The terms food sensitivity and food allergy are often used interchangeably when referring to food intolerance, but they do have different meanings. Food allergies are immune responses to proteins called antigens in foods. They are more serious and more rare than food sensitivities, which occur as a result of enzyme deficiencies, as is the case with lactose intolerance. In general, more foods cause sensitivities than allergies, though some foods, such as eggs, milk, and fish, can cause both.
Food Allergy
Approximately 2 percent of adults and 5 percent of infants suffer from food allergies, which may require emergency room treatment, and in extreme cases may even lead to death. Symptoms vary and include tingling in the mouth, itching, hives, swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting. Symptoms may progress to shock, which is a life-threatening condition.
Food Sensitivity
Sensitivities to food can take many forms and can affect 60 to 70 percent of the population. Many of the symptoms of food sensitivity are the same as those seen in allergies. These include indigestion, fluid retention and sinus congestion. However, symptoms are generally less severe, and may even go unnoticed. Common causes of food sensitivities are poor functioning of the digestive tract, as in wheat intolerance, and reactions to natural or synthetic chemicals, including sulfites, present in dry fruit and wines, and salicylates, the active ingredient in aspirin.
Common Causes
Eight foods account for 90 percent of food allergies. These are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. In addition to these eight foods, other foods to which people are frequently sensitive include beef, chicken, pork, corn, oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, spinach and tomatoes. Other items likely to cause food sensitivities include alcohol, chocolate, MSG, caffeine, fermented cheese, refined sugar, smoked meats, and vinegar.
Treatment
There is no cure for food allergies other than strict avoidance. A skin-antigen test can confirm the presence or absence of allergies to many common foods. Ask your doctor. Because food sensitivities are not immune-mediated, no tests exist. If you suffer symptoms and wish to identify sensitivities, first eliminate common culprits until symptoms abate and then re-introduce them one by one until you identify the cause of your intolerance.
Warning
Causes of food intolerance are very common ingredients and at times do not appear on labels of the foods in which they appear. A review of the foods of randomly selected manufacturers of baked goods, ice cream, and candy conducted by the FDA found that 25 percent of sampled foods failed to list peanuts or eggs as ingredients on the food labels. For this reason, aim to purchase whole, unpackaged foods whenever possible.
Tips
According to George Mateljan, author of "The World's Healthiest Foods," certain foods are infrequently associated with food intolerance and include most fruits and vegetables, and legumes such as chickpeas, garbanzo beans, and lentils. If you wish to eliminate nuts from your diet, you may wish to consume seeds such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, which are generally well-tolerated. Also, because pesticides are common irritants, select organic foods at every opportunity.
References
- Mayoclinic.com: Food Allergy Symptoms
- USFDA: Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004
- "The World's Healthiest Foods"; George Mateljan; 2007.
- "The Paradigm Diet"; Adam Dave, M.D.; 2010
