Toronto – With allergy season just around the corner, one thing that many people with seasonal allergies forget is that plants from the same family can often cause allergy problems. In other words, if you react to the pollen of one plant, you could be allergic to a fruit or vegetable that has a similar protein structure.

Consider the humble zucchini. If you are allergic to ragweed, you could suffer with oral allergy syndrome if you chow down on that piece of raw zucchini with dip.

Oral allergy syndrome occurs when the body mistakes proteins in your lunch for certain pollens with a similar structure. This means that you get a reaction in your mouth instead of your nasal membranes. These oral symptoms can include swelling and itching in your mouth, ears or lips.

It’s common to have this kind of cross reactivity. If you’ve got hayfever, you’ve got almost a 1 in 4 chance of oral allergy syndrome.

Specific pollen allergies correspond to specific fruits and veggies. If you are allergic to ragweed, you could develop symptoms when eating any member of the squash family, including cucumbers and melons. So, if your list of summer goodies includes watermelon on a hot day, pay attention to whether you react to it or not.

If you have allergies to birch tree pollen, beware of apples, apricots, pears, peaches and cherries. Mugwort allergies could mean that carrots, celery and some spices are off your list. Grass allergies could scratch tomatoes, potatoes and oranges from your diet.

Don’t despair! Some simple strategies can often allow you to enjoy your favorite foods again. Try cooking or microwaving rather than eating the food raw. Cooking will “denature” the offending proteins. That change can often reduce or eliminate possible problems. Another easy thing to try is peeling. Apparently, the proteins which cause the body to confuse a food with an allergenic pollen are often in the skin.

In some cases, you only need to avoid the problematic food while your inhalant allergy is in season. So, once ragweed season is over, watermelon can go back on your plate.

Sources: Toronto Star and research from Be Allergy Wise