Does Your Mouth Itch When You Eat Fruit? You May Not Actually Be Allergic To It

Have you ever experienced that weird sensation where your mouth feels itchy after you eat fruit? You don't develop hives or a rash, so you just tell people that you have a mild allergic reaction to certain types of fruit.

Well, you may actually be wrong about that. That mild itching sensation you feel is known as Oral Allergy Syndrome (also known as pollen food allergy syndrome) and is actually caused by sensitivity to pollen, not necessarily an allergic reaction to the fruit, according to The Daily Herald.

Cooking your produce will actually make the allergic reaction go away: if you're baking an apple pie for instance, you'll be able to enjoy it without your mouth feeling like it's on fire, many allergists say, according to Live Science.

The allergy is similar to hay fever that affects many adults and children. It also changes based on your specific allergies. If you're allergic to birch pollen, you'll be sensitive to apples and cherries, which grow on birch trees, for instance. Symptoms include itching, watery mouth, and swelling. Very rarely will Oral Allergy Syndrome lead to anaphylaxis, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.