What happens when you have a Nut Allergy?
Tree nuts are among the most common allergy-triggering foods next to peanuts and shell fish. When you are allergic to a food like tree nuts, your body releases allergen-specific immunoglobulin E, an antibody which attacks allergen molecules (the protein component) and onsets the release of chemicals that produce symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, redness/rash/itchy skin and in extreme cases, anaphylaxis that can come on suddenly and potentially cause death.
Does Shea Butter come from a Nut or a Seed?
Because a tree nut allergy can trigger anaphylitic shock, a potentially life-threatening symptom, those with this allergy are often extra cautious when using products or consuming food items containing tree nuts. But is shea butter really a tree nut? As you probably already know, shea butter is a plant-based butter extracted from the seeds of the African shea tree. With their hard outer cover, the seeds of the shea tree actually resemble nuts, and as such, they are often called shea “nuts”. But are they really nuts? Scientifically speaking, shea nuts are in fact just really oil-rich seeds. This oil, or butter, is rich in fats and the process of refining it removes protein. 100% pure shea butter contains no proteins, which is the component people are allergic to. The shea nut is very different from peanuts, the highest allergenic food, and is only distantly related to the Brazil nut.
What does the FDA say about Shea Butter and Nut Allergies?
Although the FDA requires the presence of shea nut to be included in food labeling, there have been no recorded cases of shea nut allergy in history. Given the presence of little or no protein content in shea butter, the chances of an actual shea butter allergy are extremely rare, and unheard of.
Is there any Research Conducted on Shea Butter and Allergies?
Yes, in fact there are several scientific studies and researches that have been conducted to find out if shea butter causes allergies. As per the study carried out by Mount Sinai School of Medicine located in New York, an allergic reaction to shea butter is not something to be expected or feared. The protein content in shea nuts was found to be less than 3% of that in cashew nuts and an even lesser amount than that in peanuts. And remember, when it comes to just the shea butter itself, and not the entire nut that was studied in the research, the protein levels are minimal or nil as mentioned previously.
Allergic to Shea Butter in Food?
In Africa, shea butter is used as food. It features as a wholesome and tasty cooking fat/oil and is sometimes used in place of palm oil, for frying, sautéing and in other culinary ways just like any other cooking oil. In the Western world, there has been an increasing appearance of shea butter used in candies, confectioneries and chocolate, with the demand in the industry for alternatives to replace cocoa butter. Around 90% of shea butter that is exported from Africa is used in sweets and confectioneries. As we already explored above, an actual allergy or allergic reaction is unheard of and unusual.
Allergic Shea Butter on Skin?
A few people complain of itchiness, redness or discomfort after using shea butter or a product containing shea butter on their skin. One reader complained of her hair breaking and falling out more after using a shampoo containing shea butter.
When shea butter is used in cosmetic products such as lotions, creams and hair products, it is always the refined version of the butter that is used. And refined shea butter has little to no protein content. So one cannot say that it’s the protein content in shea butter that’s causing hair breakage or fall. A skin reaction to applying pure shea butter topically is also undocumented in history.
So what if you got signs of an allergic reaction after using shea butter on your skin? The only sure way to find out is to visit your doctor and perform an allergy test on your skin to confirm a likely allergy. But other investigations that you can do include checking the expiry date of your shea butter, making sure your shea butter was not contaminated by other ingredients that you may be allergic to and making sure you do not have a latex allergy because shea butter does contain natural latex that may affect people with latex allergy.
The Bottom Line on Shea Butter and Possible Allergies
Remember everyone’s skin is different, and everyone’s body is different. If you suffer from severe allergic reactions to tree nuts, then you might be wary of consuming food products that contain shea butter. That’s totally understandable. Even though studies have proven that allergy to shea butter is rare, you may want to be on the safe side and stay away from shea butter-containing edible items. In the US, the FDA requires by law that products containing shea should be labelled, so always remember to carefully read labels.
If you are concerned about shea butter allergy when applying the butter on your skin, always remember to do a patch test on a sensitive region like the inner wrist and waiting 24 hours to check for any reactions. Also read this post to learn more about allergies when using shea butter on skin: Allergic Reactions to Shea Butter Used Topically
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