🥜 Want to Prevent Peanut Allergies? Feed Babies Peanuts Early

Based on the 2015 study
“Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy”
by Du Toit, Roberts, Sayre, Bahnson, Santos, Brough, Phippard, Lack & the LEAP Study Team
Published in The New England Journal of Medicine

If you’re a new parent, you might be nervous about giving your baby peanuts — especially if allergies run in your family. But one landmark study turned that fear upside down.

The LEAP trial changed everything — and it’s why today’s doctors often recommend feeding peanuts to infants instead of avoiding them.

🚨 The Problem: Peanut Allergies Keep Rising

In places like the U.S. and U.K., peanut allergy in kids has more than doubled over the past decade. Once developed, the allergy is usually permanent — and a tiny amount of peanut can cause severe reactions.

Doctors used to tell parents to avoid peanuts, thinking that would help. But that advice didn’t work. Allergy rates kept climbing.

🧪 The Study: Avoid Peanuts or Eat Them Early?

The LEAP trial followed 640 babies between 4 and 11 months old who were considered high-risk for allergies. Some already showed mild sensitivity to peanuts; others didn’t.

Researchers split them into two groups:

• One group avoided peanuts entirely until age 5
• The other group regularly ate peanut-based foods (like Bamba or smooth peanut butter) starting in infancy

📊 The Results: Huge Drop in Peanut Allergies

By age 5, the kids who ate peanuts early were far less likely to develop a peanut allergy.

Among babies who had no peanut sensitivity at the start:

• 14 out of 100 who avoided peanuts developed an allergy
• Only 2 out of 100 who ate peanuts did

Among babies who had early signs of sensitivity:

• 35 out of 100 who avoided peanuts developed an allergy
• Just 11 out of 100 who ate peanuts did

That’s an 80–85% reduction in risk — just by feeding babies peanuts early.

🧠 Why It Works: Teaching the Body Tolerance

Giving peanuts early seems to “train” the immune system not to overreact. Babies who ate peanuts developed helpful antibodies (IgG4) that likely protect against allergy. Those who avoided peanuts developed more allergy-triggering ones (IgE).

For babies with eczema, who are already more likely to become sensitized through skin exposure, this early oral exposure may be especially important.

👶 What This Means for Parents

✅ Talk to your doctor about safely introducing peanut products around 4–6 months — especially if your baby has eczema or an egg allergy
✅ Use safe forms like smooth peanut butter or peanut puffs — never whole peanuts
✅ If your baby shows signs of early sensitivity, testing or a supervised challenge might be needed
🚫 Don’t wait until they’re toddlers — that could be too late to prevent allergy

⚠️ A Few Caveats

• This study didn’t include babies with strong allergic reactions on early skin tests
• All participants were considered high-risk, so results may differ for low-risk infants
• Peanut introduction was done under medical guidance — always consult your doctor before starting

✅ Bottom Line

Early and regular peanut exposure can prevent peanut allergies in most high-risk babies.

It’s simple. It’s safe. And it could change your child’s future.

Feed peanuts early. Prevent the allergy. Science backs it.