have a chemical-nutritional profile much more similar to that of achenes; therefore they are also placed in the food category of dried fruit.
Peanuts can be eaten roasted and peeled (often salted), or in the form of derivatives; the most popular refined foods / derivatives based on peanuts are: peanut oil, peanut butter (hydrogenated), flour and peanut paste (in the food industry).
Causes and Symptoms
Peanut allergy is triggered by the body's reaction to two proteins contained in them; the symptoms of peanut allergy are mostly minor, for example: urticaria, asthma And gastrointestinal disorders. However, it should be noted that, being an immune-mediated reaction, peanut allergy can trigger a real anaphylactic reaction which, if not diagnosed and pharmacologically moderated, can induce the state of shock up to death.
NB. Experimental research into the production of GMO peanuts, devoid of the 2 proteins responsible for food allergy, is underway.
As with other allergies, even that towards peanuts must be prevented by TOTALLY and PERMANENTLY excluding them from the diet (including derivatives); it is advisable to pay close attention especially to packaged foods (sweets, sauces and snacks) and culinary preparations It should be noted that, as this is an adverse reaction of the body to some proteins, seasoning oils and fats SHOULD not be potentially allergenic; however, ESPECIALLY in COLD extracted peanut oils (although qualitatively better than REFINED), it is possible that there are some peptide traces sufficient to create discomfort for the hyper-sensitive organism.
Peanut allergy can be related to cross-reactivity towards other legumes, such as: beans, peas, chickpeas, broad beans, tegolini, carob, soy, tamarind, guar gum, gum arabic and licorice; not only that, it seems there is also a correlation towards allergies to: almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Peanuts in the diet
In Italy, peanut allergy does not create significant nutritional discomfort for the people who suffer from it since the Mediterranean diet does NOT provide for them in any form and at any time of the year; however, overseas (USA), they constitute such a widespread food that their dietary exclusion is a highly investigative behavioral intervention that is difficult to preserve over time.
It is true that peanuts provide some essential nutrients such as: l "€ ™ ac. linoleic fat (omega-‰ 6 family, 41% of TOT lipids), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P) and niacin (vit. PP); d "€ ™ on the other hand, providing an energy quota that is nothing short of high (sheared and / or salted peanuts: 594kcal) which derives 50% from fats, we can say with certainty that the relative portions of consumption would ANYWAY be so small (a few grams per day) to totally nullify its dietary importance in a Mediterranean nutritional regime, which we know is characterized by 25-30% of lipids compared to the TOT daily energy.
Bibliography:
- Food intolerances and allergies - L. Conti - Giunti Demetra - pag. 74-75
- The foods of health: the biochemical basis of a correct diet - S. Colonna, G. Folco, F. Marangoni - Springer - p. 72
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