What Is Anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a life threatening allergic reaction. It occurs when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. If left untreated, it can lead to death. There are many types of allergies, but they all have one thing in common: Your body produces antibodies (cells that recognize foreign substances) against them. These antibodies attack the substance causing the problem and cause an allergic response. When these antibodies come into contact with certain allergens, they release chemicals called histamine. Histamine causes your body to produce more inflammatory proteins and other substances that damage tissue around the affected area. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and throat, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble speaking.
Can I Be Allergic To Olive Oil?
There are several ways that you could be allergic to olive oil. One way is through the food chain. Another way is from exposure to the sun or another source of sunlight. A third possibility is through inhalation of dust particles from the soil where olives grow.
How Do You Know If You Have An IgE Reaction To Olive Oil?
You are experiencing an itchy rash on your face. You have a sudden shortness of breath and are wheezing. You go into anaphylactic shock and experience trouble in breathing.
How Is Olive Oil Different From Other Allergens?
The main difference is that, although some people have allergic reactions to all types of oils used in cooking, most people only experience allergic reactions to certain ones. Olive oil is the most common allergen. It is more likely to cause an allergic reaction if you have a history of hay fever, asthma or other types of allergies.
How Common Are Allergies To Olive Oil?
Allergies to Olive Oil are fairly common. 10% of people allergic to peanuts are also allergic to Olive Oil. This compares to 1% of the general population that has this allergy.
What Are The Main Symptoms Of An Olive Oil Allergy?
The main symptoms of an Olive Oil allergy are:
Itching, swelling, redness or tingling around the mouth, lips, tongue and throat
Swelling of the throat, which can cause difficulty swallowing or breathing
A runny or congested nose
Sneezing
Itching and watering eyes
Hives or welts on the skin.
Can Olive Oil Cause Asthma Symptoms?
Olive oil can cause asthma symptoms especially in people who don’t have an allergy to it. Asthma is caused when extra sensitive airways react strongly to inhaled or touch substances causing inflammation, swelling, blockage and irritation. Airway narrowing, shortness of breath and wheezing are the main symptoms of a severe asthma attack.
Can You Be Allergic To Olive Oil By Eating It?
Yes, you can develop an allergy to Olive Oil after repeatedly eating it. For some people, the symptoms are not life-threatening, and might include a stomach ache or an itchy rash. In other cases, they can be severe and life-threatening and require immediate emergency medical attention.
Can Olive Oil Cause Eczema?
Some people who have a food allergy may notice symptoms on areas of their body that come into contact with the food. In the case of Olive Oil, an eczema-like skin reaction may develop. It is not life-threatening, but it is very itchy and uncomfortable. The rash may appear as slightly blistered, red, dry or scaly patches on your skin.
Can You Get Hives From Olive Oil?
Hives are small, swollen, itchy welts that are similar to mosquito bites. They are often caused by an allergic reaction to a certain substance or food. Eating Olive Oil that you are allergic to can cause hives on your face, neck, inside of the lips, and inside of the nostrils.
How To Avoid Olive Oil Allergy Symptoms?
If you know that you are allergic to Olive Oil, always check food labels. If it doesn’t list Olive Oil as an ingredient, then you can eat it without fear of a reaction. Also, never eat foods that have been cooked in Olive Oil if you have this allergy.
How To Treat Olive Oil Allergy?
Avoidance of Olive Oil is the best way to prevent a severe allergic reaction.
Visiting your doctor is advised if you have further questions or experience more severe symptoms. He will most likely give you a skin or allergy test to determine whether or not Olive Oil is causing your allergy. He can then prescribe you an EpiPen in case of a life-threatening allergic reaction.
Also, always keep antihistamines and an inhaler with you to counter the allergic effects if you do come in contact with Olive Oil.
List Of Foods That Contain Olive Oil
The following is a short list of foods that contain Olive Oil:
Bread
Cookies
Salad Dressing
Pizza
Margarines and Spreads (like Nutella)
Cold Cuts (like ham or turkey)
Olives
Snack Chips (like Pringles)
Cake
Chocolate
Candy Bars
Fried Foods like French fries, Onion Rings and Egg Rolls
Cereals and Granola Bars
Soft Drinks and Baked Beans (canned)
Anti-Catarrhal Tincture (used as a cough medicine)
Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom and Chicken Soup (canned)
Salad Dressings
Salad Toppings (like Bacon Bits and Cranberries)
Gravy Mixes (Canned)
Icing (for cakes and pastries)
Seasoned Croutons
Some people say that Olive Oil allergies are over-exaggerated because there are so many foods that contain Olive Oil without having to mention it in the ingredients. In some cases, it’s true. For example, the main ingredient in M&M’s is Chocolate but most people still eat them without a problem. However, if you have Olive Oil allergy then you should avoid foods containing it as a matter of precaution.
What Does Olive Oil Look Like?
It is greenish-yellow in color and has a mild taste.
Where Is Olive Oil Found?
Olive Oil is commonly found in the Mediterranean-diet. It is used for cooking, salads, bread dipping and in the making of soap.
Watch out for Olive Oil if you have a Peanut Allergy!
It’s possible for people to have an allergy to both Peanuts and Olive Oil. Also, people who don’t have an Olive Oil allergy may still react from cross-contact with Peanuts.
Olive oil is a commonly found ingredient in many different types of food. Even if you don’t have an allergy to Olive Oil specifically, you may wish to check ingredients lists for it if you have an allergy to Peanuts since it is often used in the same food.
Olive Oil vs. Peanut Oil
Peanut Oil is often mistaken for Olive Oil. They are similar in texture and color and both oils are used for cooking. However, Peanut Oil is used mainly in Asian cuisines and cannot be substituted for Olive Oil in Mediterranean recipes.
For example, if a recipe calls for Olive Oil then you should not use Peanut Oil instead. However, if a recipe calls for Peanut Oil then you can’t use Olive Oil instead.
Other than that, the two oils are very different when it comes to allergies. People who are allergic to one are not necessarily allergic to the other.
Is Olive Oil Safe for Pets?
No. It is not safe for pets to consume.
Olive Oil Allergy Research
There is currently no known cure or treatment for Olive Oil allergies. However, there are some new advancements in allergy research.
Researchers have discovered a new type of injection called a “subcutaneous injection” that helps the body build up a resistance to allergens. They believe that regular injections could help patients with Olive Oil allergies build up a resistance to it and become able to eat it safely in the future.
Researchers are also looking into a new vaccine that could help build up an immunity. It may be many years before these possible cures make it to the market, however.
Olive Oil Alternatives
If you have an Olive Oil allergy then your best bet is to stay away from anything that contains it. However, if you really want to cook with Olive Oil then there are some alternatives you could use instead.
Safflower Oil: Safflower Oil is perhaps the closest substitute for Olive Oil. It has a very similar taste and texture and can be used in many of the same ways.
Canola Oil: Canola Oil is another vegetable-based oil that can be used in cooking. It is also suitable for high-heat cooking, unlike Safflower Oil.
Sunflower Oil: Sunflower Oil is another oil that can be used in cooking. It has a very neutral taste and can be used in a wide variety of dishes.
Walnut Oil: Walnut Oil is a nut oil that is suitable for cooking. It has a distinctive taste and should only be used in certain dishes.
Truffle Oil: Truffle Oil gives food a very distinctive taste. It is made from the juice of Black Winter Truffles and is commonly used as a topping or finishing oil.
Olive Oil Allergy Safety
If you have an Olive Oil allergy then you should avoid eating any foods that contain it. Be especially careful if you are eating at a restaurant since the cooks or chefs may not know what ingredients are used and some people may mistakenly use Olive Oil instead of another oil. It is best to inform your waiter or write a note on the order form so that nobody else orders something that contains Olive Oil by mistake.
An Olive Oil allergy can be very serious. Always carry an epinephrine injector with you at all times. Make sure that the emergency rooms in all local hospitals are aware of your allergy so that you can get the right treatment immediately.
Recent Olive Oil Allergy Research
There are several recent Olive Oil research studies that have taken place in recent years.
Sources & references used in this article:
Olives and Olive Oil as Functional Foods: Bioactivity, Chemistry and Processing by A Kiritsakis, F Shahidi – 2017 – books.google.com
Polar lipids from olives and olive oil: A review on their identification, significance and potential biotechnological applications by E Alves, MRM Domingues, P Domingues – Foods, 2018 – mdpi.com
Inhibition of arachidonate lipoxygenase activities by 2-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl) ethanol, a phenolic compound from olives by N Kohyama, T Nagata, S Fujimoto… – Bioscience …, 1997 – jstage.jst.go.jp
Olives Olives by O Olives – healthcare.mam9.com
Abdominal food allergy: its history, symptomatology, diagnosis and treatment by AH Rowe – California and western medicine, 1928 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
