A Vegetarian Journal reader recently asked us: “I’m concerned that my new baby, whom we plan to raise vegan, might become allergic to peanuts. Is there anything I can do to reduce her risk?”

VRG’s Nutrition Advisor, Reed Mangels PhD, RD, response begins with: “Peanut allergy is a relatively common problem that seems to be increasing in frequency. In 2010, about 2% of children in the U.S. had a peanut allergy.¹ In children with a peanut allergy, exposure to even small amounts of peanuts can cause a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis in which warning signs like an itchy rash, swollen throat, wheezing, and difficult breathing can occur. It’s definitely possible for a vegan child to have a healthy diet without peanuts or peanut butter. Still, it’s understandable that you’d like to reduce the risk of your child having a peanut allergy.

“Exclusive breastfeeding for the first four to six months may help to reduce the risk of food allergies overall. There does not seem to be any benefit of the mom avoiding peanuts or peanut butter although this is an area of active research.² In 2017, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases introduced guidelines for when to give peanuts to infants.³ Their guidelines differ depending on whether or not a baby has eczema or food allergies.”

Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2019issue4/2019_issue4_nutrition_hotline.php

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