Posted on December 18, 2007 in Latest News
People associate food allergy and food intolerance as one and the same. But, James Li, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic allergy specialist, suggested differentiating between food allergy and food intolerance. In the December issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Source he said, “If you have a food allergy, eating even the smallest amount of that food may trigger a serious reaction.”
The symptoms of food allergy that usually develop within minutes of food intake include: tingling in the mouth and hives; swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat; wheezing or breathing difficulties; dizziness; abdominal pain; diarrhea; nausea or vomiting; and the airway gets constricted in severe cases.
Food intolerance is very common among people than food allergy. Its symptoms are triggered by a food or substance. So, Dr. Li viewed, “With food intolerance, you may be able to eat small amounts of problem foods without a reaction.” But, diagnosing food intolerance is much more a bigger challenge that requires a thorough health history of the patient.
Although the immune system does not have a role to play in food intolerance as in the case of food allergy, it can cause the same gastrointestinal symptoms as found in food allergy. For example, lactose intolerance, where people can not completely digest sugar in milk products due to the absence of the digestive enzymes, can cause bloating, cramping or diarrhea.
Hence, Dr. Li advised, “It’s wise to consult a physician if you have concerns or questions about your reaction to certain foods.”
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November 13th, 2008 at 11:23 am
[...] First you need to recognize the difference between allergy and food intolerance. An allergy to tomato is actually very rare and caused by the histamine reaction to a particular protein that is more commonly found in the skin, seeds and juice of the tomato. [...]
January 24th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I have an allergy to raw tomatoes as well as allergies to food colourings.