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What Are the Most Common Symptoms of a Carrot Allergy?

C. K. Lanz
C. K. Lanz

The most common signs and symptoms of a carrot allergy include itching, swelling, and gastrointestinal discomfort. In most cases, these symptoms are bothersome but not life threatening and will dissipate within a few hours. Sometimes, a person’s reaction can be severe enough to constitute anaphylaxis and require emergency medical intervention. Symptoms of an allergy to carrots will vary with each person and can depend on how much carrot was consumed, whether the carrot was raw or cooked, and what other foods were eaten with the allergen. The most effective treatment is avoidance, thus preventing symptoms of a carrot allergy from manifesting in the first place.

A person with an allergy to carrots will usually not know about his or her allergy until symptoms develop after eating one. It is also possible that symptoms are caused not by the carrots themselves but rather by a cross reaction to the remnants of birch tree pollen often found in this vegetable. The body’s immune system will react adversely to exposure to carrots or any food that contains them by producing an antibody called histamine. Physical reactions to histamine vary greatly between individuals depending on the severity of the allergy.

A person with an allergy to carrots will usually not know of it until they eat one.
A person with an allergy to carrots will usually not know of it until they eat one.

A carrot allergy will most commonly affect the oral area, including the mouth, throat, and lips. There can be swelling and itching that can range from slight to severe. These symptoms will develop almost immediately after eating a carrot and can be worse if the carrot is eaten raw rather than cooked. In most cases, oral symptoms are merely annoying and will abate quickly, usually within a few hours at the most.

Itching of the face, mouth, neck and throat are common symptoms of a food allergy.
Itching of the face, mouth, neck and throat are common symptoms of a food allergy.

While eating cooked carrots or carrots included as an ingredient in a complex dish may alleviate oral symptoms, gastrointestinal problems can develop within a few hours. This type of symptom can include abdominal cramping and pain as well as diarrhea. Some people may also experience nausea and vomiting. The severity will vary between individuals and will depend on how and how much of the allergen was consumed.

Allergic reactions to carrots may lead to anaphylaxis, which calls for emergency treatment.
Allergic reactions to carrots may lead to anaphylaxis, which calls for emergency treatment.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic response to carrots that can be life threatening. The symptoms will manifest very quickly, often within seconds of exposure, and can affect the entire body. Difficulty breathing, confusion, and arrhythmia often develop. This type of reaction to a carrot allergy requires immediate emergency medical intervention and can involve a variety of different treatments like intravenous steroids or high flow oxygen. Quick intervention and treatment can prevent life-threatening complications from anaphylaxis.

Abdominal cramping after eating cooked carrots may be a sign of a carrot allergy.
Abdominal cramping after eating cooked carrots may be a sign of a carrot allergy.

Testing for a carrot allergy often involves the person’s own observations of physical symptoms after consuming carrots. If the symptoms manifest only when carrots are consumed, a medical professional can help confirm these suspicions by testing for an allergy to carrots specifically. The most effective way to treat a carrot allergy is simply to avoid eating this vegetable, especially raw. By avoiding carrots, any symptoms will be prevented from developing at all. In cases of food allergy, prevention is preferred to treatment.

Discussion Comments

ysmina

The scariest symptom of a food allergy is definitely the swelling, especially if it’s affecting the throat and mouth. That’s how anaphylaxis occurs. The throat swells up preventing the person from breathing.

fify
@SarahGen-- She might not be allergic to carrots her whole life but you have to avoid it until you are absolutely sure that she’s over her allergy. If the baby food had other ingredients in it, she could also be allergic to one of those. But if she has not had another allergic reaction since you stopped giving her carrots, then you’re probably right about your guess.

Ask her pediatrician about this at your next visit. I don’t know if an allergy test for carrots is possible, but you could get her tested for pollen to see if she’s allergic to that. Like the article said, she might be reacting to the pollen and not necessarily the carrots. For food allergies, an elimination diet is often done but I don’t think you would want to try that in your situation.

SarahGen

I did not even know that a carrot allergy is possible until my daughter had an allergic reaction to her baby food with carrots. She developed a mild rash on her face after eating it and had diarrhea that day. I was going to take her to the hospital but she recovered very quickly and didn't seem to be in discomfort.

I've now put carrots on my list to avoid but it’s turning out more difficult than I thought. Carrots are apparently used as an ingredient in many foods, sometimes just for the orange color. I’m scared that I will accidentally give my daughter something with carrots in it. I’m also wondering if she will be allergic to carrots her whole life?

Does anyone here have a daughter or a son with a carrot allergy? What type of symptoms are you seeing? And how did you know that it’s a carrot allergy and not something else?

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    • A person with an allergy to carrots will usually not know of it until they eat one.
      A person with an allergy to carrots will usually not know of it until they eat one.
    • Itching of the face, mouth, neck and throat are common symptoms of a food allergy.
      By: Piotr Marcinski
      Itching of the face, mouth, neck and throat are common symptoms of a food allergy.
    • Allergic reactions to carrots may lead to anaphylaxis, which calls for emergency treatment.
      By: jinga80
      Allergic reactions to carrots may lead to anaphylaxis, which calls for emergency treatment.
    • Abdominal cramping after eating cooked carrots may be a sign of a carrot allergy.
      By: sframe
      Abdominal cramping after eating cooked carrots may be a sign of a carrot allergy.
    • A severe allergic response to carrots can be life-threatening.
      By: jillchen
      A severe allergic response to carrots can be life-threatening.
    • Those who experience symptoms of anaphylaxis require immediate medical attention.
      By: blondsteve
      Those who experience symptoms of anaphylaxis require immediate medical attention.