Do you react to food? In this article, you will learn the difference between allergies, intolerances and sensitivities and how to deal with them.

Food allergies
Allergies are excessive reactions of the immune system to commonly occurring substances in the environment, such as pollen, certain foods, medicines, dust mites and others. The immune system evaluates these substances as harmful and triggers a reaction (with the production of IgE antibodies). An allergic reaction occurs quickly after contact with the allergen. Thanks to this rapid reaction, we are able to relatively easily identify problematic substances in our environment. Allergies can be detected using antibody tests in allergology or immunology. Typical food allergens include milk, eggs, gluten-containing grains, fish, soy, celery, sesame, shellfish, peanuts, nuts and mustard. However, allergic reactions can also occur to other foods.

Food intolerance
Food intolerances occur when your body lacks the ability (enzymatic equipment) to digest a particular food. Typical intolerances include fructose intolerance and lactose intolerance, where our body is unable to break down fructose (fruit sugar) or lactose (milk sugar). Problems arise after consuming the food in question, usually in the form of abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating and/or diarrhoea. In the case of such a genetically determined (congenital) inability to produce enzymes for the digestion of these substances (enzyme production may also decrease over the years and only manifest itself in adulthood) it is best to avoid these foods, or you can help yourself by taking enzymes that will help you digest the substance (e.g. when consuming a dairy product containing lactose, take an enzyme called lactase).

Food sensitivities
The term intolerance is also often used in connection with the body’s hypersensitivity to certain substances. This condition is better described by the word sensitivity, where our immune system reacts to certain foods, but unlike allergies, the reaction is delayed (within 0-72 hours) and involves the production of different antibodies. This makes it difficult to identify the problematic substance and also leads to a variety of symptoms, including skin problems, fatigue and inability to concentrate, headaches and joint pain, weakness, and impaired digestion and nutrient absorption. To map your sensitivities, it is a good idea to keep a food diary and record your reactions after eating and throughout the day. We are usually offered IgG food intolerance tests, but I do not recommend them because it has not yet been scientifically proven that these tests actually reveal your reactions. Many experts are inclined to believe that IgG tests show what foods you have eaten recently rather than how you react to them.