Oral Allergy Syndrome: healthy, crunchy snack alternatives?

[merlin2oo2]

Hey guys!

I've been lurking for a while, but this is my first time posting. I have a lot of issues that I need to address, but right now diet is probably the biggest one. I work semi-nights (3 p.m. to 3 a.m.), so my meal schedule is wonky to begin with, which means that I end up snacking a lot. The problem is, I'm having trouble finding healthy, low-calories snacks that I can eat. I know that the go-to snack for something crunchy and healthy is raw veggies (and I enjoy the taste), but I can't eat them because they make my mouth and throat itch like mad. Cooking solves this problem, but then they aren't crunchy anymore, and I love munching on crunchy things. Any suggestions for other healthy, crunchy snacks? I enjoy nuts as well, but the recommended serving sizes don't satisfy for long. I usually eat only one "real meal" in a day right now, so snacks account for a large portion of my daily calories. It's not uncommon for me to eat half a box of dry cereal overnight (like Frosted Mini Wheats or Froot Loops), and I know that's not healthy.  

[Raincloak]

I'm sure you aren't allergic to ALL veggies.  Which ones cause the itching?

[merlin2oo2]

The most common snacking ones, like carrots, celery, snap peas. Broccoli and cauliflower seem to be okay, though. It just sucks because I really like carrots and snap peas, but they don't like me.

[Raincloak]

that is interesting, because carrots and celery and peas are different plant families, and the odds you'd be allergic to all three are pretty low.  

 

I wonder if the real problem is something sprayed on the veggies.  Where did you get those veggies from, and did you use some kind of vegetable wash on them?

[Ampersand]

I definitely second checking what's sprayed on your veggies, just to make sure you're not allergic to a preservative or pesticide. 

 

But for snack ideas: my first thought would be veggie chips, like kale or sweet-potato chips. You can bake them yourself to avoid preservatives, excessive oil, or any other unsavoury ingredients, but most health food stores have decent varieties. Just check the nutrition first! 

 

You could also look into freeze-dried (I think that's what it's called?) fruits. They're still crisp and crunchy, but not nutritionally void. They can be pricey. 

 

I also have a dry-cereal addiction (Granola, especially. I love granola.) and aside from keeping it either out of reach or out of the house, my solution has been to cook my own. I spritz oats with coconut oil and then toast them to make a yummy sugar-free granola, and the amount of time it takes is incentive against over-eating. A quick google search shows that most cereals have "skinny" or "healthy" alternatives, but I can't find one for froot loops. Would cheerios work?

 

One of my friends cuts up and toasts quest bars to snack on, she says they taste like cinnamon crunch toast? I haven't tried it and Quest bars aren't cheap but if you have the time it might be worth a shot. 

 

On a side note, if it's boredom or impulse snacking for the cereal, keeping it out of the house really is the best idea. 

 

This is also super weird but have you tried dry (or undercooked) pasta? I know it sounds weird, but it's really crunchy and takes forever to chew so portion control isn't a problem. They might be carb-heavy, (although I have been seeing recipes that make pasta using egg yolks and cheese. A little weird, but I'm definitely curious) but it's better than a kit-kat. 

[Platzhalter]

Cut a cucumber and a capsicum into sticks. Not very filling, but if you just need something to chew, it's definitely better than nothing.

And being allergic to celery is actually quite common - in some countries, celery even is one of those allergens you're required to put on every label.

[Disil]

Check for potential cross-allergies from other allergies like pollen, latex or grass. I'm cross-allergic to oats and walnuts for example.

[friendst]

I've been hearing a lot of good things about pumpkin seeds lately.  I have no idea if they're true or not or how much they cost but I intend to find out this evening. 

[Aena]

Have you tried roasted asparagus? I remember discovering the recipe on nerd fitness a few months back - it may have been in the e-mail subscription or an article but I wouldn't know how to find it now. It'll be there somewhere. It's simple, takes no time at all, and you're left with nice and crunchy - but tasty - asparagus. I loved mine doused in salt and pepper.

[jfreaksho]

There are definitely things that get sprayed on vegetables and fruits that make my mouth itch.  Non-organic bananas have something on them that, if the peel touches my lips, will cause numbness.  Sometimes the organic stuff is worth the money.  Organic standards sometimes require that the pesticides/herbicides they use are water-soluble (or so I've been told, I can't seem to find a reference for that right now) and should just wash off.  Non-organic pesticides often don't wash off as easily.