Ask the allergist – June 2026

Ask the allergist is a regular feature in our newsletters where Canadian allergists answer your questions! 

Please note: The allergists featured in this series answer questions on general topics, please talk to your doctor if you have questions about your own health or the health of your child. 

This month Dr. Julia Upton answers a question about shea butter and food allergy. A great question for the summer since many sunscreen lotions include shea butter.

Is shea butter safe for someone who is allergic to peanuts or tree nuts?

Shea butter comes from the shea tree nut (Vitellaria paradoxa), which is botanically a tree nut, but it is not closely related to peanuts or tree nuts like hazelnuts, almonds, or cashews.

The proteins in shea butter are minimal and structurally different than peanuts, so cross-reactivity is very low to peanut and perhaps slightly more likely with tree nuts, but still very low. In fact, one study examining shea nut and shea nut butter extracts did not identify any allergic proteins.

Documented cases of IgE-mediated allergic reactions to shea butter have not been reported to my knowledge. Therefore, concerns are only theoretical and the likelihood of triggering reactions like other tree nuts is extremely small.

Shea butter is quite widely included as an ingredient so a person may be able to review foods they eat and skincare products they use to see if they already tolerate it. Shea butter is used in candy and chocolate products as a replacement for cocoa butter, and in skincare products that moisturize, soften and protect the skin, such as body lotions, hand creams, and sunscreen.

The need to be extra cautious with shea butter does not seem warranted. If you are worried, it would be reasonable to try a small amount on your skin as a test, and talk to your allergist if you have any concerns.

Do you have a food allergy-related question you’d like to ask an allergist in the months to come? If so, send it along to us at info@foodallergycanada.ca. 

Dr. Julia Upton is the Division Head of Immunology and Allergy at The Hospital for Sick Children and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto. She is on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and is a member of our Healthcare Advisory Board.  

Please note: Dr. Upton is answering as an individual allergist and her answers do not constitute an official position of her affiliated organizations. Her responses are for informational purposes only and do not constitute specific medical advice, recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Please talk to your doctor about any concerns or questions you may have regarding your own health or the health of your child.