- Differences between food allergy and intolerance
- How to confirm if it is allergy or intolerance
- Foods that cause allergy or intolerance
- How the treatment is done
Most of the time, food allergy is confused with food intolerance, as both cause similar signs and symptoms, however, they are different disorders that can be treated differently.
The main difference between allergy and food intolerance is the type of response that the body has when it is in contact with food. In allergy there is an immediate immune response, that is, the body creates antibodies as if the food were an aggressor and, therefore, the symptoms are more generalized. In food intolerance, on the other hand, food is not properly digested and, therefore, symptoms appear mainly in the gastrointestinal system.
Differences between food allergy and intolerance
The main symptoms that help to differentiate food allergy from food intolerance are:
| Food allergy symptoms | Symptoms of food intolerance |
|
Hives and redness of the skin; Intense itching of the skin; Difficulty breathing; Swelling in the face or tongue; Vomiting and diarrhea. |
Stomach ache; Swelling of the belly; Excess of intestinal gases; Burning sensation in the throat; Vomiting and diarrhea. |
| Symptom characteristics | Symptom characteristics |
|
They appear immediately even when you eat a small amount of food and the skin tests are positive. |
It can take more than 30 minutes to appear, the more serious the greater the amount of food eaten, and the allergy tests done on the skin do not change. |
Food intolerance is also much more frequent than allergy, and can affect anyone, even if there is no family history, while food allergy is usually a more rare and hereditary problem, appearing in several members of the same family.
How to confirm if it is allergy or intolerance
To make the diagnosis of food allergy, skin allergy exams are usually performed, in which the symptoms that appear 24 to 48 hours after applying a substance to the skin are observed. If there is a reaction at the site, the test is considered positive and, therefore, may indicate that there is a food allergy. Learn more about how to identify a food allergy.
In the case of food intolerance, skin allergy tests usually give a negative result, so the doctor can order blood and stool tests, as well as ask the person to remove some foods from the diet, to assess whether there is improvement in symptoms.
Foods that cause allergy or intolerance
It is not always possible to identify which foods cause food allergy or food intolerance, as the symptoms vary according to each person's body. However, in most cases, food allergy is usually caused by foods like shrimp, peanuts, tomatoes, seafood or kiwis.
In food intolerance, the main foods include cow's milk, eggs, strawberries, nuts, spinach and bread. See a more complete list of foods that cause food intolerance.
How the treatment is done
Both in allergy and in food intolerance, the treatment consists of removing from the diet all the foods that may worsen the symptoms. Thus, it is important to consult a nutritionist to indicate which foods can be consumed, in order to replace those that have been removed, in order to ensure that the body receives all the nutrients necessary for its functioning.
