Most nuts are the seeds or dried fruits of trees. They grow all over the world in assorted shapes
and sizes.
Avoid these foods and foods that contain any of these ingredients:
• Almonds
• Artificial nuts
• Brazil nuts
• Cashews
• Chestnuts
• Filberts
• Gianduja or Nutella® (a mixture of chocolate and chopped toasted nuts found in premium or imported chocolate)
• Hazelnuts
• Hickory nuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Marzipan/almond paste
• Nougat
• Nut butters, i.e. cashew butter
• Nut meal
• Nut oil
• Nut paste, i.e. almond paste
• Pecans (mashuga nuts)
• Pine nuts (pinyon, Indian nuts)
• Pistachios
• Walnuts
Noteworthy:
• ALWAYS read labels. ALWAYS ask about ingredients in restaurants, bakeries, etc. ALWAYS call the company if you have a question (they will be most accommodating if you tell them you have a nut allergy). WHEN IN DOUBT: DO NOT EAT IT!
• About 50% of people with a tree nut allergy will be allergic to more than one kind of nut. Therefore, avoid all nuts.
• Occasionally, people with tree nut allergy develop allergy to other seeds, such as sesame, cottonseed, rapeseed (canola), or mustard.
Other hints on what to avoid and nut-free suggestions
• Artificial nuts can be peanuts that have been deflavored and reflavored with a nut, like pecan or walnut, or may be a variety of nuts ground and reshaped into other nuts.
• Avoid natural extracts such as almond extract, natural wintergreen extract (Usually made with filbert/hazelnut). Use imitation or artificially flavored extracts.
• Nuts are often added to a variety of foods, including barbecue sauces, cereal, crackers, wheatless cakes, ice cream, and baked goods.
• Nuts are used in many ethnic dishes.
• Coconut, nutmeg, and water chestnuts are not in the tree nut family.