Talking Allergies

Does anyone know anything about shea butter --

(1) in relation to someone with nut allergy, and
(2) the benefits of shea butter for atopic dermatitis or exzema?

I'm finding lots of lip balm not with shea butter and my kids are anaphylactic to nuts. I also have a call into my allergist about it.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

Selina

I've replied to your private message and will try to remember to post all the info I've found as well as all about the great qualities of shea butter when I get home tonight.
I had found a list online breaking down a bunch of plants under the same family..... as well I've got a local supplier of pure shea butter, fair trade direct from ghana
Janaya

Allergic Living actually dealt with this a bit in the Fall 2006 issue.

From http://www.allergicliving.com/columns.asp?feature=73 :

Q My daughter has an extreme allergy to tree nuts, and now there are so many soaps and lotions out there with shea nuts or shea nut butter or oil. I have never heard of this “nut” before. Is it a true nut? If it is, am I right to assume that my daughter should avoid the many products that contain it?

A Dr. Watson: Interestingly, the shea fruit is similar in appearance to avocado. The shea tree grows in the Sahel region of West Africa. As an aside, the harvesting and processing of shea is primarily an activity of rural women (300,000 to 400,000 in Burkina Faso alone). The fruity part of the nut, when crushed, yields a vegetable oil that is used, not only in cooking, but also in soap-making and skincare and hair-care products. This is what you have seen in products.

With regard to your question as to whether or not this is a true nut, the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program reports the shea nuts are a tree nut, but that they do not belong in the list of commonly allergenic tree nuts. There are no reports of allergic reactions to shea nuts or its products. For soaps and cosmetics, it is the oil from the shea nut that is used. The oil contains little protein, which is what triggers the allergic reaction. As with everything, if you are worried or doubtful, avoid the product. I am sure there will be further information with regard to this product in the future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So for me, the jury is still out. And I am rather conservative in my approach to allergies, so we avoid it. I'd rather not sensitize my kids to yet another allergen if it's not essential that they have it in their lives. Just my 2 cents...

K.

_________________
Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

Janaya, I also use pure, unrefined shea butter. I think the co-op orders it from Togo:
http://www.agbangakarite.com/

Anyhow, it works very well for me. I haven't become sensitized to it and I find that it's wonderful for windy days (face gets chapped) and foot rubs. The unrefined stuff has a smokier smell to it than the refined and whipped shea butter sold in natural product stores.

For eczema, I generally stick to a homemade barrier balm containing beeswax and a few other things. If I avoid my triggers well, I don't generally have problems with eczema, though, so I generally don't need to worry about it.

_________________
~*~*~ That which does not kill me only gives me hives. ~*~*~

Thanks Karen for that informative piece. I agree, the jury's still out. I attach below what the response from the FAAN was: (how do you use the "quote" key?)

"We suggest you ask your allergist for advice about this. The shea nut is a
tree nut that has not been widely used in foods in the past, but shea
butter and shea oil are being used increasingly in lotions, bath products,
shampoos, and cosmetics. Although no reactions to shea nut have been
documented in the medical literature some doctors advise patients with tree
nut allergy to use caution and avoid products that contain ingredients
derived from the shea nut." Debbie

At 04:44 PM 11/14/2006, you wrote:
>>
>I have children anaphylactic to peanuts & tree nuts. Could you please
>tell me whether it is safe to use lip balm containing shea butter? I
>understand it comes from a seed of a tree grown in Africa.
>
>Also, are the reported benefits for someone with excema / atopic
>dermatitis true?

Sounds like FAAN is also being conservative in their approach (and in this case, I think that's a good thing).

For quotes:
1. If you are creating a new message: select the text you want to put in the quote, then click the Quote button that is above the window you are typing in. Quote "code" will be placed at the start and end of the text you selected and it will appear as a quotation online.

2. If you want to quote a post that someone's already written, simply click the Quote button that is associated with that post, and a message window will open with that text already in quote "code". (If the quotation is too long, simple remove the unnecessary text from within the quote - but make sure you don't delete the quote "codes".

K.

_________________
Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

Sounds like FAAN is also being conservative in their approach (and in this case, I think that's a good thing).

For quotes:
1. If you are creating a new message: select the text you want to put in the quote, then click the Quote button that is above the window you are typing in. Quote "code" will be placed at the start and end of the text you selected and it will appear as a quotation online.

2. If you want to quote a post that someone's already written, simply click the quote button that is associated with that post, and a message window will open with that text already in quote "code". (If the quotation is too long, simple remove the unnecessary text from within the quote - but make sure you don't delete the quote "codes".

K.

_________________
Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

krasota, I got my Shea butter from a local company. http://www.sheabuttermarket.com/

I love using it both on its own and in massage bars. To make the massage bars I melt it down with cocoa butter& beeswax, then add some jojoba oil and essential oil or another fragrance oil blend. It feels great on my dry skin, really helps I find, especially now that I'm using my electric heater in the cold.

I know that i've posted this once before. ''nut' really is just refering to the fact that it's the seed of the fruit being used.
Shea Butter come from the tree Butyrospermum parkii It is part of the family Sapotaceae, order Ebenales http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Food/Relate ... l#Ebenales

Here is the entire list http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Food/RelatedPlantList.html search for any allergen on the page and see what other plants it's related to

Example did you know that almonds are Prunus communis and in the Rosacea family? related to roses, apple, plums, saskatoon berry, strawberry, cherry, pear, blackberry/raspberry

Janaya

I do react to products with shae butter in them. I am allergic to all tree nuts but all are not equal in severity. I also react to a peach with an open pit to the nut inside.

I have a very high response to tree nuts (my first reaction at 16 was nearly fatal) but I have never reacted to Shea Butter. I steer clear of it when I see it in foods, however, I can use it as a moisturizer.
I spoke with my allergist about it when I first heard about Shea and she told me that everyone is different and that they don't often test for it but it is not commonly reacted to.

I did a small patch test with a shea butter lipbalm on my forearm and waited a few hours similar to how they conduct oral tests in an allergist's office.
If that sounds a little too scary, just stay clear of it, there are a lot of other options that will be safer!

_________________
Jennifer Rose
Nut Allergy and Shellfish Sensitivity - Developed at 16.

I, too, am allergic to tree nuts. I haven't had a reaction to shea butter, but I've also never tried it in food. I just know that I can use it in lip balm and moisturizers. I think I'm ok with it topically because it's such a small quantity. I am also allergic to gluten and it takes 1/8 teaspoon of gluten in order for me to get sick. Some people can't handle a drop of it. I think it depends on how severe your allergy is and how much you use in order to get a reaction.