What are the symptoms of a chickpea allergy?
Everyone experiences symptoms a little differently. Some of the most common chickpea allergy symptoms are:
- Skin reactions like itchy skin, redness, hives or swelling.
- Diarrhea, abdominal cramps and vomiting.
- Changes in blood pressure.
- Coughing or wheezing.
- Tightness in your throat.
- Itchiness or burning in your mouth.
People with severe allergic reactions may experience anaphylaxis. This is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
It’s important to note that there’s a difference between an intolerance and an allergy. An intolerance mainly affects your stomach and digestive system. It may cause symptoms like bloating, diarrhea and passing gas. An immune system allergic reaction affects multiple organ systems, including your respiratory system, skin, cardiovascular system and others. So, symptoms affect many different parts of your body.
What causes an allergy to chickpeas?
An allergic reaction happens when your body thinks a food or substance is harmful to your body. It reacts by making antibodies called IgE antibodies (immunoglobulin E). These antibodies cause your body to release a variety of chemicals, including histamine, which gives you allergy symptoms.
For chickpeas specifically, researchers believe your immune system reacts to chick pea globulin, prolamin or albumin, which are proteins in chickpeas. The proteins remain in chickpeas even when they’re roasted or cooked.
Who gets chickpea allergies?
Anyone can be allergic to chickpeas. But, you may be more likely to have an allergy if you:
- Have an allergy to a legume like peanuts or soybeans. One study found that 1 in 20 people with an allergy to one legume also had an allergy to another type of legume. This is because all legumes contain similar proteins.
- Have other allergies.
- Have asthma or eczema.
- Live in areas of the world where chickpeas are more abundant in the cuisine, like India and countries around the Mediterranean.
Do chickpeas trigger a peanut allergy?
No. The two are related because they’re both in the legume family and contain similar proteins. Your healthcare provider is the best person to discuss potential allergies with.
Am I allergic to chickpeas if I’m allergic to peanuts?
No, not necessarily. While they contain similar proteins, you don’t automatically have an allergy to chickpeas if you have a peanut allergy. You should let your healthcare provider know if you have a peanut or soy allergy as this could help with your diagnosis.
What are the complications of this condition?
The most serious complication of a chickpea allergy is going into anaphylactic shock. This involves a severe drop in blood pressure, severe shortness of breath and possible loss of consciousness. If you experience symptoms of anaphylaxis, visit an emergency room immediately. Most allergic reactions to chickpeas are mild and not life-threatening.
FAQs
How common are chickpea allergies? Chickpea allergies aren't one of the more common legume allergies. Peanut and soybean allergies tend to be the most common. The exact number of people with a chickpea allergy is unknown, but researchers believe it's more common in countries where eating chickpeas is more prevalent.
Can you outgrow a chickpea allergy? ›
Family History: Those with a family history of food allergies, especially legume allergies, are at an increased risk. Age: Food allergies are more common in children than adults. Although many children outgrow their food allergies, a chickpea allergy can persist into adulthood.
Can I eat chickpeas if I'm allergic to peas? ›
Sometimes people with allergies in one food group might also get an allergy to other foods in the same group that have similar proteins. This is called cross-reactivity. A chickpea allergy cross-reactivity is most common with foods like: Green peas.
Can you eat chickpeas if you are allergic to nuts? ›
Peanuts grow underground and are considered legumes. Most individuals with peanut allergy can tolerate other legumes, such as peas, soy beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Fewer than 5-10% of peanut allergic people have an allergy to other legumes.
What is the rarest allergy ever? ›
The Rarest (And Strangest) Allergies
Water: Medically known as aquagenic urticaria, patients with a water allergy develop painful hives and rashes when their skin is exposed to water.
What is the rarest food to be allergic to? ›
The most uncommon food allergens include bananas, beef, carrots, celery, corn, fish, garlic, ham, honey, lamb, lemon, malt, onion, orange, pork, pineapple, rice, salmon, sugar, turkey, and vanilla. Reading the ingredient list is the best way to determine if a food contains an allergen.
Who should not eat chickpeas? ›
Some people are allergic to legumes, including chickpeas. Eating chickpeas if you have an intolerance may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and itching of the skin. It is best to seek a doctor's advice before eating chickpeas because allergic reactions can be intense and sometimes even life-threatening.
Do chickpeas release histamine? ›
Canned Chickpea and other legumes (beans, lentils, soy, etc.) are generally histamine liberators. In other words, they trigger the release of the body's existing histamine. They may also be high in histamine or other amines.
Which allergens tend to be lifelong? ›
Allergies to milk, eggs, wheat and soy may disappear over time, while allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish tend to be lifelong.
Why am I allergic to hummus? ›
Am I allergic to hummus? If you experience symptoms of a food allergy after eating hummus, your first reaction may be to blame the most common ingredient: chickpeas. Before you blame chickpeas for the cause of your allergies, you may also want to consider other allergenic ingredients used in hummus, such as: garlic.
General guidelines for soy allergy
The key to a soy-free diet is to stay away from all foods or products containing soy. Soybeans are classified as a legume. Other foods in the legume family are navy, kidney, string, black, and pinto beans. Also chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lentils, peas, carob, licorice, and peanuts.
Are garbanzo beans the same as chickpeas? ›
Although their names are very different, garbanzo beans and chickpeas refer to the same bean. And to confuse things a little more, chickpeas are beans, not peas. "They are the same, one is obviously more Anglophile," says Steve Sando, the founder of heirloom bean company Rancho Gordo.
Is chickpea allergy rare? ›
Even though chickpeas allergy exists, it's not as common as other allergies such as milk and eggs. Common symptoms of chickpea allergy include skin reactions and, in severe cases, anaphylactic shock. Even though an uncommon allergy, chickpea allergy can be severe and life-threatening.
Can I eat Chick Fil A if I'm allergic to nuts? ›
So, I'm here to inform you that the peanut oil used at Chick-fil-A is 100% refined which removes the peanut protein. The allergen is in the peanut protein, not the oil. That means that people with peanut allergies can safely eat at Chick-fil-A without worrying about reactions.
Can you eat hummus if you are allergic to nuts? ›
Sesame Seeds
Allergy to sesame seed occurs in some children with a nut allergy. If your child has an allergic reaction to sesame seeds these should be avoided. Hummus dip and tahini are made from sesame seeds and should be avoided in sesame seed allergy.
Is being allergic to peas rare? ›
Outside of the top food allergies (i.e., milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish), allergies to other legumes including peas are thought to be the next most common allergy. People are usually not allergic to all legumes, but allergy to more than one legume often occurs.
Who should avoid chickpeas? ›
Some people are allergic to legumes, including chickpeas. Eating chickpeas if you have an intolerance may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and itching of the skin. It is best to seek a doctor's advice before eating chickpeas because allergic reactions can be intense and sometimes even life-threatening.
What are the 14 allergens? ›
The 14 allergens are: celery, cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, barley and oats), crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs and lobsters), eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs (such as mussels and oysters), mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if the sulphur dioxide and sulphites are at a ...
How rare is a chicken allergy? ›
Allergies result from the immune system mistaking a specific substance, known as an allergen, as dangerous and begins to attack it. For people with a chicken allergy, this process occurs when they consume or come into contact with chicken. This type of allergy is extremely rare, affecting roughly 0.6% to 5% of people.
