Chickpea allergy
Legume allergy to chickpeas.
About chickpea allergy
Chickpeas are a legume, in the same botanical family as lentils, peas, beans, soya and peanut, and they are widely eaten in hummus, curries, falafel and gram (chickpea) flour. Chickpea allergy is an IgE-mediated allergy that is more commonly reported in regions where legumes are eaten frequently, including parts of Asia and the Mediterranean. It can affect both children and adults, and the immune system reacts to chickpea proteins.
Symptoms usually begin within minutes to two hours of eating and may include an itchy mouth, hives, swelling, stomach upset, wheezing and, in some people, more severe whole-body reactions. Because chickpea flour can become airborne during cooking, some people notice symptoms from inhaling the flour as well as from eating it. People allergic to chickpea are sometimes, but not always, sensitive to other legumes such as lentils; reactions across the legume family vary a great deal from person to person, so blanket avoidance of all legumes is not automatically required.
Diagnosis is made by an allergy specialist using skin-prick or specific-IgE blood tests, sometimes with a supervised food challenge, and testing can help clarify which related legumes are a problem. Management is based on avoiding chickpea and checking labels for gram flour, besan and chickpea in snacks, dips and ready meals. People at risk of severe reactions may be prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector. Treat any severe reaction as an emergency and call 999.
Common triggers
- Chickpea and products containing it
Symptoms
- Itching or tingling in the mouth
- Hives, itching or eczema
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat
- Stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
- Wheezing or trouble breathing
- In severe cases, anaphylaxis
Avoidance & management
- Read ingredient labels every time
- Ask about ingredients and cross-contamination when eating out
- Keep the food out of shared cooking areas
- Carry prescribed antihistamines or an adrenaline auto-injector
- Seek emergency help for any severe reaction
Sources & references
Allergy safety: what everyone should know
Mild-to-moderate reaction signs
- Itching, hives or a raised rash
- Swelling of lips, face or eyes
- Tingling mouth, sneezing, runny nose
- Stomach pain, nausea or vomiting
Anaphylaxis — call 999 (UK) or 112 (EU) immediately
- Difficult or noisy breathing, wheeze, persistent cough
- Swelling of the tongue or tightness in the throat
- Dizziness, collapse, pale and floppy (young children)
- Use an adrenaline auto-injector (e.g. EpiPen) at once if prescribed, then call an ambulance even if symptoms improve
Allergy or intolerance? A true allergy involves the immune system and can escalate quickly; an intolerance (e.g. lactose intolerance) is unpleasant but not life-threatening. The symptoms overlap, so self-diagnosis is unreliable.
Getting tested: home-testing kits based on IgG are not diagnostically valid. If you suspect an allergy, ask a GP for referral to an allergy clinic for skin-prick or specific-IgE testing and a supervised food challenge where appropriate.