Food Intolerance or Food Allergy?

food allergy vs food intolerance

Do you have a food intolerance or a food allergy?

This can be difficult to figure out for many people since the symptoms of a food allergy and a food intolerance can seem like they are more or less the same. However, they are different and here are some things to consider when determining whether or not you have a food intolerance or a food allergy.

1. What happens when you eat a small amount of the food? For example one piece of bread for wheat.
If you have a severe reaction then you have an allergy, but if you can eat some of the food from time to time without any significant health problem, or other allergic reaction but you do have problems when you eat a large amount of that food then you have a food intolerance. For example, I have a food intolerance to wheat but I am not allergic to wheat. So I can have some wheat from time to time and I am fine but if I eat sandwiches, cookies or other wheat products for more than one meal within a short time frame or during allergy season, then I have a reaction to it.

2. Have you been formally tested for food allergies? You can go to an allergy specialist or a naturopath and get tested and then you will know which foods cause allergic reactions and which ones cause a food intolerance.

3. Do your pollen allergies, sinus allergies, or other allergies get worse when you eat a certain food? If so, chances are good that you have an allergy to that food. Many people don’t realize it but the same allergens that exist in many foods, also exist in pollen and other outdoor elements.

In short, the main reason why you want to know if you have a food intolerance or a food allergy is so that you can be aware and know whether or not you can sometimes eat a certain food, or, if you must avoid it all of the time.


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