I've been poisoned by ... Mango?
I've just learnt a painful fact. Mangoes, that sweet tasting yellow tropical fruit, belong to the same plant family as poison ivy. Yes, you read that right.
Lesson learnt the painful way
It all started when my wife brought back a mango from work on Tuesday. She didn't want it, so i could enjoy the whole fruit myself. As a mango lover, i wasn't about to complain. Within ten minutes and that sucker was gone! To be honest, i felt good afterwards. I got my vitamins, got my fiber. What's there not to love about mangoes?
So everything's fine until half an hour before bedtime. I feel this itch in my throat and i found that a little odd since i had been drinking a lot of water. So i drink even more water, a full liter and a half, and then head to bed.
The next morning i wake up with what is probably the worst sore throat i've had for a long while and a many ulcers in my mouth to match. Not a pretty sight i tell you. It's been three days now and the effects are starting to wear off so i thought i'd share this on Steemit and hope it serves as a warning.
What causes the allergic reaction to mangoes
The pain was so intense i had to find out what was causing it. Apparently, the reaction is caused by a chemical named urushiol, which is the same chemical responsible for poison ivy rash.
This chemical can be found on the skin of the mango fruit, so if you come into contact, be prepared for some form of allergic reaction. Do not bite the skin of the mango or put it in your mouth!. I cannot emphasize this enough.
Symptoms of mango allergy
Here are some of the symptoms of a mango allergy to look out for:
- Anaphylaxis (rare)
- Contact Dermatitis
- Coughing
- Itchy and flaky skin
- Skin inflammation
- Swollen lips
Now that i had diagnosed the cause, what's the cure?
Treating mango poisoning
If you're suffering from an allergic reaction to mango, the prescribed cure is often anti-histamines. That said, the body gets rid of the histamines in due time so waiting it out is another possible option, although it is very uncomfortable.
Thank you for reading and i hope you've learnt something useful about eating mangoes and mango poisoning. The next time you eat mangoes and have a sore throat, you know what's causing it.
omg!..@numpypython
it sounds like you may be one of the unlucky people who are allergic to a chemical compound called urushiol...
im the one who love to eat mango so much!
and here Thailand have many kind of mango..
each mango has a unique flavor and texture, so i would like to try different varieties at different stages of ripeness and at different times of the year!! ^^
im @giigii please upvote and follow me and i will follow you back!
Thanks to shere your story!
Interesting, had no idea. I'm extremely allergic to poison ivy, but never had a problem with Mangoes. Being Indian, I eat a lot of mangoes!
This is fascinating. I love mangoes and haven't ever had any reaction to them, but I can understand it as I can't cut or handle pawpaw without my hands swelling and itching. But I can eat it!
Haha i love mangoes too :) Must be the way i eat the part with the seed, get a bit of contact with the mango skin.
My young boys eat all the skin, like the monkeys they are!!! Must have built up immunity.
I use to have a mango tree in hawaii growing up so I thought everyone knew that.
Just reading the title I knew you ate the skin.
Mangos are so good they are worth the time it takes to peal.
Yeah it must have been tiny pieces of skin though. I usually get lazy and scoop it but should probably make the effort to peel it lol.
I'm also allergic to mangos! I ate one at work one day an about 30 mins later my tongue and lips started itching so bad I couldn't stand it. My face and neck turned red it was horrible! Thankfully I worked for a doctor and he gave me a shot and a few mins later the itching started going away. It was awful!
Wow, didnt know that! Thanks for putting the word out!
Thanks! Hope it helps people connect the dots.
Oh wow, that sucks!!! I have oral allergy syndrome, which means my body mistakes the proteins in various raw fruits & veg for pollen I am actually allergic to. Basically my mouth feels like I just had a bowl of Cap'n Crunch after I eat kiwi, zucchini, banana. Sometimes I don't get a reaction at all so it's always a fun game of "can I eat this right now?"
Oh wow that sounds really tough. Hate it when the body messes with us.
It's more annoying than anything. It's just uncomfortable is all. Certainly not a reaction like what you had! Wish I could switch allergies off somehow.
And now you're like:
Haha i wish it were so. But glad i did the research into what was causing it.
man i wish breaking bad never ended. ..
Better call Saul - it's pretty good.
Still, Breaking Bad is my favorite series ever :)
i'm bang up to date mate. i love it.
Me2
So sorry to hear that! I have never heard about this! Thanks for sharing!
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