Peas are legumes in the Fabaceae family of plants which also includes peanuts, lentils, lupin, chickpeas, green beans and mung beans. If you want a more extensive list of legumes you can visit the Legume Page.

Pis s 1 and Pis s 2 are vicilin protein and convicilin proteins, also known as 7S seed storage proteins. These proteins are most commonly found in nuts, seeds and other legumes.

Pis s 3 is a Lipid Transfer Protein (LTP), these proteins are panallergens which have the potential to cause allergic reactions across groups of different foods.

There has been an increase in the number of "free from" foods which are using pea protein as an ingredient to make dairy free and nut free foods. Additionally more people are choosing to eat vegan foods and these also may contain pea proteins as alternative high protein sources. Peanuts contain both 7S seed storage proteins and lipid transfer proteins, so those with a peanut allergy may also react to products containing pea proteins.

Peas are a high FODMAP food. FODMAP stands for Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. Foods high in FODMAPs can cause symptoms of food intolerance, affecting the gastro intestinal system and this can be mistaken for a true IgE food allergy.

Peas a food low in salicylates. Salicylates have the potential to cause worsening of asthma, swelling, itching and hives as well as food intolerance symptoms in people who are sensitive to salicylates.

Peas contain a low amount of lectins, another cause of food intolerance. Cooking foods with lectins makes them more digestible and can reduce the symptoms of food intolerance.

You can read more about Food Intolerances on the dedicated Food Intolerance Page.

You may be suffering from LTP Syndrome if you have reactions to various fruits, vegetables and nuts and your reactions continue to be severe after you have discarded the peel and have cooked the food.

Other edible plants in the Fabaceae family of plants are gum arabic, peanut, carob beans (locuts bean gum), chickpea (garbanzo beans), guar gum, edamame beans (soya), liquorice, lentils, runner beans, butter beans (lima bean), green beans, kidney beans, lupin, tamarind fenugreek, broad beans (faba beans), adzuki beans (red beans) and mung beans.

Common foods involved in LTP allergy include kiwi, strawberries, sunflower seeds, walnut, apple, mulberry, banana, pea, apricot, cherry, plum, almond, peach pomegranate, raspberry, tomato, grape, celery, peanut, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, chestnut, lemon, tangerine, orange, hazelnut, lettuce, lentils, lupin, green bean, pear, mustard, wheat and maize.

7S seed storage proteins are found in various nuts and seeds, you may also react to cashew, pecan, hazelnut, buckwheat, soya beans, walnuts, lentils, lupin, macadamia nuts, sesame and mung beans.

These food lists are not exhaustive, the most up to date information is on the Cross Reactivity Tool.

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