Allergy or food intolerance: What’s the difference?
Often no food Allergy
One out of every five Americans believes, to react to certain food allergic to. However, this suspicion is confirmed only ten percent of medical. Presumably, many of those Affected do not suffer an Allergy, but a food intolerance. This is the result of a current study, for the data of more than 40,000 middle-aged adults in the USA were evaluated.
In the case of an Allergy, an Overreaction of the body against certain foods, such as peanut or fish. It is an immunologically mediated immune reaction to tiny protein building blocks, so-called allergens. It is an awareness, and the body forms a specific antibody. In the case of repeated contact skin reactions such as hives may occur, rash up to anaphylactic shock.
Anyone who has to regularly fight with gastro-intestinal complaints, could suffer from an intolerance to milk sugar (lactose intolerance) or fruit sugar (fructose malabsorption). In the case of a food intolerance, the immune system is not involved. Most of the metabolism is disturbed process. In the case of a lactose intolerance lacks the enzyme, for example lactase, so the milk sugar cannot or not sufficiently be reduced.
In Germany it is assumed that similar Figures as in the USA. Against this Background, it is not useful, to avoid just suspicion of certain foods. This reduces the quality of life and increases the risk for a nutrient deficiency. “Anyone who suspects a food Allergy, you should consult a specialist gehen“, Harald Seitz, a nutrition scientist at the Federal centre for nutrition (BZfE) advises. For a correct diagnosis is first recorded the disease history. After skin and blood tests and dietary method, a diet the following recommendation. “In the case of an Allergy, the food must be avoided strictly, since even traces can cause dangerous reactions. In contrast, no Problem“ are in an intolerance to small amounts of mostly;, Seitz explains. Gluten-free and lactose-free products have only a health Benefit, if there is a medical diagnosis for coeliac disease or lactose intolerance. “Free-from products are significantly more expensive, and not per se gesünder“, so Seitz. Heike Kreutz, bzfe
