What It Means If Your Mouth Tingles When You Eat Broccoli

It's no secret that eating healthy is a great way to ensure that you have a healthier overall life. Food in Care advocates that eating healthy is important and fundamental because it helps the body maintain a healthy weight and reduces our risk of developing health issues like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases. So, what does that entail? In part, lots of fruits and veggies. 

But, have you ever found yourself experiencing a slight tingly feeling in your mouth whenever you've eaten a raw fruit or veggie? According to National Jewish Health, if you've ever eaten raw fruits and vegetables — like apples, broccoli, carrots, oranges, tomatoes, bananas, watermelon, and zucchini — and you've experienced a tingly feeling you may be allergic. Don't worry, it's nothing like a peanut allergy where you'd need an Epi-pen on hand, but you should be cautious. If you've experienced said tingly feeling whenever eating a raw fruit or veggie, then you may have something called oral allergy syndrome.

Dr. Carah Santos expressed to NPR that this may be one of the most underreported and under-recognized allergy conditions out there. Sometimes people are unaware that they may have it, other times people who have noticed it have been told that they are making it up. But, it's a very real thing. NPR explains how those who experience oral allergy syndrome often experience a pollen allergy as well. 

The American Academy of Asthma Allergy and Immunology details that OAS can occur in about 50 to 75 percent of adults who normally suffer from hay fever allergies. Why does it happen? A reaction occurs within the mouth and throat when the body mistakes the proteins within fruits and vegetables with those found in pollen. The confusion can cause your immune system to react to the "allergen" — this process is called cross-reactivity. NPR reports that if you do happen to experience this reaction to raw fruits and veggies that you should steer clear of them. But what about those occasions where you're craving a banana? NPR states that peeling and cooking those raw fruits and veggies (like for an apple pie or a veggie stir fry) can be a helpful workaround.