Does Pineapple make eczema worse?
For a couple of years now, MyItchyBoy has been eating and enjoying dried pineapple. It never seemed to cause a problem for his eczema. Or did it?
He’d usually have the crispy type of dried pineapple until we discovered a chewy, sweet and easy-to-add-to-snack-boxes version. MyItchyBoy loved this stuff.
However, as he started to eat it more and more (virtually every day) I started to wonder whether the increase in his eczema was related.
Unfortunately, when it comes to eczema, it is really hard to work out what has caused a flare up, especially a minor one. The delay in reaction, as well as everyday factors such as heat and tiredness, can make it tricky to pinpoint what has made it worse.
So, unscientifically, I dropped pineapple completely from his diet and turned to the internet. Sure enough, there are plenty of people who react to pineapple in a bad way. Hmmm….not conclusive proof, but his skin did calm down and he can live without pineapple.
Do bananas make eczema worse?
And then to the humble banana…
The fruit most enjoyed by our family.
The easy to eat, energy-giving, versatile fruit that MyItchyBoy really likes.
What have I got against bananas? Well, again, only a feeling. A weekend of eating a lot of his favourite banana loaf (my lazy answer to baking as it is pretty much the only shop-bought baked good I can buy for him, he loves it, and it’s full of calories to keep him going), dried banana chips and fresh banana and well……….eczema.
Conclusive evidence? Definitely not. But again, I immediately stopped all banana eating by MyItchyBoy and the amount of eczema reduced.
His skin is still dry, he is still itching, but it is mostly limited to his ankles (school shoes and socks – another story!) and those times when he is grumpy, tired, bored, etc.
Hmmm….
I’m giving it another week and then I think I’ll give him a banana and see what happens.
I know that he can live without bananas and pineapples, despite pressure these days to eat more fruit and veg and have lunch boxes packed with the stuff. But, without stone fruits (definitely flare up his eczema), apples, grapes and raisins (all give him indigestion unless in small, infrequent doses) and now pineapple and banana we are getting limited in fruit to give to MyItchyBoy.
Luckily he loves blueberries (unlike my bank balance!) and pears and vegetables, so I’m not too worried just yet.
I’m, of course, selfishly worried about finding easy things to put in MyItchyBoy’s lunch box and that I’ll have to keep up with the baking! I do like the sleep I get when MyItchyBoy’s eczema is under control though…and not seeing him suffer unnecessarily. So I’ll probably get over myself and cope.
I plan to challenge the eczema on both fruits again and see if I can tell if there is a difference. But for now, I think we’ll manage without.
Aah, it’s a shame why we can’t eat the natural foods of the earth these days with out them causing some sort of issues for us “Natural” humans. I get eczema flare ups from eating fructose, the sugar found in fruit, Bananas, pineapples, apples, and also honey,, hmmm
on September 25, 2014 at 6:45 pm Graham Ansellrub the banana skin into his eczema (miracle)
on July 28, 2018 at 11:43 pm kenIt is tricky to understand, isn’t it? I have had people tell me that since we are from Europe, that bananas, kiwis, pineapples, etc are not that ‘natural’ for us and since our genes are for our natural environment, then it makes sense that we might react to them. But then, central heating, polyester, cleaning solutions used in school, etc are not natural either.
on October 7, 2014 at 12:09 pm MyItchyBoyHi, I have had eczema for years and the doctors have been no help! I knew I had some food allergies …. Wheat, milk, egg yolks. ( tested twice ).
on June 25, 2016 at 4:06 pm RockyMy eczema started to get worse, so I decided to get more serious about getting rid of it. I had been avoiding wheat and gluten but still ate some when going out or the occasional cookie that I love! I stopped eating all gluten and within 5 days the eczema went away completely….I could not believe it? . I still get an occasional break out for it is so difficult to not eat any gluten, but it is so much better.
My daughter had a really bad flare up all over her body. It was terrible! the doctor prescribed 5 steroid creams that she said to use. I immediately knew that was not the answer for us! So I turned to the internet and youtube. I found two vitamins that have greatly reduced her flare up. It was Olive Leaf Extract & Reishi Mushroom plus changing her diet. Pineapple was one trigger for her along with dairy and various other foods. It works from the inside out. I am not a doctor and if you try this speak with your physician first and of course due your own research like I did. This is just what has worked for my daughter. Ten min short showers followed immediately up with vaseline help the dryness for her. Best of luck to anyone who has to deal with this. I hope this information was helpful to someone out there.
on October 20, 2016 at 5:06 pm Kim JohnsonTo me I think banana is rich in antioxidants that helps reduce inflammation of the skin. Vegetable such as carrot also helps
on August 5, 2018 at 9:04 am IseachI believe eating bananas is directly linked to my ex ezcema. I am vegan as well. Banana is such a stapled food yet as tried to reintroduce it to my diet my dry skin and itch flared up out of nowhereach after a few weeks.
on October 9, 2018 at 3:48 pm lewis brooksHelp!! Never had eczema in my life..I am 63..it just started after I ended up with Lichen Planus. i was also just diagnosed with microscopic lymphatic colitis. i cant eat gluten, I cant eat lactose, I cant have any sugar, alcohol, beans or rice…as each diagnoses had its NO NO..on certain things I can eat…no rice dark or light, no beans no dark shades…Where one diagnosis say I CAN eat something…the other says I cant…I am almost at the point where I cant not eat food at all. I have looked up all diets. No dried fruit. I truly need some help. I have lost 64lbs since April.
on April 12, 2019 at 5:21 pm Pamela HardingI am adult who has had food induce eczema since childhood. I found your comment after researching reactions with pineapple when I noticed a flare-up on my eyelid. I have been eating pineapple each day on and off for a week and realized that my eyelid was rough, dry and itchy with eczema. Moral of my story! Everything in moderation. I still have flare-ups even at 60 years old, must change up my food each day and remember not to eat the same for type each day for several days in a row. Thank you for posting this comment.
on September 16, 2020 at 1:09 am Janet L Fasano