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What Do These Foods Have in Common?

  • 7

Red Wine (and Balsamic vinegar)
Avocado (but only Hass)
Goat's cheese
Swiss, Gruyere, and Emmental cheeses
Many yogurts
Watermelon and Honeydew melons

I ask because I have an odd reaction to eating them - don't know if it's an allergy (or the beginnings thereof) or something else, but I end-up with very sore tastebuds. You know how sometimes you'll get one inflammed tastebud? Well, when I eat the above-listed foods I end-up with LOTS of inflammed tastebuds - around the edge of my tongue and toward the front (not in the middle or in the back). There's no itchiness, no swelling, no other reaction that I've noticed, just these painful tastebuds (to the point where I'll refrain from eating for a couple of hours while they calm back down).

Is there a common chemical component here? They're all foods that I love but at this point pretty much avoid because of the reaction and I'm just curious about what might be going on.

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  1. Diverse list, but you see the pattern for dairies, and the three swiss cheeses may have something to do with the rennets or processes used to make them.

    Bananas, avocadoes, melons are alkalizing (basic) foods
    Pineapple, vinegar, walnuts are all acidifying foods
    Cheeses and yogurt are less so; however, the proteins require an acidic environment in the stomach to digest

    Check out this link on IC (interstitial cystitis) http://montgomeryurology.com/Patient%... most of the problem foods for you, if not all, are on the problematic list...

    2 Replies
    1. re: Emme

      Thanks, Emme - that is an interesting list, and it includes quite a few of the foods that I react to but didn't include in my initial list. I don't have any of the IC symptoms, but it's quite interesting that others have problems with the same foods. I'm beginning to think that I've a chemical imbalance after going through some icky long-term treatment for a systemic viral infection.

      1. re: ElsieDee

        Hope you feel better soon, and let us know if the doc finds some "common link," as I as well have a lot of food intolerances none with any real connection...

    2. You may have an allergy to natural occurring histamines in food (walnuts, bananas, pineapple, certain red wines and fermented foods fall into this category). Also, if you have latex allergy they could have a "cross reactivity" with some of these foods. But I have my degree in comparative lit not medicine so why don't you google a few of your symptoms and see what comes up ! Good luck

      2 Replies
      1. re: cinderz

        Thank you, Cinderz - I do have a latex sensitivity, so the cross reactivity theory makes sense. I'm going to go to my internist with the list of foods that I'm reacting to and then go from there - as I said in reply to Emme's post, I've been going through some health challenges and I'm thinking that my body chemistry is out-of-whack (especially as the taste-bud reaction has only developed in the past year or so). Oh, and I was originally a comp. lit. major - but ended-up with a degree in technical communication in the end (:

        1. re: ElsieDee

          In addition to a cross reactivity due to latex, many of the foods you list (cantaloupe and pineapple among others) are also known to cross-react with pollen allergens. Also, you might consider seeking out a good allergist to answer your questions about this. I've had a some trouble with gp's or hospitalists who have limited knowledge about allergies.

          I hope your health improves!

      2. There are a few things that my Mom has reactions to, but she gets the itchy ear/throat thing...melon, avocado, pineapple, walnuts. Maybe there is a doctor or scientist that can explain this stuff?