Contents
This time we will look at:
- differences between food intolerance and allergy,
- allergy problems most common in children,
- ways of neutralization – food allergy and diet,
- the most frequently searched questions: gluten-free products versus lactose intolerance.
All of this in five examples of allergies and intolerances that can be encountered on a daily basis and that effectively make life difficult. Later in this article, we also discuss the issue of anaphylactic shock – keep reading!
Food allergy – symptoms
At the outset, there is a small but important topic of the differences between intolerance and allergy. It very often happens that intolerance remains undiagnosed for a long time, because the symptoms of hypersensitivity are, but not very severe. The reason for the occurrence? Most often, a deficiency in the production of an enzyme by the body, often as a result of damage to the intestinal membrane by drugs (e.g. NSAIDs, antibiotics).
While food allergy symptoms It is typically immunological, i.e. it can be recognized by an abnormal reaction of IgE and IgG antibodies. In practice, this means the possibility of medical diagnosis by performing an appropriate test. It is also worth noting that allergic reactions are much stronger than those caused by food intolerance.
1. Lactose intolerance
At the beginning, briefly about lactose intolerance, which is quite a popular inconvenience. This is an abnormal reaction in the body caused by a lack of the enzyme that breaks down lactose, called lactase. If its presence is recorded at the correct level, lactose is able to break down into simple sugars, making it easier to digest.
If this does not happen (lactase deficiency occurs) – lactose continues to the small intestine, where biochemical processes involving bacteria take place, resulting in unwanted by-products such as hydrogen and methane, causing flatulence.
Common problems related to lactose intolerance:
- frequent diarrhea,
- flatulence
- the effect of “splashing” in the intestines,
- nausea,
- intestinal parasitic diseases.
You should be careful about the consumption of milk, powdered milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, cream, ice cream, kefir, homogenized and cottage cheese. The severity of lactose intolerance is an individual matter. It happens that products containing less lactose are well tolerated, e.g. feta cheese, mozzarella, edam cheese and these products may be present in limited amounts in the diet of such a person.
Lactose is also present to a greater or lesser extent in the composition of many other products, e.g. in chocolate, canned food or confectionery products. Panacea can be lactose-free productswhich are more and more often available in stores, although their price is usually slightly higher than in the case of classic products.
This food intolerance is relatively easy to detect even at home – you just need to observe the body’s reactions after drinking milk. You can also perform the so-called hydrogen breath test, clearly confirming the problem. If this occurs, the only solutions are a dairy-free diet or special lactase tablets that must be taken before consuming dairy products.
We offer a diet Tasty Matched Dairy Freesuitable for people who are allergic to milk and are lactose intolerant. Balanced in terms of macronutrients, it contains the right amount of calcium and iron, so you do not need to supplement them. A lactose-free option is also possible, then there will be no milk in your diet, and you can add yogurt and cheese if your body tolerates them. You can also see the entire offer here: https://.pl/dieta/bezmleczna-bezlaktozowa.
2. A diet without gluten
At one point, gluten-free food even became fashionable. This doesn’t mean that everyone is trending – some just need to be careful about gluten. In this case, the most difficult issue is not only food allergy, but also a genetic disease called celiac disease.
While at the time of noticing a slight intolerance, you can usually afford, for example, products with the information “may contain gluten”, in the case of allergies and celiac disease such an option would be unwise. For people with celiac disease the only option is to eat with the crossed ear symbol, that is, the hallmark of “gluten-free people”.
But let’s start from the beginning – what does gluten contain? And what is he?
Well gluten is found mainly in wheat, rye and barley. It is a protein in the form of glutamine and proline combined into a single polypeptide. Sounds complicated? It is easiest to imagine gluten as a filler, connector, binder. For example, it combines with water in the dough and gives it the right consistency.
A gluten-free diet should be rich only in gluten-free products. The difficulty is that this ingredient is present in many fairly obvious places (such as pasta) and less obvious places (corn crisps, spice mixes).
The first months with a gluten-free diet are very tiring at the stage of choosing a menu and searching store shelves in search of “something at a normal price”. Yes, unfortunately, certified products are often much more expensive.
People on a gluten-free diet also often complain about the taste of the dishes – this is especially true for those who develop intolerance over time. That is why it is so important to learn to avoid gluten in a proper way, and for this it is worth employing a specialist who will properly manage the daily menu.
We offer the Tasty Gluten-Free Diet, along with the largest catalog of gluten-free recipes, divided into 12 different categories. Recipes are based on foods that are naturally gluten-free, such as buckwheat bread and buckwheat. The entire offer can be found here: https://.pl/dieta/bezglutenowa.
3. Chinese restaurant syndrome
Who likes Asian cuisine? It is usually tasty, aromatic spices and fresh vegetables are used there, and the whole thing does not cost too much. A skilled cook is able to prepare most dishes very quickly, usually using a wok. And eating with chopsticks, ah …
… However, not everyone gets the same pleasure from oriental specialties. If it does food intolerance in the form of Kwok’s disease, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese places will have to be avoided. The problem manifests itself, for example, with palpitations, headache, paralysis and excessive sweating after a meal.
However, scientists since the XNUMXs have not figured out what ultimately causes these reactions. The number one type is monosodium glutamate, widely used in Chinese cuisine. Another hypothesis is that the culprit is the unique composition of various ingredients – including the aforementioned spices – characteristic of individual dishes.
4. Nut allergy
At this point, it is worth mentioning a total of three ingredients: nuts, almonds and separately peanuts. The latter alarmingly often cause allergic problems, but by the way they are not nuts – they belong to the same group of plants as, for example, soybeans, beans or green peas, i.e. legumes.
Where are the nuts? Nowadays, they are very often added to a variety of products, from chocolates to cookies. They can also be found in ice cream, desserts, salads, pesto paste or in oriental dishes. When observing the typical symptoms of a nut allergy, you need to pay special attention to the products you buy.
Allergy sufferers most often complain of various types of swelling, usually in the throat, mouth and face. There are also redness (sometimes eczema or hives) and abdominal pain. The most serious effect is anaphylactic shock – associated not only with such a phenomenon as a severe food allergy. Symptoms may be identical, e.g. in the case of a sting, or even very severe stress. It is a very quick reaction of the body, where typical allergic conditions are doubled, and immediate medical attention is needed.
5. Food allergy in an infant
Finally, a few words about the problems encountered by the youngest. Here, the issue is quite simple – if colic, diarrhea, vomiting, skin changes and abdominal pain are frequent, parents should automatically consult a doctor. The most common reason is in the milk, it is a typical food allergy in an infant. The good news is that quite a lot of childhood allergies pass by the time they turn five.
If the problem is genetic then it will unfortunately be present for the rest of your life. For infants, an appropriate menu is very important, in particular, involving the gradual introduction of selected products to it. Thanks to this, you can properly get the young body used to some strong allergens.
You can find more about the nutrition of children aged 0-3 years in our e-book, in which we answer, among others, the questions about the signs of hunger and satiety, when to start expanding the toddler’s diet and what to do in case of choking!
Food allergy and food intolerance are terms that accompany us more and more often. There are many reasons for this, but the overall trend is unstoppable. Therefore, more and more gluten-free products will be visible in stores, and restaurants will abound in lactose-free dishes. It is quite easy to observe abnormal body reactions, so be careful – problems can arise at almost any stage of life.