🌰Tree nut allergy
Tree nut allergy is a common food allergy that can cause severe reactions. It often starts in childhood and in many people lasts for life, so it is managed by avoiding the nuts you react to and being ready to treat a reaction.
🔬What it means
Tree nuts include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios and macadamias. In an allergy the immune system mistakes nut proteins for a threat and releases chemicals such as histamine; even a small amount can trigger a reaction in some people.
Being allergic to one nut does not always mean you are allergic to all of them, but some nuts are closely related (cashew and pistachio, walnut and pecan) and many people react to several. Which nuts are safe for you is decided by an allergist — until then, most people are advised to avoid all tree nuts.
✅What you can eat
- 🥩Naturally nut-free foods: plain meat, fish, eggs, dairy, grains, fruit and vegetables.
- 🥥Coconut and nutmeg are not counted as tree nuts in EU and UK allergen labelling, and most people with a tree nut allergy can eat them. Check with your allergist if you are unsure.
- 🥜Peanuts and seeds are not tree nuts, but some people react to them too — eat them only if your allergist says they are safe for you.
🚫What to avoid
- 🌰The nuts you are allergic to in any form: whole, chopped, ground, roasted, nut butters, nut flours and nut milks.
- 🍬Sweets and baking: marzipan, praline, nougat, gianduja and chocolate spreads, frangipane, macarons, baklava, many cakes, biscuits and ice creams.
- 🌿Sauces and dishes: pesto, romesco, some curries (korma and other creamy curries often use almonds or cashews), satay-style sauces, some salads and stir-fries.
- 🫗Nut oils: walnut, hazelnut and almond oil, especially cold-pressed. Ask your doctor before using any nut oil.
- 🏷️Labels: in the EU and UK each nut must be named and highlighted in the ingredients. “May contain nuts” means there is a risk of traces — most allergists advise avoiding these products.
- 🍽️In restaurants and bakeries: tell the staff every time; shared equipment and toppings can carry traces.
⚠️What happens during a reaction
Symptoms usually start within minutes to two hours: itchy mouth, hives, redness, swelling of the lips or face, stomach pain, vomiting, sneezing or a runny nose.
A severe reaction — anaphylaxis — affects breathing or circulation: swelling of the tongue or throat, hoarse voice, wheezing, difficulty breathing, feeling faint, pale or clammy skin, collapse. It can develop fast and is life-threatening.
A mild reaction last time does not mean the next one will be mild. People with asthma are at higher risk of a severe reaction.
🚑When to get help urgently
If there are any signs of anaphylaxis, use an adrenaline auto-injector if you have one and call emergency services immediately, even if symptoms improve. Lie down with legs raised (or sit up if it is hard to breathe) and do not stand up suddenly. After any reaction, see a doctor about an allergy plan.
📱How Me Nutrition helps
Every dish in the app and on this site shows the major allergens of a typical recipe, including tree nuts, and which ingredient contains them. Recipes differ and traces are not covered, so always check with whoever cooked the dish.
Dishes that contain it: 215
Sources
Written from the sources below; not reviewed by a doctor. Not medical advice. How we count →