What is peanut allergy?
Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. A food allergy occurs when the body mistakes a normally harmless substance for an allergen and reacts by developing antibodies. This signals the release of histamines, which causes allergic symptoms ranging from annoying (skin rash, congestion) to life-threatening (anaphylaxis, a kind of shock). Peanut allergy usually shows up in early childhood and, unlike most food allergies, often lasts into adulthood. People who are allergic to peanuts, a type of legume, are sometimes also allergic to tree nuts, such as cashews or walnuts.
