Spinach Allergy | Allergy

Spinach Allergy

by Allergy Guy

Spinach allergy is rare but some people do report spinach allergy symptoms or a spinach intolerance, so if you have this problem you are not alone.

It is possible to become allergic to almost anything.  Usually people react to some sort of protein.It is also possible to become sick for some other reason, such as the flu, and then associate some particluar food with being sick, for example feeling sick after eating a spinach salad.  The body may then react to the spinach not as an allergy, but because of the association.  This should fade with time.

Never the less, some people definitely do react to spinach.  Here is an example from Mer:

I’ve been following the comments about kale allergy with interest. Let me say that I’ve had asthma all my life, but none of my triggers had anything to do with food (dust, pet dander, tree pollen) so I am very familiar with those sort of allergic reactions. I am also allergic to a couple of antibiotics: severe itching, hives.

So after a lifetime of eating (and loving) spinach, I developed a severe intolerance for it. My immunologist/allergist corrected me when I called it an allergy. My symptoms are all gastrointestinal and severe enough to put me in ER twice when I inadvertently ate something that contained spinach. My symptoms are delayed (which is why my doctor referred to it as an intolerance rather than an allergy?) but begin with vomiting, then diarrhea. These increase in severity with each passing hour until I begin fainting. When my doctor was told about THAT part of it, he said if it happened again I should go to the nearest ER immediately. I didn’t understand why, but a year or so later, once again I unknowingly ate something that contained spinach and the nightmare began. By the time my husband got me to ER, my blood pressure had dropped so low, I kept fainting.

What is your experience with a spinach allergy?  Please share your experiences and questions, leave a comment.

 

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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Diana Lewis January 10, 2020 at 10:08

I am unable to eat spinach. If I do eat it, I developed headaches and severe cold and wheezing.

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2 Mike January 7, 2020 at 20:24

I also have severe nausea then diarrhea after eating spinach. I passed out and landed in the hospital severely nauseous and anaphylactic. My doctor did not diagnose intolerance and gave me an epi pen but I have not used it so we don’t know if it would work. I used to eat raw spinach in salad but first started getting sick from canned Italian wedding soup. It just kept getting worse if I accidentally ate something with spinach like southwestern egg rolls. I can eat kale, at least small amounts and collards. I can also eat romaine as the only salad green I trust.

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3 Anne Spott March 6, 2019 at 12:20

I have spinach intolerance. The symptoms have became more severe over time and are delayed after exposure. Early symptoms included cold sores on my mouth appearing a day or two following exposure. Then i started noticing stomach upset and headache before the itch of a pending cold sore. The last two exposures were frightening. I experienced rapid heartbeat, feeling faint, and trembling, shaking limbs that lasts hours. I diligently avoid spinach now and it makes dining out difficult sometimes. Servers don’t always respect the importance of my questions regarding ingredients. I use the term allergic so that restaurant staff take me seriously. I avoid spring mix, and kale as i don’t know if the intolerance includes those greens.

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4 Emily August 14, 2018 at 09:05

Never been allergic to spinach before but noticed some G.I effects a few months ago after eating a raw spinach salad. Then two nights ago I ate sautéed spinach and two hours later I was violently sick ALL NIGHT, my heart was racing, my breathing was affected and my face swelled up and was red and hot for 24 hours. I’m really concerned that next time my reaction will be even worse and would love to investigate what it is about spinach that I’m allergic to, as I don’t want this to happen ever again….

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5 Shauna August 5, 2018 at 21:14

I eat spinach all the time. I eat it in salad frequently. I went to a burrito place for supper and decided to try spinach tortilla instead of flour. I was fine after that until around 10 pm. My stomach felt heavy and started with nausea. I went to the bathroom to see if I could through up. That’s when the pain in the stomach intensified. I doubled down in stabbing pain. I was almost to the point of going to the hospital, then I threw up a few times. I took some nausea meds and the pains would come and go. Then I started having the chills, and itching from head to toe. My stomach pain started to go away, but the itching intensified. I couldn’t stop scratching and had chills on top of that. I pull the covers off me and there was hives all over my body. I put some itching cream and after about an hour it started to calm down and go away. In conclusion I def. think it was the spinach tortilla because me and my husband ordered the same meal besides the tortilla. Safe to say I’m not eating any type of spinach again!!!

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6 Evette Nava March 2, 2018 at 21:20

I don’t suffer from allergies other than sulfur and antibiotics…I’m trying to investigate why I’m allergic to spinach. My face itches around the jaw and cheeks area usually with 10 minutes after digesting and the itchyness last until the next day and eventually clears up as long as I don’t have it again.

Does anyone else suffer from this issue?

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7 Lovespinachbutspinachhatesme July 5, 2018 at 21:09

I think im allergy to spinach too!yesterday i had eaten old spinach..i think im more allergy to old and processed spinach or entirely spinach. I get itchy around my face first..it feels like something small is lingering all over my face..then my ears…after 2 hours of dinner. Its unberable!.it went from my face to my shoulder and my thigh. I took a medicine for allergy at night.this morning im still getting itch! Im gonna see doctor soon! I ate processed spinach before and it wasnt severe to this point..all over my face.

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8 Lorinda Reed January 15, 2019 at 18:47

Yes! I loved spinach until I started getting a rash on my neck and dryness in my throat. I accidentally ingested a small piece of spinach that was in a salad recently and I instantly got a rash and had an extremely hard time breathing, so I think the allergy has gotten worse. It’s frustrating because I miss spinach!!!

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9 nanye December 26, 2017 at 23:01

I can eat raw spinach BUT when I eat cooked spinach my mouth and my lips kind of swell up.. and it’s always happened. i’m not sure why. but raw spinach absolutely nothing happens. I am allergic to ALL tree nuts e. (peanuts, walnuts, almonds.. etc.) animals, dust, pollen, and some others. But my allergist never told me I was allergic to spinach.

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10 Ruqayyah October 16, 2018 at 18:41

I have a similar situation. My mouth itches terribly when eating cooked spinach, but nothing with raw. Its very confusing. The itching doesnt last for long after ingesting it, maybe 15 min. My stomach nor any other part of my body reacts though.

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