What Is the Difference Between Food Allergies and Food Intolerances?

Food reactions can be confusing, especially if you’re unsure if they stem from a food allergy or an intolerance. 

As a nutrition practice, the EatWellGuru team knows how scary it can be to suspect you have a food allergy and how painful it can be to experience bloating from food intolerances. 

In either case, you need answers fast. If you’re questioning whether you have an allergy — or if your gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms could be related to intolerances — call one of our four convenient Virginia locations.

In the meantime, read on as Dr. Maryam Dadkhah at EatWellGuru explains the differences between food allergies and food intolerances.

Food allergies

When your body identifies a food as harmful, it triggers an immune response and releases chemicals like histamines. 

Common food allergy symptoms include:

• Hives, rash, or itching
• Swelling of the lips, face, tongue, or throat
• Difficulty breathing or wheezing
• Stomach cramps, vomiting, or diarrhea

Severe reactions can lead to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate treatment.

The most common food allergies

The top eight food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. These must be declared on food labels. However, you can be allergic to any food. 

If you suspect you’re dealing with a true food allergy, don’t eat that food until you get tested.

How food allergies are diagnosed and treated

Getting a swift diagnosis is critical when it comes to food allergies. Here’s why: Food allergy reactions can get worse with each exposure. 

For example, if you have a reaction to milk, and your lips swell up, you might have a worse reaction the next time you drink milk. The second exposure could cause wheezing, shortness of breath, or anaphylaxis. 

Food allergies are typically diagnosed with skin prick tests or blood tests. Once you identify your trigger, avoid the allergen and carry emergency medications, like an epinephrine auto-injector (Epipen®).

Food intolerances

Food intolerances occur when your body struggles to digest a particular food. Unlike allergies, intolerances don’t involve the immune system, and they’re generally less severe.

Symptoms of food intolerances include gas and bloating. Although you might experience other symptoms with intolerances, like headaches and fatigue, the primary symptoms are GI-related.

Common food intolerances

Lactose intolerance is a well-known example. It means you have difficulty digesting dairy due to a lack of the enzyme lactase. You need lactase to digest a sugar in milk called lactose; if you can’t, diarrhea, gas, and bloating might result.

These symptoms aren’t life-threatening, but they can cause pain and keep you from getting the calcium and vitamin D you need.

Gluten intolerance is also common, although it’s not the same as a wheat allergy or Celiac disease. Non-celiac gluten intolerance can cause discomfort when consuming wheat, rye, or barley. Testing can help determine which condition you have.

How food tolerances are diagnosed and treated

Food intolerances are harder to diagnose and often involve an elimination diet to identify triggers. Managing them usually means reducing or avoiding problematic foods or using digestive aids like lactase pills.

How our team can help

If you suspect a food allergy, seek medical advice promptly, as even small exposures can be dangerous. With food intolerances, working with the EatWellGuru team can help identify triggers and create a manageable diet.

Getting the right diagnosis means you can get started with the right treatment — and that spells faster relief!

Whether you're dealing with allergies, intolerances, or other GI issues, Dr Dadkhah is here to help. Schedule an appointment to get the care you need.