Although a little more than 3 percent of adults in the U.S. suffer from a food allergy, a condition characterized by an immune response to a specific food, approximately 75 percent of adults suffer from some kind of food intolerance, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Food intolerance includes conditions such as celiac disease, which requires a gluten-free diet, and lactose intolerance, which requires a dairy-free diet.
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease, also known as gluten intolerance, describes a genetic condition classified as an autoimmune disease. If you suffer from celiac disease, consuming foods containing the protein gluten triggers your immune system to mistakenly attack the cells lining the small intestine. Over time, the damage to the cells destroys the small finger-like projections, known as villi, that function to absorb energy and nutrients from food. Originally thought to be a rare disorder, doctors now estimate 1 in 133 people suffer from celiac disease. As damage worsens, you cannot absorb energy and nutrients leading to the common symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating, gas, chronic diarrhea for some and constipation for others, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, anxiety, infertility and an itchy dry skin rash.
Gluten-Free
Because no cure exists, you must follow a gluten-free diet to manage the symptoms of celiac disease. Gluten is the protein found in the three common cereal grains of wheat, rye and barley. Dairy products like milk do not contain gluten, which means a gluten-free diet allows dairy. A gluten-free diet requires you to carefully read all food labels because many foods contain ingredients derived from wheat, rye or barley. Avoid foods that contain the following ingredients: bran, bread flour, bouillon, cracker meal, germ, gluten, glutenin, graham flour, wheat protein, malt, mustard powder, soy sauce, wheat grass and wheat starch. This list is not all-inclusive but these are common gluten-containing ingredients.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is the sugar found in milk and other dairy products. The cells in your small intestine produce an enzyme known as lactase, which breaks down the lactose for absorption. The condition lactose intolerance occurs when your body fails to produce enough lactase. Without lactase, the lactose continues through the digestive tract to the large intestine which tries to break it down through fermentation. The symptoms of lactose intolerance resemble those of gluten intolerance, including abdominal pain and bloating, excessive gas, nausea and diarrhea. Primary lactose intolerance develops over time as the level of lactase decreases. Secondary lactose intolerance occurs when the intestines become damaged from other digestive diseases like celiac disease or Crohn's disease. Those on a gluten-free diet who develop lactose intolerance should not consume dairy.
Lactose-Free
Milk produced by mammals, and other dairy products, like yogurt, cheese and ice cream, contain lactose. Like gluten, lactose occurs in a variety of processed and baked foods. To ensure you remove all lactose from your diet you must read food labels. The following list provides some examples of ingredients to avoid: milk powder, skim milk powder, milk solids, whey, whey protein, whey solids, sodium caseinate, artificial butter flavor, lactalbumin, lactoglobulin, milk derivative and milk fat.
References
- American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology: Allergy Statistics
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Celiac Disease; September 2008
- University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center: Gluten-Free Diet
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Lactose Intolerance; June 2009
- Food Reactions; Milk and Lactose Hidden in Foods; 2005
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