Content
Allergies to melon occur today in adults and children. Despite its beneficial properties, rich chemical composition and taste, this product can become a strong allergen and cause many unpleasant symptoms. Even grown in an environmentally friendly environment, melon can cause harm to human health, and if medical care is not provided on time, it can even lead to hospitalization and death.
Can you be allergic to melon?
If you are allergic to melon, you can get unpleasant symptoms, which will cause you to refuse to eat it, despite the taste, low calorie content, and properties of the fruit. The high content of sodium, potassium, iron, vitamins C and B6 are important for those suffering from heart disease, anemia, and rheumatism. Folic acid contained in melon is beneficial for pregnant and lactating women.
The presence of an allergy turns the advantages of the product into disadvantages: a person cannot consume melon juice, pulp, or additives based on it.
It has been noted that there is an allergy to melon in the case of an existing reaction to the flowering of ragweed, which coincides in time with the pollination of the plant.
The reaction is caused by chocolate, citrus fruits, and milk.Melon is not included in the list, but can provoke a similar action. The reason for this is the serotonins included in its composition.
There are cases of cross-allergy, when a reaction to one product causes a similar effect from others.
Why melon causes allergies
Melon allergy is caused by the protein profilin, which is contained in its composition, as well as in citrus fruits, birch sap, pollen, and latex.
Factors that provoke the reaction include:
- eating the product in large quantities;
- development of cross-allergy;
- contamination of the place where the fruit grows;
- crossing different varieties;
- pesticide poisoning.
With excessive consumption of melon, allergy symptoms are temporary and passing. When you stop using the product and carry out symptomatic treatment, the signs disappear.
Cross allergy boils down to a reaction to similar vegetables: watermelons, pumpkins, as well as cucumbers and ragweed.
Melon will cause allergies after consumption if the product is grown in an environmentally unclean area.
When crossing varieties, breeders obtain a new one with improved qualities. The human body adapts to it with difficulty: rejection reactions may occur.
Symptoms of poisoning with chemicals that have accumulated in melons as a result of their use during cultivation are often mistaken for allergies. You should pay attention to the color of the pulp, peel, and leaves. If there are spots of unnatural shades, you should stop eating the fruit.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction
An allergic reaction to melon manifests itself through the following organs:
- breathing;
- skin;
- gastrointestinal tract.
It is recognized by its characteristic symptoms:
- dizziness;
- headache that begins very suddenly;
- tingling in the mouth and lips;
- gastrointestinal disorders;
- redness of the skin accompanied by severe itching;
- skin rash;
- nausea, vomiting;
- nasal congestion, excessive discharge;
- tearing and redness of the eyes;
- loss of consciousness, suffocation.
If all the symptoms correspond to an allergy, contact a specialist: the final diagnosis is made by an allergist.
How does a melon allergy manifest in children?
Melon allergies are common in children. The child’s immune system reacts to substances contained in melon as unknown, foreign, and dangerous. The body tries to cope with them by intensively producing histamine. The result is an allergic reaction, manifested by the following symptoms:
- the skin turns red and blisters appear on the body;
- urticaria is accompanied by severe itching, causing suffering to the child;
- nausea and vomiting are observed;
- frequent disruptions in the digestive system (gas formation, diarrhea);
- Melon makes your throat feel sore and you start coughing;
- rhinitis and sneezing appear;
- the child complains of dizziness and tingling in the mouth.
A particularly dangerous form for the child's body is a severe form - Quincke's edema, or anaphylactic shock. This form is rare, but it is fatal.
If a child complains that after eating melon, his throat is sore, swelling appears on his face, or there are other specific symptoms, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. Quincke's edema develops rapidly: suffocation, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness may occur. Delay is unacceptable.
What measures need to be taken
An acute allergy requires seeking emergency medical care. At the pre-medical stage, others help according to the standard scheme, depending on the nature of the symptoms:
- acute laryngeal edema – you should ensure a flow of fresh air, raise your head, give an antihistamine, apply mustard plasters to your chest and calf muscles;
- limited swelling – monitor breathing, apply the necessary medication, apply a compress to swollen areas;
- asthma attack – remove the allergen, ventilate the room, give an enema, give activated charcoal, bronchodilators, antihistamines;
- hives – rinse the stomach with two liters of water, offer the drug, and if breathing is impaired, perform artificial ventilation;
- anaphylactic shock – check airway patency and carry out resuscitation measures.
In what cases should you consult a doctor?
An allergy is definitely a reason to see a doctor. The therapist will conduct an examination, question the patient and take an anamnesis. An unclear picture of the disease causes a visit to an allergist, who will prescribe several tests:
- antibody test - showing the presence of an allergen in the body;
- skin tests - allowing you to evaluate the reaction to melon.
The procedures are contraindicated for children, pregnant women, and patients taking medications. In such cases, a false positive reaction is possible.
Your doctor will recommend keeping a food diary, tracking reactions to different foods.
An elimination diet, which consists of eliminating individual foods one by one, allows you to identify the allergen.
Is it possible to eat melon if you have allergies?
There are no hypoallergenic products: each individual case can become dangerous. People are prone to a variety of allergies. The situation gets worse during an exacerbation of the underlying disease. Experts give strict recommendations regarding nutritional principles for food allergies to melon:
- avoidance of foods that cause reactions;
- eliminating the possibility of cross-allergy;
- careful study of the composition of products with possible melon content;
- refusal of unknown foods;
- use of home cooking, without the use of semi-finished products;
- avoiding long-term storage of the product before consumption or preparation;
- limiting the consumption of salt and simple carbohydrates;
- reduction of the allergenic properties of melon due to its heat treatment.
Conclusion
Melon allergy is not a harmless disease. A person must know the foods that cause a reaction, avoid eating them, and use dishes with a minimum set of ingredients in the diet. You should find out the causes of allergies, consult a doctor about eating behavior, and measures to prevent the consequences of pathology. It is necessary to monitor the composition of dishes, cosmetics, and products containing melon.
How much melon do you need to eat for an allergy to appear?
100-200g. ?
Thank you.