no consensus - coconut a likely allergen?

[nalo]

I've been doing tons of reading as I prepare to start an ED tomorrow and there doesn't seem to be any agreement as to whether or not coconut is likely to be a sensitive food. I LOVE coconut and have been using coconut oil instead of butter, coconut milk instead of regular milk, etc. but I don't want to continue using it during the ED if it might be an allergen. I do not suspect that it is but some things I'm reading say it should be considered a tree nut and others say that reactions are SO rare that it's not worth eliminating unless all else fails. Thoughts? Are your LO with tree nut issues fine with coconut?

[Chinese Pistache]

My dd seemed to react to coconut way back when we were doing an elimination. I was giving her oil and milk. I ended up cutting them both out, but just two weeks ago, I started using coconut again she's doing great with it (she eats it daily). I haven't re-introduced coconut milk, yet (trying to get brave enough). Since it contains more proteins than the oil, I'm thinking that if she's going to react, it will be to the milk. So, I don't know if that helps. BTW, my dd is allergic to sesame and sunflower seed, which is another reason I've been wary about coconut.

For an ED, canola or olive as supposed to be the least allergenic oils.

[WildIris]

I have been wondering about coconut for myself. I was using VCO quite a lot last year, both eating it and doing daily oil pulling (for dental care) with it. After awhile I noticed that my heart would race soon after using it. Also, sometimes my throat felt "tight" after using it. This was months before I was aware that I had any food allergies... so I thought the heart racing phenemonon just meant that it was speeding up my metabolism. And I thought the tightness in my throat was due to the VCO affecting my thyroid.

Early this year I found out I am allergic to corn and onion, and seem to have intolerances to many grains and also dairy. After reading up about allergies, I recognized my reactions to the coconut as possible allergic reactions. So I have stopped consuming/using coconut for the time being. I will probably try it again sometime but am taking a break for a couple months at least.

I think it's possible to be allergic to ANY food.

[kjbrown92]

So far my DD is intolerant to all nuts (including peanuts) and she's fine with coconut. But you'll find someone who's intolerant/allergic to everything, won't you? My DD can tolerate bananas (her only fruit) and the doctor said it's strange because it's one of the more allergenic ones, so who knows.

[Meg_s]

I don't' know about allergy, but coconut is very high in naturally occurring chemicals, which could be a problem depending on why you are doing the ED.

[Demeter9]

I think that many people who think that they have a coconut intolerance have actually had a detox reaction to it. There is an acid (capricylic?) in it that kills fungus, candida for example. If you had a sudden die off of a ton of candida from eating coconut, you can get skin eruptions and a whole host of other strange reactions.

[WildIris]

Originally Posted by Demeter9

I think that many people who think that they have a coconut intolerance have actually had a detox reaction to it. There is an acid (capricylic?) in it that kills fungus, candida for example. If you had a sudden die off of a ton of candida from eating coconut, you can get skin eruptions and a whole host of other strange reactions.

So then how do you know the difference? Is a racing heart a detox reaction or allergic reaction? What about throat tightening/swelling? Those really seem more like allergic reactions to me...and I'm sad about it, because I love coconut.

[Demeter9]

Originally Posted by WildIris

So then how do you know the difference? Is a racing heart a detox reaction or allergic reaction? What about throat tightening/swelling? Those really seem more like allergic reactions to me...and I'm sad about it, because I love coconut.

What I did was do a really seriously tough candida program. Then I tried coconut again. No reaction.

So the coconut reaction was the candida.

[WildIris]

Originally Posted by Demeter9

What I did was do a really seriously tough candida program. Then I tried coconut again. No reaction.

So the coconut reaction was the candida.

I am not disagreeing with you, and I'm very interested in your experience! But I am a bit wary of the "it could be detox" instead of allergy idea. Back in December, when I tried Armour thyroid for the first time, I immediately had an itchy rash from it... and people on another board kept telling me it was probably just a "detox reaction." So I toughed it out and kept taking the medication for four weeks, and the rash got worse and worse. Then I found out that I'm severely allergic to corn, and was allergic to the dextrose in the Armour! So I think it's very hard to tell.

What was the candida program you followed, if you don't mind me asking? And what kind of reactions did you have to coconut before doing the candida program?

[Ruthla]

If in doubt, I think your best bet is to not incude coconut in the elimination diet- but when you're ready to introduce some new foods, try coconut as one of the first.

[Demeter9]

I did one of the ones that you can pick up from the health food store. But I added oregano oil, grapefruit seed oil, and black walnut hull extract, and did not take the capricylic acid component.

Then I got a different probiotic online called Effective Microorganisms and took that a couple of times a day for a month after the candida program.


It could be that you are allergic. I just know that I thought I had developed an allergy to coconut - but it wasn't really. It just looked like one.

Originally Posted by WildIris

I am not disagreeing with you, and I'm very interested in your experience! But I am a bit wary of the "it could be detox" instead of allergy idea. Back in December, when I tried Armour thyroid for the first time, I immediately had an itchy rash from it... and people on another board kept telling me it was probably just a "detox reaction." So I toughed it out and kept taking the medication for four weeks, and the rash got worse and worse. Then I found out that I'm severely allergic to corn, and was allergic to the dextrose in the Armour! So I think it's very hard to tell.

What was the candida program you followed, if you don't mind me asking? And what kind of reactions did you have to coconut before doing the candida program?

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by Meg_s

I don't' know about allergy, but coconut is very high in naturally occurring chemicals, which could be a problem depending on why you are doing the ED.

I wonder if this was actually our problem. Since we've spent more than a year on dd's gut healing, I've been able to reintroduce some of the high chemical fruits and vegetables. Interesting. . .

[Momo'sMum]

DD2 and I have anaphalactic reactions to coconut, and the FDA recognizes coconut as a treenut.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrguid4.html
It's in the chart in # 25 down the page.
FWIW we seem to be ok with tiny amounts of the oil, periodically.