Nuts in Japanese food ?

Markalark · Mar 20, 2004, 01:05

Hello everyone !

I'm going to Japan in a week ! I just can't wait !

I have this question for you guys:
I'm allergic to nuts (and peanuts). I've been wondering if there are a lot of Japanese foods that either have nuts of peanuts in them.. That includes foods that might have been fried in peanut oils.. I'd really like to sample as much as possible the Japanese cuisine and i'd be really sad to wind up eating McDonalds all the time there because that's the only thing i'm sure that doesn't contain nuts..

And while we're at it, would anyone here know how to say in Japanese "I'm allergic to nuts, can i eat this ? "

Thanks !

Buntaro · Mar 20, 2004, 14:06

Mark San!

Peanuts are not a food that is native to Japan or Japanese cuisine, so there is not a lot of it at all. You do not need to worry about it.

"I'm allergic to nuts, can i eat this ?"

is

"Watashi wa peanuts no arerugi desu. Kore o taberaremasu ka?"

(Pronounce peanuts just like in English.)

What kinds of nuts are you allergic to?

mdchachi · Mar 20, 2004, 14:09

Nuts & nut oils are quite rare in Japanese foods. Do chestnuts count? That's the only one that is somewhat common (but primarily in desserts).

You might want to carry something written. It will be difficult to verbally convey the seriousness of your allergy. Plus saying allergy in Japanese so that you will be understood will be difficult if you're not familiar with Japanese. arerugi is kind of a tongue twister if you can't speak the language.
If nobody has come up with anything, I'll come back and write it down for you tomorrow. Right now I gotta jump in the ofuro and then go to bed!

Buntaro · Mar 20, 2004, 14:14

My computer does not support writing in kanji. Can someone write that out in kanji, so he can print it right off the screen...?

heiji · Mar 21, 2004, 15:45

I have a question also ..
i will visit a japanese resturant so what do suggest me to eat??but not uncooked??

and i am heiji the one who leaft the from from 4 months or more...
i miss u

Markalark · Mar 22, 2004, 23:05

Wow ! Thanks Buntaro San!

I'll print that out in 3-4 copies and have them plastified just to make sure i don't lose that precious sentence !

Can pretty much everyone read Romanji ? If someone could write it down in Kanji, that would be really great. That way, i'd be totally foolproof, and that would make my trip a LOT more enjoyable knowing my chances of dying over there would be kept at a minimum

Oh, and to answer your question, i'm mostly allergic to peanuts. Other nuts like cashews also make me sick (but not as violently as peanuts). Almonds seem to be ok though.. I guess i'll skip deserts over there (wich is no big problem, i'm used to doing this here also. We have nuts EVERYWHERE. You really have to be careful.

p.s. I'm not sure if my computer can read Kanji fonts (maybe it does, i've installed some font packs last week..). Maybe a Jpeg would be better ? I'm not sure we can post images on this forum, but if not, i'd really appreciate it if someone could send one to mlepage@golemlabs.com.

Domo Arigato in advance !

mdchachi · Mar 23, 2004, 00:37

Buntaro's suggestion is understandable but not quite right. It says "I am a peanut allergy." May I suggest:

私はナッツのアレルギがあります。
Watashi wa nuts no arerugi ga arimasu.
I have an allergy to nuts.

これにピーナッツやナッツから出来た植物油などが入っていますか。
kore ni peanuts ya nuts kara dekita shokubutsuyuu nado ga haitte imasu ka?
Does this contain peanuts, nut-based vegetable oil, etc.?

It's best to print it out in kana/kanji. Everybody can read romaji but usually 2 to 10 times slower than normal.

If you need an image of the text, let me know.

Buntaro · Mar 23, 2004, 01:52

Hi everybody!

Regarding the "arerugi desu / ga arimasu / o motte imasu" debate, feel free to look at this thread

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread...7957#post57957

The arerugi discussion starts about half-way down the page, and goes on for at least two pages.

Buntaro · Mar 23, 2004, 01:54

Hi Markalark!

I have a friend who is also VERY allergic to peanuts. It sounds funny, but it is actually very serious. I know how you feel.

kov · Mar 23, 2004, 02:06

What about sesame? That's pretty common in a lot of Japanese food.

Also, when I went earlier this year I noticed walnuts in foods in ways that I'd never found in previous visits. If you are also allergic to walnuts you might want to mention that one as well. It doesn't occur alot, but I definitely noticed it where I'd just NEVER seen them in the past.

mdchachi · Mar 23, 2004, 02:55

Originally Posted by Buntaro

Hi everybody!

Regarding the "arerugi desu / ga arimasu / o motte imasu" debate, feel free to look at this thread

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread...7957#post57957

The arerugi discussion starts about half-way down the page, and goes on for at least two pages.

That thread is too long so I'm not going to contribute there. To my (admittedly non-native) ear, the watashi ha X desu form is more commonly used when there is some interaction going on or it's in some context that everybody is aware of. Like,

Hey, dude, what's your assignment on?
I'm allergies.

Did you order tea or coffee?
I'm coffee.

[You're a medical student at a conference and you're representing your specialty and go to introduce yourself to someone]
I'm nut allergies.

To just come out of the blue and say, "I'm nut allergies" sounds not quite as natural to me.

kirei_na_me · Mar 23, 2004, 02:59

Well, as many of you know, I know not much about the Japanese language, but maybe the way they say it translates into "I am allergy". I say that, because the Japanese people I'm around have always said "I am allergy" instead of saying, "I'm allergic" or something like that. It has always been an ongoing joke with us.

Buntaro · Mar 23, 2004, 04:08

Kirei_na_me San,

Thanks for the info!

Markalark · Mar 23, 2004, 04:33

Sesame seeds are ok. I eat them all the time. Good thing too, since almost all the delicious sushi i've eaten has some in them.

I think i read somewhere that Peanuts are a legume, not actually a nut. weird.

Oh, and it seems that my computer IS able to read kanji after all. Ah, the marvels of technology

Anyone could write down in kanji just the phrase "can i eat this?"

Thanks for your help, you're all great !

kirei_na_me · Mar 23, 2004, 05:35

Originally Posted by Buntaro

Kirei_na_me San,

Thanks for the info!

You're welcome, but as den4 would say, "I know nothing!". I really don't.

mdchachi · Mar 23, 2004, 06:16

Do you want to say "may I eat this?" Or are you going to be asking them to make a judgment as to whether or not you are able to eat something (based on your allergy)? Otherwise it won't make much sense -- the response would be how the heck should I know?

Markalark · Mar 23, 2004, 06:55

i see your point.

It's just to folow up on the "i'm allergic to nuts" sign i'll be sporting around like a badge

(ME) Hi ! i'm allergic to nuts !
(Japanese guy) Great, good for you
(Me) *Thinks to himself* Man i wish i could ask him if i can eat this

But yeah, i just reread what you told me earlier, and it makes perfect sense. never mind

No i just hope i'll understand his response to my statement and that he doesn't ask me to be more specific.

(ME) Hi ! Are there Nuts in this ?
(Japanese guy) What kind of nuts exactly are you talking about ?
(Me) *stares blankly in space, points at sign* -Hi ! Are there Nuts in this ?
(Japanese Guy) Man... this is going nowhere
(ME) *dies of starvation within 3 days*

Thanks again my friends !

mdchachi · Mar 23, 2004, 07:13

Good luck. Maybe in a couple years this will be less of a danger:
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&id=252254
Amazing that some people get so sick from peanut odors several feet away. What a nightmare.

Article about food allergies in Japan:
http://verlag.hanshuber.com/ezm/ACI/...I015050214.pdf
Fortunately peanuts are on the mandatory labelling list. So if you buy anything in a convenience or grocery store it should state on the label whether or not it contains peanuts. (Of course it will be in Japanese, tho.)

Markalark · Mar 24, 2004, 01:48

I've been wondering. When Japanese food is fried (say like Tempura), are you guys using vegetable oil ? Sesame oil ? Peanut oil ?

/last post about peanuts, i'll stop bugging you guys after this one

kirei_na_me · Mar 24, 2004, 01:55

As far as I know, vegetable oil is used. I always use vegetable oil when frying tempura, karage, tonkatsu, etc. I'm pretty sure vegetable oil, not peanut oil, is normally used.

**EDIT** Please forgive me, for I have sinned. Actually, sesame oil is used for some traditional Tokyo style tempura. Sesame oil has a very low smoking point, though, which made me think it was very undesirable for deep-frying.

mdchachi · Mar 24, 2004, 06:10

Here the list of commonly used oils in Japan in order of most-used to least. You'll notice that peanut oil doesn't make the top 9. But that doesn't mean it's not used. I would be especially wary of Chinese/SE Asian restaurants and certain dessert items.

http://www.oil.or.jp/bn/html/2/tokushu2.html
In case this link bites the dust, I'll list them here:

Rape Seed Oil (Canola)
Soybean Oil
Corn Oil
Rice Bran Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Cotton Seed Oil
Sunflower Oil
Olive Oil

kirei_na_me · Mar 25, 2004, 02:59

Thanks a lot for posting that, mdchachi.

Mar 20, 2004, 01:05	#1
Markalark Junior Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 5	Nuts in Japanese food ? Hello everyone ! I'm going to Japan in a week ! I just can't wait ! I have this question for you guys: I'm allergic to nuts (and peanuts). I've been wondering if there are a lot of Japanese foods that either have nuts of peanuts in them.. That includes foods that might have been fried in peanut oils.. I'd really like to sample as much as possible the Japanese cuisine and i'd be really sad to wind up eating McDonalds all the time there because that's the only thing i'm sure that doesn't contain nuts.. And while we're at it, would anyone here know how to say in Japanese "I'm allergic to nuts, can i eat this ? " Thanks !

Mar 20, 2004, 14:06	#2
Buntaro 運動不足 Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Westmorland, California, USA Posts: 802	Mark San! Peanuts are not a food that is native to Japan or Japanese cuisine, so there is not a lot of it at all. You do not need to worry about it. "I'm allergic to nuts, can i eat this ?" is "Watashi wa peanuts no arerugi desu. Kore o taberaremasu ka?" (Pronounce peanuts just like in English.) What kinds of nuts are you allergic to? __________________ Tada yori, takai mono wa nai. "There is no such thing as a free lunch."

Mar 21, 2004, 15:45	#5
heiji Regular Member Join Date: Nov 9, 2003 Age: 26 Posts: 30	I have a question also .. i will visit a japanese resturant so what do suggest me to eat??but not uncooked?? and i am heiji the one who leaft the from from 4 months or more... i miss u __________________ I am the detective of the west..

Mar 23, 2004, 02:55	#11
mdchachi Taicho Join Date: Mar 6, 2003 Location: USA (Detroit area) Posts: 687	Originally Posted by Buntaro Hi everybody! Regarding the "arerugi desu / ga arimasu / o motte imasu" debate, feel free to look at this thread http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread...7957#post57957 The arerugi discussion starts about half-way down the page, and goes on for at least two pages. That thread is too long so I'm not going to contribute there. To my (admittedly non-native) ear, the watashi ha X desu form is more commonly used when there is some interaction going on or it's in some context that everybody is aware of. Like, Hey, dude, what's your assignment on? I'm allergies. Did you order tea or coffee? I'm coffee. [You're a medical student at a conference and you're representing your specialty and go to introduce yourself to someone] I'm nut allergies. To just come out of the blue and say, "I'm nut allergies" sounds not quite as natural to me.

Mar 23, 2004, 05:35	#15
kirei_na_me Where I'm Supposed to Be Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 3,922	Originally Posted by Buntaro Kirei_na_me San, Thanks for the info! You're welcome, but as den4 would say, "I know nothing!". I really don't.

Mar 20, 2004, 14:09	#3
mdchachi Taicho Join Date: Mar 6, 2003 Location: USA (Detroit area) Posts: 687	Nuts & nut oils are quite rare in Japanese foods. Do chestnuts count? That's the only one that is somewhat common (but primarily in desserts). You might want to carry something written. It will be difficult to verbally convey the seriousness of your allergy. Plus saying allergy in Japanese so that you will be understood will be difficult if you're not familiar with Japanese. arerugi is kind of a tongue twister if you can't speak the language. If nobody has come up with anything, I'll come back and write it down for you tomorrow. Right now I gotta jump in the ofuro and then go to bed!

Mar 20, 2004, 14:14	#4
Buntaro 運動不足 Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Westmorland, California, USA Posts: 802	My computer does not support writing in kanji. Can someone write that out in kanji, so he can print it right off the screen...?

Mar 22, 2004, 23:05	#6
Markalark Junior Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 5	Wow ! Thanks Buntaro San! I'll print that out in 3-4 copies and have them plastified just to make sure i don't lose that precious sentence ! Can pretty much everyone read Romanji ? If someone could write it down in Kanji, that would be really great. That way, i'd be totally foolproof, and that would make my trip a LOT more enjoyable knowing my chances of dying over there would be kept at a minimum Oh, and to answer your question, i'm mostly allergic to peanuts. Other nuts like cashews also make me sick (but not as violently as peanuts). Almonds seem to be ok though.. I guess i'll skip deserts over there (wich is no big problem, i'm used to doing this here also. We have nuts EVERYWHERE. You really have to be careful. p.s. I'm not sure if my computer can read Kanji fonts (maybe it does, i've installed some font packs last week..). Maybe a Jpeg would be better ? I'm not sure we can post images on this forum, but if not, i'd really appreciate it if someone could send one to mlepage@golemlabs.com. Domo Arigato in advance !

Mar 23, 2004, 00:37	#7
mdchachi Taicho Join Date: Mar 6, 2003 Location: USA (Detroit area) Posts: 687	Buntaro's suggestion is understandable but not quite right. It says "I am a peanut allergy." May I suggest: 私はナッツのアレルギがあります。 Watashi wa nuts no arerugi ga arimasu. I have an allergy to nuts. これにピーナッツやナッツから出来た植物油などが入っていますか。 kore ni peanuts ya nuts kara dekita shokubutsuyuu nado ga haitte imasu ka? Does this contain peanuts, nut-based vegetable oil, etc.? It's best to print it out in kana/kanji. Everybody can read romaji but usually 2 to 10 times slower than normal. If you need an image of the text, let me know.

Mar 23, 2004, 01:52	#8
Buntaro 運動不足 Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Westmorland, California, USA Posts: 802	Hi everybody! Regarding the "arerugi desu / ga arimasu / o motte imasu" debate, feel free to look at this thread http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread...7957#post57957 The arerugi discussion starts about half-way down the page, and goes on for at least two pages.

Mar 23, 2004, 01:54	#9
Buntaro 運動不足 Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Westmorland, California, USA Posts: 802	Hi Markalark! I have a friend who is also VERY allergic to peanuts. It sounds funny, but it is actually very serious. I know how you feel.

Mar 23, 2004, 02:06	#10
kov Regular Member Join Date: Oct 24, 2003 Posts: 47	What about sesame? That's pretty common in a lot of Japanese food. Also, when I went earlier this year I noticed walnuts in foods in ways that I'd never found in previous visits. If you are also allergic to walnuts you might want to mention that one as well. It doesn't occur alot, but I definitely noticed it where I'd just NEVER seen them in the past.

Mar 23, 2004, 02:59	#12
kirei_na_me Where I'm Supposed to Be Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 3,922	Well, as many of you know, I know not much about the Japanese language, but maybe the way they say it translates into "I am allergy". I say that, because the Japanese people I'm around have always said "I am allergy" instead of saying, "I'm allergic" or something like that. It has always been an ongoing joke with us.

Mar 23, 2004, 04:08	#13
Buntaro 運動不足 Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Westmorland, California, USA Posts: 802	Kirei_na_me San, Thanks for the info!

Mar 23, 2004, 04:33	#14
Markalark Junior Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 5	Sesame seeds are ok. I eat them all the time. Good thing too, since almost all the delicious sushi i've eaten has some in them. I think i read somewhere that Peanuts are a legume, not actually a nut. weird. Oh, and it seems that my computer IS able to read kanji after all. Ah, the marvels of technology Anyone could write down in kanji just the phrase "can i eat this?" Thanks for your help, you're all great !

Mar 23, 2004, 06:16	#16
mdchachi Taicho Join Date: Mar 6, 2003 Location: USA (Detroit area) Posts: 687	Do you want to say "may I eat this?" Or are you going to be asking them to make a judgment as to whether or not you are able to eat something (based on your allergy)? Otherwise it won't make much sense -- the response would be how the heck should I know?

Mar 23, 2004, 06:55	#17
Markalark Junior Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 5	i see your point. It's just to folow up on the "i'm allergic to nuts" sign i'll be sporting around like a badge (ME) Hi ! i'm allergic to nuts ! (Japanese guy) Great, good for you (Me) Thinks to himself Man i wish i could ask him if i can eat this But yeah, i just reread what you told me earlier, and it makes perfect sense. never mind No i just hope i'll understand his response to my statement and that he doesn't ask me to be more specific. (ME) Hi ! Are there Nuts in this ? (Japanese guy) What kind of nuts exactly are you talking about ? (Me) stares blankly in space, points at sign -Hi ! Are there Nuts in this ? (Japanese Guy) Man... this is going nowhere (ME) dies of starvation within 3 days Thanks again my friends !

Mar 23, 2004, 07:13	#18
mdchachi Taicho Join Date: Mar 6, 2003 Location: USA (Detroit area) Posts: 687	Good luck. Maybe in a couple years this will be less of a danger: http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&id=252254 Amazing that some people get so sick from peanut odors several feet away. What a nightmare. Article about food allergies in Japan: http://verlag.hanshuber.com/ezm/ACI/...I015050214.pdf Fortunately peanuts are on the mandatory labelling list. So if you buy anything in a convenience or grocery store it should state on the label whether or not it contains peanuts. (Of course it will be in Japanese, tho.)

Mar 24, 2004, 01:48	#19
Markalark Junior Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 5	I've been wondering. When Japanese food is fried (say like Tempura), are you guys using vegetable oil ? Sesame oil ? Peanut oil ? /last post about peanuts, i'll stop bugging you guys after this one

Mar 24, 2004, 01:55	#20
kirei_na_me Where I'm Supposed to Be Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 3,922	As far as I know, vegetable oil is used. I always use vegetable oil when frying tempura, karage, tonkatsu, etc. I'm pretty sure vegetable oil, not peanut oil, is normally used. EDIT Please forgive me, for I have sinned. Actually, sesame oil is used for some traditional Tokyo style tempura. Sesame oil has a very low smoking point, though, which made me think it was very undesirable for deep-frying. Last edited by kirei_na_me; Mar 24, 2004 at 04:13.

Mar 24, 2004, 06:10	#21
mdchachi Taicho Join Date: Mar 6, 2003 Location: USA (Detroit area) Posts: 687	Here the list of commonly used oils in Japan in order of most-used to least. You'll notice that peanut oil doesn't make the top 9. But that doesn't mean it's not used. I would be especially wary of Chinese/SE Asian restaurants and certain dessert items. http://www.oil.or.jp/bn/html/2/tokushu2.html In case this link bites the dust, I'll list them here: Rape Seed Oil (Canola) Soybean Oil Corn Oil Rice Bran Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Cotton Seed Oil Sunflower Oil Olive Oil

Mar 25, 2004, 02:59	#22
kirei_na_me Where I'm Supposed to Be Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 3,922	Thanks a lot for posting that, mdchachi.

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