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Original poster

Can I eat pumpkin if I get allergic reaction carving

34 replies

Chocolate2020 · 28/10/2023 23:33

So evertime I carv a pumpkin my hands and arms get all itchy and I get a rash .
I was wondering if that means if I eat it I'll have an allergic reaction.
I know the only way is to try some cooked pumpkin but I'd thought I'd get people's opinions before hand

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 28/10/2023 23:36

What's the worst that could happen?

Oh yeah, death.

Hermittrismegistus · 28/10/2023 23:38

Eating it is a sure way to win a Darwin Award.

Headabovetheparapets · 28/10/2023 23:40

I’d be very cautious, if your getting a skin reaction then an ingested reaction is likely to be more extreme.

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Scampuss · 28/10/2023 23:56

It's possible to react on contact but not ingestion, or vice versa.

I get hives picking strawberries but can eat them with no problems.

I can go into anaphylaxis from eating wheat but can handle it with no problems.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 29/10/2023 00:07

It depends what’s causing the reaction. There are a lot of things that I get a reaction to raw that are perfectly fine when cooked/fermented , eg soy oil or milk are bad but soy sauce, tofu and edamame are fine. Which makes me think that it’s proteins that cause the issue and they are broken down by being cooked.

On the other hand, pumpkin isn’t widely used or irresistibly tasty so why take the risk? It’s easier to avoid it.

Ihopeyoudance · 29/10/2023 00:10

I get a rash touching raw pumpkin and squash but can eat it fine cooked. It's quite common.

NewLeafAgain · 29/10/2023 00:12

I get rashes from prepping cucumbers but can eat them no problem. I just wear gloves to prep.
Not that I'm saying you should try it, just that it doesn't necessarily mean you will have a reaction.

nocoolnamesleft · 29/10/2023 00:44

I wouldn't risk it. Yes, cooking can partially denature proteins, but eating pumpkin is a rather bigger exposure than just carving it.

SM4713 · 29/10/2023 00:49

How old are you? Have you never eaten pumpkin in any form- your entire life??? When I chop up pumpkin, I end up with an orange stain on my hands and the liquid seems to tighten on the skin. I don't get a reaction, but it feels very tights and really needs scrubbing to get off. Are you washing it off straight away?

Use gloves in future and take an antihistamine beforehand.

Justkoko · 29/10/2023 00:54

Dh gets a reaction if he has raw carrot. Fine cooked. Allergic reaction that came out of nowhere as he was fine in the past.
I can't advise as that is just our experience. Something to do with pollen or proteins, I'm not sure.

MrsTerryPratchett · 29/10/2023 01:01

But it's pumpkin. Why would you bother? It's disgusting and not in many things.

henrysugar12 · 29/10/2023 01:05

My partner can't touch raw potatoes. His face starts to swell. He eats plenty of them though!

Strawberrycheesecake7 · 29/10/2023 01:06

I really wouldn’t. It’s definitely possible that you only get a reaction from touching it and not from eating it, but why risk it? Allergic reactions can be life threatening. In my opinion pumpkin doesn’t taste very nice anyway so you’re not missing anything.

floatingnoodle · 29/10/2023 01:06

I get a skin reaction from lemon juice but I’m fine to ingest it

MrsSkylerWhite · 29/10/2023 01:09

Worth the risk for fish and chips. Pumpkin? Not so much 😁

Rincol · 29/10/2023 01:14

Good point.

Feed the pumpkin to the kids and get yourself some fish and chips.

EBearhug · 29/10/2023 01:27

Do you ever react to other cucurbits, e.g. cucumber, courgette, melon, butternut squash?

If it were me, I'd probably try a small bit of cooked pumpkin and see what happens. With antihistamines to hand.

Original poster
Chocolate2020 · 29/10/2023 07:24

Hahaha this made me laugh

OP posts:
Original poster
Chocolate2020 · 29/10/2023 07:28

I'm in my 30s and I've never tried pumpkin ,does pumpkin spiced latte count 😅.
The first time I carved a pumpkin was 2018 and 2nd 2019 , and the reaction was within 5 mins of touching it

OP posts:
Greygardenz · 29/10/2023 07:40

Don't risk it. Cake is safer

megletthesecond · 29/10/2023 07:40

DS can't touch some raw food but eating it cooked is fine. Cooking breaks down the protein that causes the allergy.
He can't peel potatoes because of it. He carries an epi-pen for a couple of severe allergies.

DrNo007 · 29/10/2023 07:47

If you do decide to try it, cook it for others (using gloves to prep) and try eating what my former allergy doctor called a ‘dot dose’. The tiniest bit. If that is ok, next time go up to a mouthful, and so on. Having had food allergies myself in the past, I would say it isn’t worth trying to exclude a certain food from your diet for a lifetime unless there is a genuine serious allergy there, and in your case you don’t know that.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 29/10/2023 08:09

Don't bother, you're not missing anything.
It's pretty tasteless. Pumpkin spice is the spices that go in pumpkin pie, to actually give it some flavour. Cinnamon, nutmeg etc.

GigiAnnna · 29/10/2023 08:29

I think it depends how extreme your reaction is. I get a mild reaction on my tongue every time I eat hummus but I still eat it as I like it. I don't think pumpkin is worth it, I'm sure I read somewhere that they are grown especially for carving and not for eating, so if that's true they won't be very tasty.