A nut by any other name..... is still a nut.

I should only be worried about food products when avoiding nut products, right?  WRONG!!!

As if it wasn't challenging enough.  Inspecting ingredient listings with a magnifying glass isn't enough if you don't what you're looking for.  It's easy to assume that the words "nuts" and "peanuts" are the only words that we should be afraid of.  If only it was that easy. 

Did  you know that "shea" is a nut, and is often found in cosmetics or hair products as a moisturizer or lotion?  My son had a reaction to hair cream that contained shea butter.  Thank goodness it didn't cause more than hives and minor swelling, but a reaction is still a reaction.

It is important to be aware of what nuts and peanuts can be disguised as in an ingredient listing. I hope this list helps you become more familiar with what to look for, whether you are looking for some chocolate to put a smile on a sad little face, or kleenex with lotion for a sore little nose...... knowledge is power.  Knowing these names can help catch any hidden sources of nuts or peanuts.

*arachis oil
*shea butter
*cacahouette
*goober nuts/goober peas
*ground nuts
*mandelonas
*Nu-nuts (peanuts that have been altered to look and taste like tree nuts)
*valencias
*anacardium nuts
*marzipan (almond paste)
*pinon

Read the label everytime.