Legume and pulse allergies are types of food allergies. Food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system wrongly identifies a food as a threat. When this happens, the body releases chemicals, such as histamine, in response. It is the release of these chemicals that causes symptoms.
The symptoms of a food allergy usually come on quickly, within minutes of eating the food.
Mild to moderate symptoms may include:
More serious symptoms are often referred to as the ABC symptoms and can include:
The term for this more serious reaction is anaphylaxis (ana-fil-ax-is).
In extreme cases there could be a dramatic fall in blood pressure. The person may become weak and floppy and may have a sense of something terrible happening. Any of the ABC symptoms may lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal.
Most healthcare professionals consider an allergic reaction to be anaphylaxis when it involves the ABC symptoms.
If you think you may be allergic to a legume, see your GP who can refer you to a specialist allergy clinic if needed. They can find a clinic in your area from the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI).
It’s important to get a referral even if your symptoms were mild because it can be hard to tell if future allergic reactions could be more serious.
Once you get a referral, the consultant will discuss your medical history and symptoms with you. They might suggest skin prick, blood tests, and food challenge tests to help diagnose the allergy and work out how serious it may be.
Some clues that you might be at higher risk are:
If you have mild allergic symptoms, you may be prescribed antihistamine medicine that you take by mouth. But if you are at risk of a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), you may be prescribed adrenaline – the emergency medicine used to treat anaphylaxis. It is also known as epinephrine.
Because anaphylaxis can happen very quickly, adrenaline is available in different forms that are designed to be easy to use. It’s important to know exactly how and when to use your prescribed adrenaline. Healthcare professionals can show you how to use it, and there are also resources such as practice devices and videos on manufacturer websites.
Options currently available on prescription in the UK include:
You must carry two in-date forms of prescribed adrenaline at all times as a second dose may be needed if symptoms do not improve after five minutes or get worse.
If you eat other legumes regularly without symptoms, there is no need to avoid them — unless your allergy specialist advises you to. There is a possibility that if you are allergic to one legume, you might react to another. This is known as cross-reactivity and can happen when the proteins in different legumes are similar enough for the immune system to mistake one for another. Which legumes cross-react varies by person, so anyone worried should check with their allergy specialist.
Many people with a legume allergy react to only one type of legume, while others may be allergic to more. The exact number of people allergic to multiple legumes is uncertain, as research findings differ. If you are worried you might react to additional legumes, contact your GP or allergy specialist — they can advise which foods are safe and whether you need further testing or a supervised oral food challenge.
Only peanuts, soya and lupin are included in the list of top 14 major food allergens in the UK. This means they must be highlighted on food ingredients labels, in bold or underlined for example. All other legumes and pulses (including lentils, peas and chickpeas) are NOT included in the UK Top 14 allergen list. This means they will not be highlighted on food labels, although they must still be listed in the ingredients. As they are now more widely used in manufactured foods, people with these allergies need to read ingredients very carefully to avoid accidental exposure.
When you’re shopping:
To avoid any legumes you’re allergic to read the ingredient lists on food packets
carefully every time you shop.
When eating out:
When you buy catered food, such as in restaurants and takeaways, speak to staff directly as they may not be aware that legumes can cause allergic reactions. Make sure you name the specific legume or pulse you’re allergic to.
Download the Legumes and pulses allergy factsheet for a table that shows examples of legumes and the products you might find them in. Remember, it is rare that you would need to avoid many of these. It’s very unusual to react to all legumes.
If you find you can eat any of the legumes listed in the table without having a reaction, then you can keep eating them.
Hidden legumes
If you have tried avoiding other legumes but are still having symptoms look out for these ingredients which can contain legumes.
The following are not legumes
You don’t need to avoid these ingredients which are used as thickeners and gelling agents. They are not made from legumes and pulses.
Agar (E406) – a carbohydrate found in seaweed
Carrageenan gum (E407) – a carbohydrate found in seaweed
Gellan gum (E418) – a carbohydrate secreted by bacteria called Sphingomonas paucimobilis
Xantham gum (E415) – a carbohydrate produced by a bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris
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