Positive Food Challenge: The Peanut

A peanut is neither a pea nor a nut; discuss.

Today Bostonist encountered two versions of the story of the girlfriend who died after kissing her boyfriend (who’d eaten a peanut butter sandwich earlier) just over a year ago. The first instance came when we sat down to read the Health and Science section of the morning's Globe, the second when we tuned in to Day to Day on NPR.

Regular Globe contributor Dr. Darshak Sanghavi tries to make sense of an “increased incidence of peanut allergies,” which he doesn’t believe is real. Dr. Sanghavi looks at studies and data to prove that there hasn’t necessarily been an increase in peanut allergies. He doesn’t go so far as to make the conclusion that perhaps we’re just more aware and sensitive to the allergies that have always existed. Once upon a time, when Bostonist smeared bagels for a living, we learned then that peanut spatulas needed to be kept separate from those for cream cheese - it was for a couple of customers who’d asked. Franchise policy was adjusted to meet the needs of our customers. That’s our theory, anyway, but it could just as easily be the fact that peanuts (and peanut derivatives) are added to more and more foods.

Day to Day took a decidedly different take on the peanut "scare." Dr. Sydney Spiesel instilled fear when he told Madeline Brand on the NPR show that there are peanuts in so many things, like chili. (Seriously - a secret ingredient in chili. Someone please send Bostonist a recipe for chili with peanuts in it. It sounds divine.) Spiesel warned of the lethal kiss. Where the Globe piece toned down the threat of the peanut epidemic, the NPR featurette worked Bostonist up again about the not-nut legume. Spiesel actually stated at one point that there was strong evidence to suggest the antithesis of Sanghavi’s argument: peanut allergies are on the rise.

Back to the case of the Quebecois peanut butter sandwich. Both Spiesel and Sanghavi agree on one thing: use of an EpiPen is essential. Epinephrine can help during severe allergic reactions, but call 911 and get to the hospital. This has been a media commentary and public service announcement all wrapped up in one, brought to you by Bostonist.

Image is the Jimmy Carter Peanut Transistor Radio. When we think peanut, it's hard not to think of the peanut-farming president. It was a toss-up between POTUS 39 Carter and Mr. Peanut.