Metallic Taste in Mouth After Eating

A metallic taste in your mouth is related to a food allergy.

A metallic taste in your mouth after eating is a sign of a food allergy. Although most food allergies cause mild to moderate reactions, a metallic taste in your mouth might be a sign of a severe allergic reaction. Stop eating foods that cause this reaction to occur and make an appointment with an allergist to discuss tests and treatment options. Some foods are more likely to cause an allergic reaction, but you can develop an allergic reaction to any food.

Food Allergy Perspective

About a fourth of people in the U.S. think they have a food allergy, but actually have a food intolerance, according to Food allergies are an abnormal immune system reaction to a food that is considered safe to eat. Food intolerances are not related to the immune system, but are rather a digestive defect that makes it difficult for you to digest certain foods or ingredients. Only about 2 percent of adults in the U.S. have a genuine food allergy. A metallic taste in your mouth is an identifiable symptom of a food allergy, not a food intolerance.

Common Foods

Foods that are commonly responsible for allergic reactions include shellfish, tree nuts, fruits, tomatoes, fish, peanuts and some food additives, such as MSG, or monosodium glutamate. Eating these foods can cause your immune system to send your body into defense mode, triggering antibodies and other chemicals to be released into your bloodstream. Symptoms, such as a metallic taste in your mouth, can form in a few minutes or up to an hour after you eat the food.

Anaphylaxis Warning

A metallic taste in your mouth might be an alarming symptom related to a severe allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis occurs when your body reacts systematically to a food allergen that can cause your airways to swell, your throat to close off, your blood pressure to fall and your heart rate to increase. If you develop facial swelling, hives and a metallic taste in your mouth, you need to get emergency medical attention immediately, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.


The most effective treatment for any food-related allergy is to avoid consumption of foods to which you have been diagnosed as allergic. Once you eat such a food, the symptoms will not subside until the proteins from that food are expelled from the body. Anaphylaxis is treated with an injection of epinephrine, a prescribed medication that is administered intravenously.

Is This an Emergency?
