Food intolerance

If you think you may be sensitive or intolerant to certain foods it’s important to be sure about your diagnosis before cutting foods out of your diet. In the meantime, here’s some information to give you a greater insight into the causes and symptoms of food intolerance.

What is food intolerance?
Food intolerance is more common than food allergy. It is a reaction that some people have after eating or drinking certain foods or drinks that contain particular chemicals – both natural and added.

What are the symptoms of food intolerance?
It can be hard to identify a food intolerance because the chemical reactions which take place after eating can take up to 12 to 24 hours to develop and can be caused by a variety of different chemicals in foods and drinks.

Common symptoms include:

• airways: nasal congestion, excess mucous, recurring throat or sinus pain or infections.
• nervous system: headaches (often migraines), tiredness and muscle aches, poor memory and concentration, irritability, depression, eyesight disturbance, ear ringing, dizziness and hyperactivity.
• gastrointestinal: bloating, pain, change in bowel habits.

Common causes
Food intolerances can be caused by natural as well as added chemicals in food. Substances and foods commonly linked to food intolerance include:

• dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt
• salicylates (found in fruits, caffeine, vegetables, herbs, tea, beer, honey, peppermint)
• amines (found in chocolate, cheese, deli meats, fish products, wine, banana, avocado)

Treatments
If you suspect you may be sensitive to certain foods, an Accredited Practicing Dietitian will assess your symptoms, their regularity and severity and determine the best approach to identifying your problem foods. You will then be in control of your food intake and be able to manage your food intolerance effectively.

This is an edited version of the original text which is available in the members section of the website. Sign up for a Healthy Eating Habits for Life Program and receive free access to the member area.