Anyone have an allergy, or reaction to cocoa?

[NomNomHello]

Hi all! A weird one!

I have this thing where the back of my throat is generally brighter red, at he back, and feels weird sometimes. Not painful, just feels inflamed.

Does anyone else get this?
2 cups of cocoa today on the trot (first one with milk, second just hot water only), and it seems to have triggered me

But it could be something or tiredness?

Anyone got any thoughts on this? Sorry it's a bit vague.

I react to some chocolate. It’s not the chocolate itself, it’s the things mixed in under “natural flavors” or “spices”

my actual diagnosed allergy is to a thing called Balsam of Peru

Yes. Can be a migraine, shaking, vomiting, rash or all 4. Cannot eat or drink anything with cocoa or chocolate as an ingredient.

Thanks both.

Just looked at my Green and Blacks cocoa ingredients and it has potassium carbonate on it...could it be that?

That sounds v.severe Allthehorses. 🥺

Mine feels more like an irritant at the back of my throat.

Since menopause I can't have dark chocolate (or even darkish) or cocoa. It gives me dreadful migraines sometimes with incapacity and vomiting. In fact I had a cup of hot chocolate in M&S yesterday and woke with a migraine at 3am which I'm still trying to shake off.

And every cake in every cafe ever seems to have chocolate in. I'm very wary about all of them because I don't know how dark the chocolate is.

Cocoa is also high in nickel which is a common allergen - could possibly be that too

@Allthehorsesintheworld do you have a nickel allergy? Look up systemic nickel allergy syndrome

I'm allergic to nickel.
Off to concern myself about cocoa now.

Ooo, thank you. Is cheap jewellery made of this? I come out in a rash. Off to look this up.

@NomNomHello yes absolutely cheap jewellery is often high in nickel. It’s the most common contact allergen I believe, I have it myself pretty badly.

I have heard that a lot of people with IBS symptoms test positive for nickel allergy although I don’t suffer from that myself. But people who switch to a low nickel diet often experience a reduction in gut and skin issues

Yes, And well worn jeans will leave red dots on you. I didn't put it together until a few years ago was helping DH with some DIY and he was using nickel screws. They were burning my skin. Suddenly a lifetime of old jeans leaving marks came into focus.
I can only wear good jewelry and stick to gold only.

Not an allergy but eating dark chocolate, especially the higher % cocoa ones, makes me sneeze

And I thought my cocoa was good for me,due to the riboflavins! I am going to cut it out for a week.

(I put it on my breakfast too 😂)

What else, food wise, might you find nickel in.

Cocoa is out now, anything else I should consider?

That makes you wonder, doesn't it?!

Beans, legumes, leafy greens. It’s actually impossible to avoid completely because it’s so ubiquitous (it’s in the soil) but some things, especially cocoa, are especially high

https://www.bing.com/search?q=foods+high+in+nickel&PC=U534&FORM=U534DF&chrome_dse_attribution=1

Oh... Nuts and seeds and oats too.

I am thinking that organic food won't necessarily be free of nickel...argh!

Ok, thanks. Will start with avoiding cocoa.

I get migraines from all cocoa products but no rashes. I think it is a fairly common allergen.

Could it be soya? Soya leichathins (spelling) normally in cocoa products.