Holidays May Be Spoiled by Allergies to Christmas Pastries with Poppy Seeds, Fish and Even Christmas Trees

Are the dishes on the Christmas Eve table safe for people with allergies? Is it true that there may be people who are allergic to sugar? Finally, is “allergic to holidays” merely a figure of speech, or does it really manifest itself?

Prof. Rūta Dubakienė of the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University agreed to answer these and other questions. For over 50 years, the scientific interest of the Lithuanian academician has been in the field of allergology. Her book Įdomioji Alergologija [Exciting Allergology] mentions allergies to Christmas pastries with poppy seeds, the Christmas tree, the straw used for Christmas spells, etc.

A richly laden table is an integral part of the festive marathon. For example, the Christmas Eve dinner in Lithuania traditionally consists of 12 dishes. Are the ingredients used to make them allergenic?

Looking at the Christmas Eve table prepared according to Lithuanian traditions, we will see that traditional ethnographic dishes cater to both allergic and healthy people. Everyone will find something tasty and will certainly not be left out or feeling hungry.

Which of the 12 traditional dishes is suitable for people with allergies? For example, our cranberry drink (kissel) is suitable for allergy sufferers – it is cooked, and, as we know, cooked products lose their allergenicity. However, heavy metals and nickel can be traced in herring and mushrooms. Still, people with allergies to nickel sulphate will not experience consequences after eating some herring and mushrooms, as allergens are not mentioned in allergy books or textbooks at all. Stewed cabbage is also a great choice for those with food allergies.

Allergenic Christmas Eve dishes include Christmas pastries with poppy seeds, nuts, apples, Christmas wafers, poppy-seed milk, peas, and beans. Christmas pastries with poppy seeds are made from pure wheat, the third most common food allergen. If some milk and poppy seeds are added to pastries, they become a real allergic bomb! Nuts are also significant allergens. Our research has shown that Lithuanians are the most allergic nation in Europe to hazelnuts. So if you like nuts, you should avoid hazelnuts and opt for other types of nuts. Although pretty-looking red apples are a great decoration for the Christmas Eve table, they should be avoided by people suffering from hay fever. But not everyone, only those sensitised to profiling and Betv1.

When discussing the Christmas Eve table, you mentioned herring as suitable for people with allergies. How about salmon, tuna, and mackerel? Can they cause allergic reactions?

Any fish may cause allergies, fish allergens are known as some of the strongest food allergens, but mackerel and tuna are known to cause pseudo-allergic reactions, not genuine ones.

Is it true that some people may be allergic to the spices used in dishes?

Yes, some people are allergic to spices because most of them are of plant or animal origin. For example, cinnamon and the synthetically produced aromatic compound coumarin are often used to add fragrance to perfumes, creams, and deodorants. These aromas are also found in candles and incense. Consumption of cinnamon-containing foods may cause allergic rhinitis, tearing, and headaches. An allergic reaction to cinnamon occurs directly as contact with a skin allergen and causes contact dermatitis, a skin disorder called erythema multiforme. In addition, it may cause non-immune-mediated and toxic reactions.

Mustard and black pepper are strong inconspicuous allergens that may cause anaphylaxis, Quincke edema, contact urticaria, and allergic contact dermatitis. By the way, piperine present in black pepper increases the toxicity of blood plasma when taking medicines, so caution should be exercised in patients with impaired blood clotting.

Chilli pepper and parsley are also allergens. Caraway is used in bread rolls, and sauerkraut is by far the most “Lithuanian” of the spices. Yet it may cause food allergies, anaphylaxis, Quincke’s edema, and allergic contact dermatitis. Dill has similar properties to those of caraway.

Some people say they are allergic to sugar. Can sugar really cause allergy, or is it just an excuse to avoid dessert?

We hear more frequently about cutting down on sugar intake in our food. Manufacturers are competing in a race to use less sugar in their products: bread, cookies or cake. This is required to fight the epidemic of diabetes. There is a myth that sugar can also cause allergies. But is that true?

Let’s take a look at what the scientists are saying. When we talk about sugar, we mean carbohydrates, including monosaccharides: glucose, fructose and galactose, just like disaccharides – sucrose. Research shows no evidence of any allergic reactions to sugar, but its metabolic intolerance may occur due to the lack of digestive enzymes – disaccharidases – in the human intestines. Intolerance can manifest as diarrhoea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

The insufficiency of enzymes – lactose, maltase and sucrose – causes so-called glucose malabsorption syndrome. This insufficiency may be acquired or congenital. An insufficiency of lactose enzyme is mostly congenital.

Patients often suspect soft drinks, especially the popular Coca-Cola, for the alleged “sugar allergy”. Coca-Cola was even studied as one of the suspected causes of sugar-induced hyperactivity in children. However, it was proved that neither sugar nor artificial sweetener – aspartame – affects the children’s psyche or causes irritability.

Your book mentions that about 13% of the US population and 7% of the Canadian population suffer from Christmas tree allergy. Please explain what causes it and what the symptoms are.

Conifers cause allergies very rarely. When patients complain that they have itchy eyes, sneeze or a runny nose after walking in a pine forest, it seems they are suggesting pine pollen. However, this pollen is too large to cause hay fever – only pollen that is very small, light, volatile, and easily carried by the wind can cause hay fever.

Still, conifers may cause unpleasant sensations and this is associated with the Christmas tree – ornate and adorned with shiny decorations, colourful garlands, large baubles and beads. This is called the Christmas tree syndrome. It manifests with symptoms similar to hay fever: tearing, itchy red eyes, nasal congestion, and loss of smell. Allergy sufferers may start coughing, feel heaviness in the chest, and experience a lack of air. At the end of Christmas, when the Christmas tree is removed, such symptoms disappear on their own. Interestingly, fresh spruces brought directly from the forest may more frequently cause such an allergy.

The main cause of this allergy is the mould spores found on conifers. Canadian scientists have discovered 53 types of mould that caused the syndrome in 70% of the cases. However, reducing the humidity in the house can significantly relieve the symptoms.

Replacing a natural Christmas tree with an artificial one may only sometimes bring the desired results because artificial Christmas trees contain many synthetic substances that may also irritate the respiratory tract.

Allergies – inherited or acquired? Could it be said that a person allergic to several of the factors discussed in this interview is allergic to the holiday season or the winter holidays?

It has been proven that allergies are hereditary, and the genes responsible for them have already been identified. However, the environmental impact on the development of allergic reactions is increasingly being discussed. The so-called pseudo-allergies may affect any of us. So, suppose you experience anything unusual during the holiday season. In that case, I suggest you resort to books or the omnipotent internet to find out about specific genuine allergies because there is simply no allergy to the holidays or the holiday season!