Over the past 10 years the prevalence of peanut allergies in American children has nearly doubled, and about 2 percent of children have a peanut allergy. While there are many theories and speculations, it’s unclear exactly why allergies have increased.

Now, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology is suggesting new guidelines about introducing peanuts into an infant’s diet. New research shows that introducing peanuts around 4 to 6 months of age can reduce the risk of the child developing a peanut allergy.

The Learning Early About Peanut study (LEAP) concluded that the early introduction of peanuts dramatically decreased the risk of developing peanut allergy. Of the children that were given peanuts as an infant, only 1.9 percent were allergic at the age of 5 compared to 13.7 percent of the children in the group that avoided peanuts.

Dr. Stephen Taylor, Best Food Facts expert and Professor and Co-Director of the University of Nebraska Food Allergy Research & Resource Program, states, “It seems like a good idea to avoid allergens in food, but that may not be the best course. Some evidence suggests that early introduction of certain kinds of solid foods into the baby’s’ diet may actually promote tolerance of those foods, rather than the development of food allergies. The recently completed research in England does indicate that early ingestion of peanuts may help to prevent the development of peanut allergy, but parents should seek advice from their pediatrician or allergist because there are some important caveats to that advice.”

The LEAP results have prompted the AAAAI to give guidance to assist healthcare providers across the globe in their clinical decisions. The new guidelines reflect collaboration between a dozen medical organizations from countries including the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Australia, as well as the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the World Allergy Organization. These recommendations include:

• Given the LEAP findings, high-risk infants should be introduced to peanuts or peanut-containing products between the ages of 4-to-11 months of age. High-risk is defined as those having severe eczema and/or an existing food allergy.
• Infants who show signs of eczema or egg allergy within the first 4-to-6 months of life should be tested for peanut allergy with a skin prick test and possibly a medically-supervised peanut challenge. Families with such a child should work with a physician to facilitate safe, early introduction of peanuts if possible.
• Parents of children who have fewer risk factors for peanut allergy are not advised to delay giving their children peanuts. This has been the case for several years.
• Though LEAP details many aspects of how peanuts can be introduced, physicians should note that it does not discuss alternative doses of peanuts, the minimal length of treatment necessary to induce tolerance, the potential risks if peanut consumption is stopped early, or what happens if the infant does not consume peanuts on a regular basis.
• These guidelines do not apply to older children or those with existing peanut allergy. These only apply to infants who have never eaten peanuts. People with existing allergies must continue to carry epinephrine.
• These guidelines also stress the importance of intervention by healthcare providers rather than potentially dangerous parent-conducted interventions.  

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• Burgerizza – Turner Field, Atlanta Braves. The Burgerizza includes a 20-ounce patty, five slices of cheddar and bacon on a bun made of two eight-inch pepperoni pizzas.
• Chicken and Donut Skewer – Globe Life Park, Texas Rangers. The Chicken and Donut Skewer puts fried chicken and donuts on a stick, drizzled with sweet and sour buffalo honey sauce.
• Crab Dip Fries – Camden Yards, Baltimore Orioles. This treat piles fresh Chesapeake Bay crab, cream cheese and plenty of Old Bay poured over waffle fries.
• All-Star BBQ Dog – Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City Royals. This foot-long dog is piled high with pulled pork, coleslaw, pickles and barbecue sauce.
• Chicken Waffle Cone – Minute Maid Park, Houston Astros. Waffle cones are typically used to house ice cream, but Houston pairs the waffle cone with fried chicken, filled with mashed potatoes.
• Dungeness Crab Sandwich – Safeco Field, Seattle Mariners. Spotlighting local cuisines, this Dungeness crab sandwich features fresh crab and tomatoes.
• Pan con Lechon – Marlins Park, Miami Marlins. The street-cart-turned-official-vendor Papa Llega y Pon sports its Pan con Lechon — a crispy pork sandwich.
• Chili Half-Smoke – Nationals Park, Washington Nationals. The Chili Half-Smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl, a D.C. icon, features beef and pork sausage topped with onions and mustard and a huge helping of chili.
• Brunch Burger – PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pirates. This bacon cheeseburger on a donut bun also features a fried egg.
• Nachos on a Stick – Miller Park, Milwaukee Brewers. The Nachos on a Stick features sticks of meat and refried beans covered in Doritos and deep fried.
• Cardiff Tri-Tip – Petco Park, San Diego Padres. This sandwich is filled with Seaside Market’s Cardiff tri-tip steak.

If you’re not feeling that adventurous and want to attend a game without breaking a caloric world record, check out these resources.

_{The image “Crab Dip Waffle Fries at Camden Yards” by Kelly is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.}

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That’s right, February 26 is the day to celebrate all things pistachio! Here are some pistachio fun facts:

• One serving of pistachios (roughly 47-49 nuts) contains three grams of fiber
• Of the 13 grams of fat per pistachio serving, 11.5 grams come from mono- and polyunsaturated fats
• A serving of pistachios has as much potassium as half of a large banana (290 mg)
• Pistachios are a good source of calcium, vitamin A, choline and carotenoids like beta carotene and lutein

Source: AmericanPistachios.org

Check out the infographic below for more information on how nuts can be a nutritious part of a healthy diet!

The following information was originally posted on Dec. 29, 2014:

Do you go nutty for nuts? Nuts are packed with heart-healthy fats, protein, and disease-fighting vitamins and minerals. To learn more about nuts, we reached out to Alice Henneman, MS, RD, Extension Educator of Nutrition, Food Safety and Cooking, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Click on the infographic below to open a PDF.

Want more blogger-approved recipes that incorporate the nutrition power of nuts? Get your snack on with these Savory Mixed Nuts compliments of Sheila from Eat2Gather. And, satisfy your sweet tooth with these 5 Ingredient Toasted Pecan Snowball Cookies from Philia of SweetPhi.

_{The image “Honey Roasted Mixed Nuts” by Sprogz is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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