My son had a mug of hot chocolate in a place that specializes in all things chocolate. It advertises this beverage as the "best in this state, the nation" or some such thing.
Midway through, he had to stop drinking it because it "coated the tongue and made it feel prickly and stinging". He said that this was not due to the heat, but to ingredients.
Any ideas what it could have been? I am wondering if we need to be on the lookout for an allergic reaction.
First off, how old is your son? Kids can tell stories if they don't like something. But it's a good thing that he did say something (if it's not a story). Should you be on the lookout for allergies? If he tells you his mouth is pricky and stingy, I WOULD! It's very sad how many people/kids these days have allergies that just weren't as prevalent when I was a kid (in the 70's and 80's). But you must be aware, take him to the DR.
Good luck!
You need to find out the ingredients of the drink. Some chocolate confections contain cinnamon or chili pepper to give it a zing.
I have the same reaction to anything that has cinnamon in it. My mouth and tongue start to feel thickly numb and my tongue swells on the side and will eventually in a few hours break out in raised red areas and they eventually blister and slough off. At this point it is painful and lasts for days, aggravated by most textures and spices until it heals. My dermatologist said that cinnamon contains an acidic compound that causes a contact allergy. He said that in countries where it is harvested that it is a common allergy and that because of the increased use in the fancier drinks that you can make at home or get at the local coffeeshop, it is showing up more and more. Good luck in finding a solution to his problem, but I would give it some serious consideration. The thing about allergies is that if you are truely allergic, the next exposure could be worse.
Could he be allergic to the dried milk or creamer product that the manufacturer put in the hot chocolate mix? Sorry to hear about this happening.
Many companies use Corn Sweetener in their products which is the fifth greatest allergern in all foods, which always affects our mouth/tongue and beyond. Dark chocolate doesn't seem to do this, but Milk chocolate must be sweetened and the Corn Sweetener is CHEAPER than sugar. That's my guess.
Definitely check the ingredient legend thoroughly. Some hot chocolate mixes (including a high end gourmet brand we've been using) contain thickeners like xanthan gum, guar gum, carageenan, gum arabic. All of these can trigger allergic reactions and sensitivities. It was a surprise to me to find them in a gourmet brand but they're used to create a thick, rich mouthfeel.
