The culprit is sesame oil?

So, after talking to my mom today about my face breaking out horribly. It has never done this since I had chicken pox and I was….5. The only other time is if I’m allergic to something. So she told me to take some allergy medicine which has me dead tired and it’s not 9pm yet. It made me want to do some research.

I know I haven’t eaten any nuts, the only thing I’ve had that even tasted like it was sesame oil. Evil evil sesame oil.

So here’s the thing, I’m allergic to peanuts and tree nuts including their oils. If I eat regular chocolate like let’s say m&ms or a kit-kat I can taste the traces of nut residue and if I have too much lips will swell and I will break out. I know what I can and cannot eat. Some nuts will absolutely kill me, so I have to always make sure it’s not there.

Back to the story

Anyways as some people might know Koreans LOVE sesame oil and put it in a lot of things. I don’t mind it, but it tastes A LOT like peanuts and makes me panic a little at times. I notice my body does the same thing like “AH! ARE THOSE NUTS YOU ARE EATING?!” and I’m all “NOOOOOO! It’s sesame oil~”

The science

Coming to find out sesame oil and the seeds have a similar protein to peanuts and tree nuts. This makes your body attack it like it’s a nut when it’s not. It’s called cross-reactivity. That can make people allergic to nuts super sensitive if not allergic to sesame seeds & oil also.

Why?! Well, now I know.

I didn’t know that! I knew I would break out some (like I do with nuts) when I had something with a good bit of sesame oil and wonder why since I knew I didn’t have nuts. Now I know! I swear. Talking about sneaky! So now if I taste sesame oil I have to not eat that particular food. Joy…more stuff to worry about. School lunches tend to have at least one thing swimming in it. So now I know to STAY FAR AWAY from it. Lovely.

But my face has cleared up a lot in like 3 hours. Thank mom! *does heart dance*

Go figure I went a week look hideous because of sesame oil. I can have some but obviously not a lot of it or I’ll have to wear a mask for the rest of my time here. Funny thing is I’m fine with the sesame seeds on buns, I guess I’m hyper sensitive to sesame oil if not downright allergic to it, the way it broke out my face.

Now I’ll definitely have to tell my co-teacher and probably start making my own lunch in the future. Or just stay away from sesame oil *sighs*.

Anyways goodnight!