Going Nuts!

Should you eat nuts during pregnancy?  Recent advice has changed again and now the answer is yes, you can!

Until recently pregnany and breast-feeding women were advised to avoid peanuts in order to reduce the risk of their child developing a penut allergy.   However, in August 2009 the British Government revised their advice and now states that there is no clear link between eating peanuts and childhood peanut allergies.  This refers only to peanuts – also known as monkey nuts and ground nuts – and does not affect other foods which may trigger allergic reactions such as wheat, dairy products or other varieties of nut.

Further research has been commissioned to improve how and under what conditions the allergies develop. We wait to hear the results of the latest tests, but in the meantime, it seems advice says you can choose to do so, as long as its part of a healthy, balanced diet and you're not allergic to peanuts yourself!

In America peanuts are not deterred during pregnancy, instead they are encouraged as a good source of protein. And in Australia the Department of Health says there's no evidence of your baby developing a peanut allergy if you eat peanuts when pregnant or breast feeding.

So, if you fancy some peanut butter or want to nibble a few nuts at a party then governments, all over the world, say you can!