The main difference between allergy and food intolerance is the type of response the body has when it comes in contact with food.
In allergy there is an immediate immune response, that is, the body creates antibodies as if the food were an aggressive agent and therefore the symptoms are generalized. Already in food intolerance the food is not digested correctly and, therefore, the symptoms appear mainly in the gastrointestinal system.
The main symptoms that differentiate food allergy from food intolerance are:
| Symptoms of Food Allergy | Symptoms of Food Intolerance |
|
Urticaria and redness on the skin Intense itching of the skin Difficulty breathing Swelling in the face or tongue Vomiting and diarrhea | Stomach ache Swelling of the belly Excess intestinal gas Throat burning sensation Vomiting and diarrhea |
| Characteristics of symptoms | Characteristics of symptoms |
They appear immediately even when they ingest little amount of food and the tests done on the skin are positive. | It may take more than 30 minutes to appear, and the more serious the greater the amount of food eaten, and the allergy tests done on the skin do not change. |
Food intolerance is much more frequent and can affect any individual without a family history, while food allergy is usually a rare and hereditary problem, arising in several members of the same family.
In both food allergy and food intolerance the treatment consists of withdrawing from food the foods and all the recipes that are prepared with the foods that cause the symptoms.
Foods that cause food allergy or intolerance
It is not always possible to identify which foods cause food allergy or food intolerance, since the symptoms vary according to the body of each person. However, in most cases, food allergy is usually triggered by foods such as shrimp, peanuts, tomatoes, seafood and kiwi. While on food intolerance, the main foods include cow's milk, egg, strawberries, nuts, spinach and bread. See a more complete list on: Foods that cause food intolerance.
See other symptoms that may help differentiate the two problems:
- Symptoms of food allergy
- Symptoms of food intolerance
