New Study Questions Long-Held Rules For Avoiding A Peanut Allergy

By Joe Schoenmann

Published March 5, 2015 at 1:17 PM PST

Peanut Butter — A new study shows that feeding toddlers peanut butter could actually stave off a peanut allergy.

A week old study in the New England Journal of Medicine said feeding toddlers peanuts might help them develop combat a peanut allergy later in life.

Meanwhile, a 2012 study by Northwestern University said Nevada has one of the highest rates of food-borne allergies in the country.

A food allergy is when the body’s immune system mistakenly targets a harmless food protein as an allergen and attacks it. Unlike a food intolerance, with an allergy, the body creates an overload of histamines and other chemicals to fight what it considers to be an enemy.

According to Food Allergy & Education, some of the most common allergens include peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish. An allergic reaction to a food can cause anything from hives and itchy mouth to a swallow throat and shortness of breath.

The most severe reaction is anaphylaxis which requires immediate medical attention. For more information, go to foodallergy.org.

Dr. Justin Maxwell, allergist