Education

Food Sensitivity, Intolerance, and Allergy? What’s the Difference?

Digestion is at the root of many health concerns and people are often confused by what it means to have a food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity. Let's clear up the confusion.

Food Sensitivity

It is believed that about 20% of the population has some sort of food sensitivity. Food sensitivities aren’t as serious as an intolerance or an allergy, but they elicit an immune response and can affect different body systems. Food sensitivities can occur right after eating or symptoms can take several days to present. Common symptoms of food sensitivities are bloating, gas, skin rashes, brain fog, and fatigue. Food sensitivities may be mild and/or temporary.

Food Intolerance

Food intolerances are sometimes hard to distinguish from sensitivities, as they share some similar symptoms. However, Intolerances are usually limited to the digestive system and distinguished by the inability to digest certain foods. These are often caused by enzyme deficiencies or reactions to additives in foods. Common symptoms include bloating, gas, heartburn, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation. Lactose Intolerance is a common food intolerance for dairy products and celiac disease is due to an intolerance to gluten.

Food Allergy

A food allergy causes an immune response and affects various organs in the body. Because it triggers multiple organ reactions, a food allergy has a wider range of symptoms than intolerance and sensitivity. Common symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, hives, sneezing, itchy, red eyes, and swelling of the lips, tongue, eyes, or face. Food allergies can also cause more severe life-threatening reactions like swelling of the throat and mouth, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and losing consciousness.