Allergy Tips

Back to Tips List

Celery Allergy

Allergic reactions from eating celery are fairly common, especially in those people who already are allergic to a number of different pollens, or who are allergic to shrimp and shellfish. What is less well known is that celery is an umbel, a member of the large group of plants, Umbellifera, and that cross-reactive allergic responses are common in this group.
Umbels produce thousands of tiny white or greenish colored flowers that are grouped together in flat-topped clusters, or umbels. Many Umbellifera Family members are biennial plants and do not flower until their second year of growth. Carrots are also umbels and people who have experienced allergic reactions from eating celery would be wise to watch their own physical reactions carefully after eating carrots. Most typical from eating celery is an itchy throat. Typical allergic reaction to carrots is red, blotch, itchy skin. Keep in mind that an itch is often your first clue that you are allergic to something. If you touch or eat something and it seems to have made you itch, that's your clue. Pay attention to the signals from your own body.
Pollen allergies from certain umbels are not uncommon, especially to the very tall, very common weed (and occasionally cultivated as a garden ornamental) Queen Ann’s Lace. A growing concern is with the noxious non-native weed, Giant Hogweed (Apiaceae) which is rapidly extending its range in the US and in Europe. Hogweed, which is also an umbel, looks much like a giant version of Queen Ann’s Lace and contact with it often triggers some very serious allergic reactions, especially severe dermatitis. For a good photo of Giant Hogweed, take a look at this.
Allergy to some of the other Umbellifera family members such as parsley, dill, and coriander (cilantro) are less commonly encountered. However, anyone who knows that they are already allergic to either celery or carrots, might well be smart not to eat too much of any of these at any one time. Also, after eating parsley, dill or cilantro, do pay attention to any signals that your body might then send you. While allergic response to celery is often immediate, reaction to its relatives may be delayed by as much as several hours.