Experts say the mystery behind India’s remarkably low rate of peanut allergies lies in a combination of biology, environment, and everyday habits.
Published Nov 02, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 02, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Everyday exposure, often seen as a public health challenge, may actually give Indian children a protective advantage.
Synopsis: India’s strikingly low rate of peanut allergies, unlike the rising cases seen in Western nations, is attributed to genetics, environment and early dietary exposure, experts say. Paediatricians note that traditional feeding practices—exclusive breastfeeding for six months followed by the gradual introduction of family foods—naturally build tolerance and protect children without the need for new “early introduction” strategies. India’s real concern, they stress, lies not in allergies but in undernutrition, misinformation and the need to balance hygiene with healthy microbial exposure.
In Indian homes, peanuts are found everywhere – in chutneys, sweets, snacks, and even children’s tiffin boxes. Yet, conversations about peanut allergies are almost unheard of.
Unlike in the United States and other Western countries, where such allergies have become a growing health concern, Indian parents rarely hesitate to offer peanut-based foods to their children.
A recent US study has now supported that practice and challenged long-held Western caution. It found that introducing peanuts early in infancy could actually help prevent allergies later in life – a conclusion that reverses decades of advice urging parents to delay exposure.
For Indian experts, the findings are less a revelation and more a validation.
“Indian children have a very low incidence of peanut allergy compared to Western children. Our genes and dietary habits naturally protect us,” said Dr Sampath Kumar Shettigar, Senior Consultant, Paediatrics and Neonatology, Kinder Hospitals, Bengaluru.
Experts say the mystery behind India’s remarkably low rate of peanut allergies lies in a combination of biology, environment, and everyday habits.
“Our genetics, race, and the kind of microbial exposure we have in India play a huge role,” explained Dr Nisha Miriam George, Senior Consultant, Paediatrics and Neonatology, MGM Healthcare, Chennai, speaking to South First.
“Children here are exposed to a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, and even parasites very early in life. This helps shape a stronger and more tolerant immune system.”
This everyday exposure, often seen as a public health challenge, may actually give Indian children a protective advantage.
The idea, known as the hygiene hypothesis, was first proposed by British epidemiologist David P Strachan in 1989. It suggests that reduced exposure to microbes in early childhood may increase susceptibility to allergies later in life.
“Our normal flora, the good microbes that live in and around us, train the immune system to differentiate between harmful and harmless substances. That’s probably why we don’t see peanut allergies at the same scale as in the West,” Dr George said.
While the United States study challenges decades of allergy-avoidance advice, Indian experts are not convinced that the same early introduction strategy applies here.
In India, where peanut allergy cases remain rare, paediatricians say the country’s well-established feeding guidelines already offer a protective and balanced approach.
“India’s guidelines on infant feeding are very clear and well-drawn out,” said Dr George. “Infants should be milk-fed for the first six months, then slowly introduced to family foods while continuing breastfeeding till two years.”
She explained that this step-by-step exposure naturally builds tolerance to a wide variety of foods.
“By one year of age, a child is usually eating from the family pot,” she said. “So they are already introduced to common foods and potential allergens in small, steady doses.”
Dr George sees no reason to revise current feeding norms.
“With such low allergy rates, our current system already supports children’s best health,” she stated.
Referring to the 2015 LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) trial that reshaped Western guidelines, Dr George noted that in the West, parents initially tried to avoid allergens, but allergy rates kept rising.
The LEAP trial showed that babies introduced to peanuts early developed fewer allergies later. “That made sense there; their allergy rates were high, but it doesn’t apply in the same way to India,” she said.
Instead, Indian paediatric guidance focuses on careful observation and gradual dietary diversification.
“During complementary feeding,” she explained, “one new food is introduced at a time—cereals, dal, vegetables, fruits—with a few days’ gap before adding the next. This helps identify any reaction early. By eight or nine months, most babies are already familiar with a wide range of foods, including natural proteins from lentils, grains and home-made chutneys.”
Even with peanuts, she pointed out, it is balance, not haste, that matters. “There’s no need to rush. In homes that use peanut chutney or oil, exposure happens naturally.”
In India, the real concern is not about avoiding foods, but about how misinformation shapes feeding habits.
Paediatricians say cultural beliefs around “heat” and “cold” foods still dominate Indian households and can unintentionally limit a child’s nutrition.
“People often say banana causes cough, curd causes cold, or eggs and fish produce heat,” noted Dr Shettigar. He explained that these food labels have no scientific basis.
“If we start excluding foods this way, what will the child even eat?” he asked, adding that fruits and vegetables are among the richest sources of vitamins and minerals and should be encouraged rather than feared.
He pointed out that many parents focus heavily on staples like rice and dal, while fruits and vegetables are often ignored. “A single slice of apple a day isn’t enough,” he said. “Children need variety—grains, pulses, fruits, vegetables—all are equally essential.”
Among the most persistent misconceptions, he added, is the use of honey for infants. Many families believe it boosts immunity or aids digestion, but Dr Shettigar warned that “honey before one year is extremely dangerous.”
He explained that it can cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness that affects the nervous system. “For adults, it might just cause mild loose stools, but for infants, it can be fatal.”
Other risky practices include introducing cow’s milk too early. “Even my grandmother scolds me for telling people not to give cow’s milk before one year,” he laughed. “But cow’s milk proteins are too heavy for infants and can stress their kidneys. It offers no benefit before one year, only harm.”
Both experts agreed that a gradual, balanced introduction of foods is essential. “From six to eight months, parents can start with mashed pulses, grains, fruits, and vegetables,” said Dr Shettigar. “By nine months, small portions of egg yolk or meat soup can be added, and the full food later.”
Dr George added that India’s traditional feeding practices already align with sound nutrition. “Exclusive breastfeeding for six months, followed by gradual introduction of family foods while continuing breastfeeding up to two years, helps build natural tolerance,” she said.
While some traditional practices offer comfort, paediatricians caution that others can be unsafe, especially when copied from social media without medical supervision.
Dr Shettigar recalled several recent cases that show how well-meaning traditions can go wrong. “I’ve seen parents put garlic inside a baby’s socks to cure cough,” he said. “But it caused burns on their heels. Another family mixed camphor and Vicks and applied it to a baby’s nose – the child is no more.”
He clarified that doctors are not against home remedies, but safety must come first. “Some methods, like applying warm ajwain oil on the stomach to ease colic pain, can help,” he said. “But parents should always check with their paediatrician before trying anything new.”
Dr George also stressed the need for balance in how parents manage hygiene. “Urban parents today are extremely cautious – filtered water, constant sanitisation, limited outdoor play,” she observed. “But a child’s immune system needs microbial exposure to mature.”
She cautioned that excessive cleanliness can weaken natural immunity. “We’re seeing more sensitive children in cities today. Basic hygiene is important, but overdoing it backfires,” she said.
Both doctors urged parents not to panic over common illnesses like coughs and colds. “Once children start school, they’ll fall sick every few weeks – and that’s how their immunity builds,” Dr Shettigar explained. “Parents just need patience and perspective.”
As the United States and other Western nations grapple with rising food allergies and new feeding guidelines, Indian experts say the country’s focus should lie elsewhere. “Our bigger issue is not peanut allergy,” said Dr George. “It’s undernutrition and lack of dietary diversity.”
She emphasised that public health campaigns should continue to promote balanced, local diets instead of chasing Western fears. “If parents concentrate on giving wholesome meals, they’re already supporting immunity in the best possible way,” she said.
Dr Shettigar echoed her view, adding that awareness should replace anxiety. “Parents shouldn’t avoid foods out of fear,” he said. “We should be teaching them how to introduce foods safely, not warning them against everything.”
As Indian families navigate traditional wisdom and modern parenting, experts believe the goal is not to reject old practices but to refine them with science. The country’s true challenge, they say, lies in striking the right balance – between safety and exposure, hygiene and immunity, fear and informed care.
