Anonymous wrote:I understand the taxonomy, but can someone explain to me how a walnut and a peanut differ? is it because nuts must come from trees?

In most places peanuts are called ground nuts, or peas. It is a bean, it just happens in English to have the word nut in the name. It grows out of the ground on a plant. One of the theories as to why so many people in the west are allergic to peanuts is that they are roasted here, whereas they are boiled and cooked differently in most other parts of the world. Roasting destabilizes the Ara h2 protein and inhibits the digestive enzyme trypsin, and keeps another protein Ara h1, from being digested.

I understand the taxonomy, but can someone explain to me how a walnut and a peanut differ? is it because nuts must come from trees?

Peanuts are not nuts. Peanut butter is not made from nuts.

For those of you who have a peanut allergy, do you also have allergies to lentils, peas, and other legumes?

I go to Dr Robert Wood at John Hopkins, and he said a peanut allergy does not indicate an allergy to coconut. My dd is 8, and she is allergic to peanuts which was confirmed through an in office food challenge. She eats coconut with no problem and always has. There was even coconut oil in her baby formula. She even had a small positive RAST for coconut, but has never had a problem eating it. I even fed her straight coconut just to be sure.

As PP said, coconut is not really a tree but, and allergists disagree with the FDA's classifying it as such. For reliable info, check foodallergy.org.

Very few people in the US are allergic to coconut (which is not actually a nut, but a palm fruit). When the FDA started mandating labeling for food allergens in 2006, it included coconut under "nuts". We could also start on how peanuts are considered a "nut" by the FDA, but that's a whole other topic...
Check with your allergist, but the likelihood of being allergic to coconut if you have a nut allergy is pretty low.

OP here. I have done things like popcorn and starburst which have palm oil, and I think DD tested negative for coconut at her annual appt last year, but need to call tomorrow to confirm. There is just so much back and forth about it that it can make you crazy. I would much rather here from real people who have a similar situation. Thank you.

Anonymous wrote:DS was tested for specific nuts. Only allergic to peanuts, walnuts and pecans. Negative for everything else.

Still avoid the other tree nuts.

They are roasted on the same equipment as the other nuts.

I believe the only exception (per our allergist) is almonds. Almonds are processed differently.

DS was tested for specific nuts. Only allergic to peanuts, walnuts and pecans. Negative for everything else.

All the time.

Very allergic to tree nuts.

Not allergic to peanut butter.

My younger DD is allergic to tree nuts. There is so much info online about avoiding and not avoiding coconuts if you are tree nut allergic. Next time we go in, I will have her tested specifically for coconut, but just wondered if anyone else has had experience with this and has a LO that tolerates coconut, coconut oil, etc fine.