Nut allergies and why coconuts are not included in the ‘NUT’ list
In: Biology
They’re a different type of plant, they’ve presumably got the word nut in them because they look similar, but other than aesthetically they are totally different things
Hi,
Because a coconut is not a true nut, it is a drupe (like olives or apricots).
This classification has to do with the organization of their shell (exo, meso and endocarp) and with how their seed germinates.
So that makes sense that they’re separated from the nuts 🙂
Allergies are when the body treats a harmless thing as a poison and your immune system overreacts to it, in some cases severely. Coconuts are lumped in with nut allergies because it is very common for people with nut allergies to be allergic to coconuts as well.
What nut list are you referring to?
A small number of people with tree nut allergies may be allergic to coconuts.
Depending on where you live, an official list may have them. In the US, the FDA has listed them with tree nuts but with a footnote to explain their reasoning (acknowledging they are not nuts) in order to ensure the safety of all people with nut allergies in the chance they are allergic too. If a school or other institution refers to that list, they may also ban coconuts and have ‘official’ backing to do so. I haven’t heard of anyone banning them, but they are listed with tree nuts even though they aren’t nuts.
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