Description

• Nuts are seeds or fruits of a plant. Peanuts are distinct from tree nuts because they are legumes. Tree nuts include brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, filberts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Generally, an individual who is allergic to peanuts is not allergic to tree nuts. It is also possible to be allergic to certain tree nuts but not all tree nuts. Nut allergies tend to be severe and can progress rapidly to anaphylaxis (shock).
  
  

Other Foods to Be Avoided

• In addition to tree nuts and peanuts, other foods that contain nuts must also be avoided. Gianduia chocolate, marzipan, mortadella cold cuts, nougat, nu-nuts, nut butters such as almond butter or cashew butter, nut oils such as peanut oil, nut pastes such as almond paste and extracts such as almond extract contain nuts and must be strictly avoided. Nuts are also commonly found in snack mixes such as Chex mix, cookies, candies, breads, ice creams, energy bars, salad dressings, condiments such as BBQ sauce, cereals and ethnic cuisines, particularly Thai, African and Chinese. Additionally, children's toys and furniture such as bean bag chairs and kick sacks may also contain crushed nut shells.
  
  

Substitutions

• Seeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds can often be substituted in place of nuts in recipes. Additionally, tahini (sesame seed paste) and soy nut butter are particularly helpful as peanut butter substitutes.