strawberries

[redbird]

I fear that I may have developed an allergy to strawberries.

Cattitude came home from the farmers market with two quarts of strawberries, so we sat down to eat strawberries this evening. Adrian washed a plateful of the berries, and we all started eating.

They're very good strawberries, but I realized after eating a few that my lips were starting to itch. They were tasty enough that I had four or five more before saying anything. When I did, Adrian suggested I go wash my face. I rinsed my lips with plenty of cool water, took a benadryl, complained about the situation, and got Adrian to make me herb tea. I hope I haven't developed an allergy to a fruit I like, after eating them without problems for more than fifty years.

ETA, after responding to people's comments:

It may not be just strawberries. Raw kiwi makes my mouth itch, and I think I remember having a problem with the kiwi on a mixed fruit tart. Possibly-underripe figs also made my mouth itch once, but cooked figs (fig Newton cookies) are OK, and a fig that was ripe enough to fall off the tree at my feet was fine. I think I need to do some reading.

Comments

[ofearthandstars]

Ooof, strawberries would be hard. I have found that some of my food reactions tend to occur more during the other heavy allergen parts of the year (e.g., if my body already hates spring/fall, eating some things makes my mouth more itchy and raw, but eating those things in the quiet of winter or the withering heat of summer may not produce the same effect). Definitely document and pay attention, though. ♥

[redbird]

I don't have a lot of seasonal allergies, as far as I can recall. I'm taking a daily antihistamine because I am slightly allergic to cats, which would probably be sufficient for mild hay fever as well.