When in practice, I get to see a fair number of individuals who have traditionally perplexing health issues. Over the past couple of weeks I experienced a mysterious issue of my own. And I had no idea what was causing it. The symptoms? A bitter, metallic-like taste in my mouth, but only when I ate. Pretty much everything I ate would bring on this symptom, though it would fade quite quickly after eating.
When I have experiences such as this, it’s not my way generally to panic or over-analyse (as perhaps evidenced by the fact that I have had only one doctor’s consultation in the last 20-odd years). I am agreat believer in the self-healing powers of the body, and that most things are self-righting. Sometimes, the best thing to do about an illness or symptom is nothing at all.
Sure enough, after about a week, the symptom disappeared. And I thought nothing more of it, until this morning, when I think I accidentally unearthed what caused my taste-related symptoms. I came across this in a US on-line newspaper. It seems that the cause of my symptoms was pine nuts. Apparently, I was suffering from what is being termed ‘pine mouth’. Eating pines can lead to a bitter/metallic taste in the mouth that can last for days. No-one seems to know what, precisely, is causing the problem, though.
10 days ago I ate some pine nuts as part of salad I had made to accompany some barbeque food. Now I think back, it’s after that that my symptoms developed. I can’t be 100 per cent sure when they disappeared, but think it was the following Saturday (6 days later).
It occurs to me that pine nuts are a reasonably commonly-eaten food. I imagine, therefore, that ‘pine mouth’ is reasonably common. Until this morning, I honestly had not even heard of ‘pine mouth’. I’m hoping this blog might raise some awareness about this issue, and prevent any undue anxiety or needless consultations with healthcare practitioners.
The receipe for my Thanksgiving stuffing included pine nuts. I had some in my pantry that I had purchased from Trader Joes a while back. I opened the air tight jar and tasted about a tablespoon full. They tasted funky so I used almonds instead. The next day I had this horrid metalic after taste in my mouth. I thought I was over using my artifical sweetner but everything I ate or drank had the same after taste! Damn those Chinese pine nuts! Considering the amount of posts there should be a PSA to warn the unsuspecting masses.
It’s a horrible feeling having this bitter/metallic taste the past 24 hours. I remember I had this horrible taste when I was pregnant, certainly can’t be now. The taste started after I took a banana yesterday not pine nuts.
So anyone has the same experience?
Friends dropped me this link to check out. I’ve had the flu two weeks but 6 days ago, I developed a bitter metallic flavor in my mouth every time I eat or drink (even water or fruit juices), so have been doing little eating or drinking.
I haven’t had a pine nut in years. However, I did enjoy a bag of Toasted and salted Pumpkin seeds for the first time in over a year two weeks ago. I’m not sure the pine nut or its origin are the real culprit. I hope more research is done on this nasty perplexing issue and a quick relief can be found. TY for sharing this site/insight.
I am so glad this blog was posted; I thought it was a funky side effect of a new medication. This could quite possibility be my problem since I had a sweet drink with pine nuts after feasting on a Korean meal 2 days ago.
Glad I read this, had horrible taste in my mouth after eating or drinking for 5 days now, wondered what it was, did google search and found this, I very rarely eat pine nuts but just last week decided to make my own pesto (with loads and loads of pine nuts), tastes great, and I still have some left to eat up, but will probably avoid in future!
I have had a terrible taste in my mouth for 15 years or longer. I had perodontal disease and I assumed that was causing the taste. I have had my teeth pulled 10 years ago and still have the bitter taste in my mouth.
I find my self reaching for snacks to get rid of the taste.
As far as I know I never eat pine nuts. I have noticed there is a nut in the cans of mixed nuts that makes the roof of my mouth itch. I haven’t eaten any nuts for 3 years except for black walnuts.
Today I noticed that a surge of saliva with a bitter taste surged into my mouth. I had brushed my false teeth and rinsed my mouth with salt water 2 hours before. I will try brushing my tongue.
My sister is not allergic to shrimp or chocolate if she eats one of them, but if she eats them both on the same day she goes into shock.
thanks to all – glad to know i am not going insane – have a jar of those pesky chinese pine nuts which are about to be binned!
Dear all
This is a fantastic revelation as i thought I had developed some mysterious illness which was to be named after me…
I only just started eating Pine nuts a few days ago as I read they had beneficial qualities, so this seems to be the answer, I bought them in Tesco and they are fromm China. I am about to bin them….
Thanks everyone.
I believe that this is caused by too much zinc. Pine nuts are very high in zinc. It also happens to me if I eat too many raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) especially if you are taking vitamins which also have zinc and eating cereal which is fortified with zinc! Check it out!
Hi,
Have had a disgusting bitter taste in my mouth every time I eat or drink, starting suddenly this morning. Googled it, found this and can say that on Sunday lunchtime (today is Tues) we ate a warm salad with lots of toasted pine nuts in it. Strangely, and before I’d read this, I have been feeling nauseous every time I think about that salad and the taste of the nuts. Amazing.
Thanks guys!
I have been experiencing this dreadful bitter taste, mainly drinking coffee. Tastes disgustingly bitter as if the milk is bad. Stopped having coffee with milk but the bitter taste remains. A large spoon of sugar helps.
I haven’t eaten pine nuts but have been eating half a dozen almonds most days.
I will stop eating the almonds and see if that is the cause.
Almonds are also high in zinc! I still believe that zinc is the culprit. I don’t know about 6 almonds causing an issue, but maybe you are eating other things high in zinc too?
Thank you so much for posting,
I have had this problem for about a week and was getting a little concerned, I have been eating pine nuts quite regular last week for the first time in years. I have stopped after reading this article and will update you if it goes.
Thanks again!
I was very happy to have read through these posts as I too have been getting the bitter taste in my mouth, I cant pin this to Pine nuts as not sure what was in the everso lovely M&S christmas pudding but it did have a variety of them, my other poss was only a matter of days ago I had peanut butter on toast, so I am not sure what to blame but I am trying apple cider vinegar with honey and it has taken the edge off it for now.
Hey I had this weird metallic taste too. however it was from going on a juicing diet tho.
I had a nasty metallic taste happen last summer on quite a few occasions. I now have diabetes and real health problems which are being diagnosed. I dont know if there is a connection.
THANK YOU!
That is exactly what I ate several days ago. I wanted a something healthly and had a very small amount left over from a dish I made. Mixed in I don’t recall having this issue. But that small amount I ate several days ago were eaten alone. How weird is that?!
THANK YOU! I can’t wait for this be over. Wonder what I can do to hasten it?!!!!
for 2 months now i am having that bizare taste in my mouth like quinine i don’t enjoy any food since and my appetite is not as before. I am worry. What should I do? and what do you think is?
thanks for taking the time to post this, i came online looking for an explanation and hey presto! i’ve been eating a lot of pine nuts over the past couple of days : )
Yep, I’ve been searching online for an answer and I’ve been going through the pine nuts this past few days! Thank you.
Thanks for this post. I had this bitter taste in my mouth too. I had pine nuts a couple of days ago and also baked pumpkin seeds. After reading this, I tried some pine nuts and they do have the bitter after taste. Brushed my teeth (and tongue too). The bitter taste disappear, but this bitter taste will come again when I eat other food. I hope its pine nuts that is causing the problem.
Will stop eating and see what happens. By the way, the pine nuts are from China.
So glad to read this. I’ve been so concerned about what could be causing this awful bitter taste in my mouth and it gets worse when I eat or drink! I had pine nuts probably for the first time two days ago. So pleased to hear of others having the same reaction as I thought there was something seriously wrong. Anyone have any idea how to get rid of this awful taste?
I has a very bad cold the first part of january and took alot of cold busting items many of them contained Zinc I think that may just be the basis of the problem
Stopped eating the pine nuts and the bitter/metallic taste disappears. It lasted about 2 to 3 days.
Great blog – I’ve been wrecking my head wondering what was going on with me.. I have this bitter / chemically taste in my mouth, I knew heartburn wasnt causing it as my stomach felt fine but was beginning to think I had eaten something that wasnt washed or there was residue on the dishes from the water or washing up liquid. I purchased a salad mix with pine nuts the other day .. though I’ve never suffered before I think I’ll give the rest of the bag a miss! Mystery Solved !! Thanks
Many thanks for this. I love good tasting fresh food and everything tasted bitter and horrible. I was wondering what on earth could be wrong with me so I Googled the symptoms and found this. I had eaten a few pine nuts with a G & T the evening before the symptoms started. I love pine nuts and have eaten them for years both in salads cooked dishes and as a snack. I’ve never had this reaction before and I’m not sure what caused it this time. I will probably avoid them in future.
I was suffering from this horrible taste as well. Thought it was my medication. Then my husband also started suffering from this bitter taste as well. After researching online, I hit on this site and discovered that we had started adding pine nuts to our salads. Hopefully we have discovered the culprit and the sour taste will finally go away!
OH great! I am not going to die! : ) I’ve been wondering what that bitter taste at the back of my mouth was. Perhaps my husband was slowly poisoning me? : ) Well pine nuts is the culprit. I made a salad 2 weeks ago with pine nuts and have been regularly eating pine nuts for the last week to finish off the packet so I am glad that we’ve figured out what this bitter taste I have tasting everytime I drink fruit juices or soft drinks or even when I eat sthings like chocolate. THANKS!
Wow this has been soooo helpful. Thought I had some kind of terrible affliction (never one to panic!!!) Had a bag of pine nuts and mixed seeds on my desk for last two weeks to snack on as part of healthier new me. Ever since have had this horrible taste whenever I eat or drink. Can’t believe so many people have had the same. The bag is finished now so hoping for normal taste in the next few days. Thank you.
I’ve been having the same problem for the last couple weeks. Though I have not had any pine nuts at all. I have had peanut butter more than usual. I wondered if the metalic taste was an early symptom of diabetes. The metalic taste is really bad if I have anything sweet. Honey at the bottom of my tea, apple sauce, brownies….anything sweet seems to make it happen.
Everyone is talking about pine nuts. My experience is I got the bitter bad taste in my mouth after eating some almond!
Wow! Glad I check the internet before heading for the doctor’s office. I have been going “nuts”. But I had both pine nuts and almonds! I’m so glad that I don’t have a liver ailmnent, or tongue cancer or any oif those other things I’ve hallucinated. Can’t wait for this to pass –but you folks have given me hope
8 years ago I was diagnosed as having Burning Mouth Syndrome and still have it. It is like a stinging ,fatty sensation. Many theories abound but nothing is certain about cause or treatment. I am a fit 69 year old still jogging and not over weight. I never knowingly eat pine nuts. I am reasonably certain that wheat based foods heighten the sensation. Tests for food allergies are all negative. Maybe this is the same condition so many report above. My specialist consultant can offer no treatment. Can anyone help??
I have had a bitter taste on my tongue all day. I couldn’t imagine what the trouble was! Thank goodness I found this post. I ate lots of pine nuts in a salad just 2 days ago! Thank you for enlightening so may of us.
Wow!!! so glad I found this sight, I ate some pine nuts yesterday in stuffed olives, last night my taste buds were terrible everything tasted metalic. this morning i have eaten everything to take away the taste. Nothing seems to work, thank you so much for you help with posting this on your website. I feel so much better reading all the other folks comments with same problem.
My question is, when will this go away? I have had this for 10 days with zero improvement.
So glad I found this! Recently just started eating pine nuts per an episode from the Dr. Oz show. I could not figure out what would be causing this bitter lingering taste. The nuts were from China and are going directly into the trash.
I have been able to trace this “bitter lip” syndrome to ketosis. Apparently when the body goes into ketosis, the result is a metallic taste in and about the mouth.
Reporting back. I posted on 5/3. After experiencing this problem for approximately 3 weeks, I started to note improvement — I did add a lot more spicy stuff to my food to have ANY decent taste; chili peppers, tabasco…I also took 2 ounces of aloe vera juice in water every day. I don’t know if it was any or all of those that fixed it, or the time that elapsed, but I am starting to regain my taste.