Difference Between Food Allergy And Intolerance

We have all heard about the concepts of food allergy and intolerance as it is a common topic today. Presenting adverse reactions after eating certain foods is not strange and many people suffer from it. However , many people do not know the difference between allergy and intolerance to certain foods.

Although some foods can cause adverse reactions, not all adverse reactions are considered allergies. In reality, only about 10% of the population suffers from food allergies.

Allergies 

An allergy occurs when the body identifies as something foreign a substance that, in principle, is harmless. In this case, the immune system intervenes, which generates discomfort and in more serious cases more severe symptoms. Symptoms caused by an allergy include:

• Production of histamine and other substances with inflammatory action.

• Skin discomfort: itchy skin and rashes.

• Digestive discomfort: pain, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

• In the most severe cases, a severe anaphylactic reaction can occur, causing inflammation of the airways. This can cause suffocation and even death for the person suffering from it.

Due to the danger of allergy, it is very important that it is properly diagnosed and that the regulations regarding food are complied with: Annex II of Regulation 1169/2011 and Royal Decree 123/2015.

According to these regulations, the presence of any of the 14 allergens present in the food we consume must be declared. Among the foods that cause most allergic reactions are peanuts, fish, oysters, wheat, milk, eggs and soy.

Also, people with a diagnosed severe allergy may need to always carry a pre-filled syringe of adrenaline with them. In this way, this syringe would be used as a first intervention in case of an anaphylactic reaction.

Being allergic to a food is a rare condition, however, it is well known because the terms allergy and intolerance are often interchanged and are even used interchangeably.

Intolerance

Intolerances, on the other hand, occur when the body is unable to properly digest any component of a food. A very common example of intolerance is lactose intolerance.

An intolerance does not pose a danger to a person’s life. However, it can cause the person to feel unwell and the symptoms affect, in turn, their psychological state.

Also, because an intolerance to some foods may not be clear from the beginning, diagnosing it can take some time.

The exact reason for an intolerance is not known. However, it is known that there are factors linked to its development, among which are:

• Genetic factors.
• A low-fiber, high-fat diet.
• Excessive consumption of refined foods.

Basically, there are two kinds of intolerances:

Celiac disease

It is an intolerance to gluten, a protein present in flours (wheat). The person’s immune system rejects this protein, causing an overreaction against it. In other words, this intolerance is immunologically based.

Celiac disease produces very annoying digestive symptoms. This is because it causes the mucosa of the intestine to become inflamed and the intestinal villi, which are responsible for absorbing nutrients, are destroyed.

Lactose intolerance

It is a mild pathology and in some cases even transitory. This is because this intolerance occurs when the levels of an enzyme drop, so the sugars in milk cannot be absorbed in the intestine.

How to differentiate between allergy and intolerance?

There are different methods to diagnose both pathologies, allergy and food intolerance. In the case of allergies, the most common methods are two :

• Skin test or prick test : This is the most common method. It consists of placing extracts of foods that are suspected of causing the allergic reaction on the skin to check for swelling or stinging of the skin.

• IgE analysis: Immunoglobulins E (IgE) are components of our defenses that are activated when an allergy occurs. Because of this, the analysis of these components is useful when diagnosing an allergy.

Different are the methods used to diagnose an intolerance. They would be the following:

• Genetic test: it is a test that allows to know if the person has the capacity to produce these digestive enzymes or not.

• Diets based on the elimination of the food “suspected” of causing the adverse reaction. This method involves eliminating the food that is suspected of causing the intolerance from the diet to see if the condition improves.

Although sometimes they tend to be confused, allergy and food intolerance are two different things, both in terms of their symptoms and in terms of their development, diagnosis and treatment.