The definition of a food intolerance is essentially difficulty in digesting certain foods, usually causing some unpleasant side effects, such as bloating, migraines, a leaky gut, stomach aches and excess gas. It is important to note that intolerance is not an allergy.
Food Intolerance vs Food Allergy
A food allergy creates a histamine response, whereas a food intolerance doesn’t. More common food intolerances are gluten, lactose, beans and cabbage but you can have an intolerance to any foods, metals or minerals.
Intolerance to food is primarily caused by the lack of particular enzymes within the gut to break down foods. Enzymes are crucial to fully digest foods, if these are missing or insufficient then this can cause a number of issues within the digestive process.
In some cases, it can be difficult to differentiate between allergy or intolerance as some of the symptoms can overlap. Generally, allergic reactions are usually instantaneous and can have fatal consequences in the most extreme cases. Food sensitivity can develop over several months and become more and more exacerbated over time if those foods, minerals or metals are not eliminated from the diet.
Those with a lactose intolerance lack the lactase enzyme, preventing the lactose from being broken down small enough to be absorbed into the intestinal wall. This then leaves the lactose in the intestinal tract and creates excess gas, bloating, loose stools and in some extreme cases, stomach spasms. Milk protein allergy has incredibly similar symptoms and therefore has led to many misdiagnoses historically.
Food Sensitivities
Some people struggle to pinpoint which foods they are sensitive to and which cause intolerances. In most cases, it could be more than one item, so it isn’t always as simple as working through the process of an elimination diet, as most doctors would suggest if you were to visit them with these types of symptoms. An elimination diet is as simple as it sounds, you would be required to eliminate the suspected item from your diet for a set period of time, then during that period if the symptoms resolve, you may have found the culprit food item.
We can be guilty of not fully knowing the extent of the food stuffs in everything we eat, for instance, there are some surprises in packaged products like traces of milk, nuts and gluten. So when we develop an intolerance it can be a real eye opener to what hidden items are in everyday foods.
This is why a simple test from us can be a real lifeline for someone with unpleasant symptoms who would like to alleviate them sooner rather than later.
