If you are allergic to peas, are you also allergic to pea microgreens? I’m newly diagnosed with a pea allergy, and enjoy eating sprouts and microgreens.
This is a great question! It would be safe to assume that someone allergic to green peas would also be allergic to all forms of the pea plant, including pea microgreens, as they come from the same seed/plant. Whilst this won’t necessarily be true in all people, it’s a good rule to follow. For example, I wouldn’t suggest someone allergic to broccoli eat broccoli microgreens, as it’s the early leaves of the broccoli plant.
In some people however, this isn’t an issue. A good example is wheatgrass. Some people who are allergic to wheat are able to tolerate wheatgrass. Additionally, some people with Celiac Disease can eat wheatgrass. Ultimately, no two people are the same, and people can react to different plant parts different from one another.
If this is for an adult who wants to test it out, I’d trial it very carefully, if at all. If this is for a child, I would not trial this until they’re able to give fully informed consent. Either way, you should check with your GP to see if it’s worth trialing. Though, some doctors are going to tell you yes whilst others tell you no.
The great news is that there are lots of microgreen alternatives available on the market. You can get sprouts and microgreens of lots of different vegetables (broccoli, alfalfa, sunflower, arugula, and more), and even try your hand at making them at home.
I’m sorry this wasn’t a super clear yes or no, which is what you were probably hoping for. As I’m sure you know, all things food allergies can be complicated. Personally, knowing that there are lots of alternatives to choose from, I’d opt to avoid pea microgreens.
One last tip: be careful when eating out at restaurants. Ask about the use of microgreens (common garnish) and make sure there are safe foods for you to enjoy.
Wishing you all the best!
~The Allergy Chef
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