I’m a current undergrad student with a severe allergy to tree-nuts but not peanuts. I have been to Germany twice before for long stays and not encountered any problems with my allergy (but I can read ingredients in German and speak the language).

I feel trapped by my allergy,

I would love to get out there and experience other cultures, I’ve been told that if I stick to eating things like plain fruit, plain meat, and very basic non-prepared things I could be alright. I’m still afraid of dying though, of course.

I really appreciate this inspirational info, if you have any advice to an inexperienced traveler with my allergy I would appreciate it!

thank you!

dansh22@gmail.com

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Great website. I am just starting to plan a round the world trip next year and I am quite worried about eating in some of the places we are planning to go – North India, Thailand, South America. I was diagnosed with a peanut allergy about 14 years ago and was told at the time that I should avoid all nuts as it was very likely I would develop allergy to them all. I have totally avoided all nuts since then and everything has been fine.

Any additional advice would be appreciated.

Susan Xx

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My husband is going to travel to China in September. I think I’m more worried than he is about his nut allergies. He is allergic to tree nuts, but not peanuts. If you have any tips that I could share with him, that would be fantastic!

Thanks so much,
Meredith

meredith_porter@yahoo.com

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Great article! As a grad student with nut allergies on my fourth stint in China, I know how frustrating this problem can be sometimes. Then, I do something like eat a wonderful dinner overlooking the Forbidden City and it is all worth it. If your travels ever take you to China send me an e-mail.

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Really?

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Anyway, I have the utmost of sympathy for nut allergy sufferers, and have often wondered how people deal with this while traveling. I’m glad you’ve put together these good tips.

It’s a cashew fruit juice in Brazil if it’s the one I’m thinking of (and I’m sure it could trigger the allergy). People should probably learn to identify the strange, pepper-looking fruit in addition to the word, in case it shows up at a breakfast buffet, as it’s also eaten raw, and I don’t think you’d have any way of knowing what it was just by looking at it.

People whose allergies also include legumes also need to be aware of a variety of breads and breadlike items in India and the whole subcontinent, like pappadums and dosas that can be made with lentil flour.

Great article!

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Gluten just makes me slightly sick (but can eventually lead to numerous auto-immune disorders, which is why I follow a 100% GF diet), so I can handle a bit if I ingest it by accident. But I can’t imagine what it’s like with a potentially deadly nut allergy… must be very difficult.

Sometimes I just want to smack vegetarians who complain about how “difficult” it is to follow their self-imposed diet…

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I’m gluten-free, so I know the trials of dealing with getting things without wheat, barley, etc. (”Oh, it doesn’t any wheat in it.” “Does it have soy sauce?” “Yes, but soy doesn’t have wheat in it.” Sigh…). But hopefully as more and more travelers speak up about their intolerances, these very real food concerns will be taken seriously.

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