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Q & A
What's the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?
About 20 percent of people think they have food allergies, but the majority of them don’t.
A: Anyone can develop a food allergy, at any time, says Scott Sicherer, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai in New York and author of Understanding and Managing Your Child’s Food Allergies (Johns Hopkins Press, 2006). Some allergies—including milk, eggs, soy and wheat allergies—appear more often during childhood, and many kids outgrow them. Others, like shellfish allergies, tend to develop during adulthood. Such is the highly individual (and unpredictable) nature of the food-allergy beast.
Many people mistake localized discomfort, say a rumbling tummy after eating certain foods, as a food allergy, but it’s generally not. In fact, according to Dr. Sicherer, “Roughly 20 percent of people think they have food allergies, but the majority of them don’t.” They may, for example, have suffered a single bout of food poisoning or have trouble digesting certain sugars, but these don’t fall under the food-allergy umbrella. Knowing the difference is often tricky, which is why consulting a doctor is so important.
For instance, milk is one food to which people can either be allergic or intolerant (or both), so it’s useful for highlighting the difference between the two terms. When the milk’s protein triggers an immune reaction like hives or breathing problems, this is usually a milk allergy. But when a person can’t digest the milk’s sugars (often causing loose stools), this is usually lactose intolerance.
Related Articles
How to Eat Around Allergies
Guide to Food Allergies and Special Eating Needs
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| USER COMMENTS — Add Your Comment |
I am lactose sensitive but can tolerate goat's milk. My child was also sensitive to cow's milk and was found to be allergic to the alpha S1 protein which is prominent in cow's milk but NOT in goat's milk. People need to clarify to physicians what is a self-diagnosis of food/milk allergy and a 'real' food/milk allergy.
Tracy Darrimon, Denair, CA |
I am highly allergic to any kind of nuts or nut oils. The last time I ate a nut I ended up in ER for 8 hours, my throat goes shut, and I cannot breathe. Also am allergic to shellfish, intense stomach cramps, vomiting.
Jessica DeHart, Springfield, OR |
I suffer from a pollen allergy that translates into a food allergy. I cannot eat many (actually, it is now most) raw fruits and vegetables. They cause my throat to swell and itch. But it is not actually the fruit or vegetable that is causing the allergy. It is pollen that gets incorporated into the flesh of the fruit or vegetable while growing. It's really tough being told that you should "avoid" eating food that tastes so good and is so good for you!
Betsy Pierce, Cleveland Heights, OH |
I was diagnosed as gluten intolerant in 2000 after several years of being told I had IBS. Thank goodness there is now a blood test that can identify the difference... I miss toast the most, however the gluten free foods have improved greatly in the last five years.
Elle, Small town, WA |
Both my husband and I are lactose intolerant. The severe gastro-intestinal distress we endure is a bit more than the "tummy rumblings" mentioned in the article. I agree, however, that anyone with a suspicion of an allergy/intolerence (of any kind) should contact their family physician or an allergist, if they have one, to insure a proper diagnosis!
Tami Jones, Maryville, TN |
I learned about two years ago that I have become allergic to casein, which is one of the proteins found in most dairy products. If there is even a hint of dairy in anything I eat I become severely sick to my stomach and feel really faint. I have also been diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue because of this allergy that was not detected early in my life, unfortunately many people with this problem will not be helped until they are in total failure at which point it is called Addison's Disease. With the help of my doctor that I found in Michigan, through no help from the health insurance I have, I am in a recovery process.
Amy Kelley, Batavia, OH |
I also have food allergies (bananas, nuts, celery), but to my surprise I started to eat organic. Most of the nuts and foods I was reacting to no longer bothered me. Just makes me wonder what I was really reacting to.
Lisa Gadberry, Longview, WA |
I don't think I have an allergy to wheat, but since I had my gall bladder out last year, for some reason I cannot tolerate anything white (pasta, bread, rice, etc.) If I use 100% whole wheat and not overdo it, I am ok. Most of that stuff is unhealthy anyway, so i am better off. Right?
Karen Swoboda, Columbus, NE |
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