Let us introduce the subject on food sensitivities, food intolerances and food allergies. In this post, we will examine and define the 3 aforementioned terminologies to comprehend what they are and apply this information when we discuss further about the different examples of the same.
Primarily, these 3 terminologies infer different connotations though they all have to do with the cause of unwanted symptoms after certain food consumption.
When you have food intolerance, it means that when you consume certain foods, you are unable to digest them. Food intolerances can present with symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea, and abdominal discomfort. Food intolerances can come and go away after sometime. You could find that initially you were unable to digest maybe a certain food, and then after sometime you find that, you can tolerate that same food. With food intolerance, the food causing the intolerance can still be consumed but its consumption is limited to only an amount that can be tolerated. Lactose intolerance, for example, is the inability to digest lactose(a carbohydrate found in milk and dairy products) due to limited amounts of lactase(an enzyme that digests lactose).To manage this intolerance, the restriction of dairy products including milk, cheese, ghee will be required but only to a quantity that an individual can tolerate.
If you have a food allergy, then it means that there are certain foods that cause your immune system to have a reaction when you ingest them. Food allergies can also be referred to as food hypersensitivities. The hypersensitivity is triggered by an antigen (contained in the food substance, and which is usually a protein), and can either be immediate or delayed. An immediate reaction occurs within 2 hours after ingestion while if delayed, it could take 2-48 hours before reaction presents. In most cases, the reactions to allergies are associated with the gastrointestinal tract leading to signs and symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort along with respiratory reactions and systematic anaphylaxis with symptoms such as rashes, and breathing difficulties especially if severe. Among children, main allergic reactions are caused by consuming eggs, peanuts and cow’s milk while among adults; the more common ones are a result of taking nuts, wheat and shellfish. The remedy to managing food allergies is the exclusion of foods that cause immune reactions. For instance, certain persons, may be allergic to nuts, and as such recommended to omit the nuts or foods with ingredients that have nuts from their diet.
If you have food sensitivity, you may notice that after the intake of particular foods, you experience certain symptoms that cause you discomfort although not necessarily a result of immune reactions. Symptoms such as abdominal pain, fatigue and rashes could appear. Food sensitivities can also come and go away after sometime. These sensitivities could result commonly from the intake of gluten or certain additives like dyes. As for the management of food sensitivities, it is advisable to avoid the food that causes the unwanted effects.
In succeeding posts, we will investigate further on food sensitivities, food allergies and food intolerances, their examples, and identify the foods to be restricted or avoided in each case.