The 10 Most Common Food Intolerances

You thought that inside that stomach, there was a democracy where all foods are welcome? Think again! Your gut might just be some kind of fussy monarch with an especially special taste in food and foe’s Lists stretching down the corridors. And once those foes come knocking at the door, that will be rebellion time!

Food intolerances are kinda like that obnoxious neighbor: can’t he just please leave you the heck alone? They will make you miserable, from bloating and heartburn to headaches. And the worst part? You might not even realize that you have an intolerance until you’re halfway through the meal, and then your body’s all, “Hey, I’m gonna take this out on ya.”.

Don’t worry, we’re about to run you through some of the most common intolerances so that you can be the iron-fisted ruler of your gut kingdom (or pat it gently, whichever works).

Also, we will understand the symptoms, causes, and little differences between food allergies and intolerances. So here we go, buckle up, and let’s get ready to tame that tummy trouble together!

What Are Food Intolerances, Anyway?

Food intolerance is a kind of digestive tantrum. It’s not as dangerous as a food allergy, which can even become life-threatening and involve the immune system. Food intolerance is when your body finds any foods difficult to digest, and that is extremely frustrating for your taste buds.

It means your body doesn’t have the enzymes to break some foods down, or it can be sensitive to chemical naturals like caffeine or histamine. 

Moreover, your gut is like a bouncer at a nightclub, and those foods are the troublemaking people trying to get in. Your gut is all, “Nah, you’re not on the list!” and palms them right back out again, straight through your digestive system, leaving horrible symptoms in its wake.

Added chemicals, preservatives, and flavor enhancers can also trigger food intolerance. Your body takes one look at these ingredients and goes, “Who invited those guys? They are not on the VIP list!” So it gives them the boot, and now you’re left with the fallout.

Allergies vs. Intolerances: The Great Confusion

Let us clear the air once and for all: the difference between food allergies and intolerances. This is not only necessary but also critical to most people who usually confuse these two, and it’s about time we set things straight!

Food Allergies:

Food allergies are, literally, the big bad boss of food reactions. Involving the immune system and being potentially life-threatening, they are a dangerous opponent in this area of medicine. 

When someone who is allergic takes that particular food, their body starts to release histamine along with other chemicals, which amounts to histories of things like hives, swelling, breathing problems, and anaphylaxis. 

It’s like the body is yelling, “RED ALERT! INTRUDER!”

Food Intolerances:

They are like that cousin who ruins the family gathering. Generally, they don’t include an immunological response and rarely reach the point of life-threatening reactions. 

Although symptoms can be very uncomfortable and disruptive, they usually remain confined to digestive problems and skin reactions. It’s more like your body is telling you, “I don’t like this food, please don’t make me eat it again.”

In simple terms, if you have an allergy to food, your body is taking a strong stance: “Get this food away from me, or I might just die!” With intolerance, it’s more like saying, “I don’t like this food. It makes me feel yucky.”

Next time you hear someone claim to have an allergy to gluten yet not be able to finish the pizza, you will know they are wrong—or maybe they are just too finicky.

10 Most Common Food Intolerances

They can be a real pain, but they don’t have to rule your life. Let’s understand the 10 common types, symptoms, and solutions.

1. Lactose

Lactose intolerance is like that one friend who promises you a good time but leaves you gassy and really bloated afterward. 

It means digestion is not too great where lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products, is concerned. You are, in effect, fantasizing about your body turning down that smooth cheese and tasty ice cream by saying, “No, I’m good, thanks.”

Symptoms: 

Bloating 

Diarrhea 

Nausea 

Stomach cramps 

Why It Happens:

This is usually because your poor body does not have enough of the enzyme responsible for digesting lactose. Possibly because it is hereditary, or one fine day, your body decided that it and lactose just aren’t going to be on speaking terms.

What to Do:

• Try lactose-free milk products or non-dairy plant-based protein.
• Say yes to hard cheeses like cheddar, which are lower in lactose.
• Take lactase enzyme supplements before having dairy treats.

2. Gluten

Gluten intolerance is like that clingy partner who won’t seem to get out of your hair. Further, gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, and rye, and it really makes you feel stuck and icky.

Symptoms:

Bloating

Diarrhea

Abdominal pain

Headaches

Fatigue

Why It Happens:

Gluten will spur an immune response in some, leading to inflammation in the gut. You know, your body calling gluten and saying, “Listen, we need to see other people.”

What to Do:

• Use alternative gluten-free grains like rice, quinoa, and buckwheat. 
• Go nuts for naturally gluten-free stuff like potatoes, beans, and nuts. 
• If you think you might have gluten intolerance, get tested for its worse cousin: celiac disease.

3. FODMAPS

Consider this: An intolerance to FODMAPs is equivalent to dealing with a gang of Gut Irritants. FODMAP is the short form for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Monosaccharides, and Polyols—a group of carbohydrates found naturally in a number of foods. Yes, it’s quite a mouthful!

Symptoms:

Bloating

Extreme gassing

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea or constipation

Why It Happens:

This magic occurs due to the way FODMAPs work: being, above all, osmotically active, thus drawing water into your intestine. They also represent dietary compounds that become fermented by gut bacteria and thus produce gases. This can be the cause of digestive issues that never seem to end for some.

What to Do:

• Consider a low-FODMAP diet where you limit your intake of high-FODMAP nutrition, specific fruits, wheat, onions, and some dairy. A dietician can work out which ones you are really reactive to and then make a personalized plan accordingly.
• Remember, FODMAPs are not the bad guys, for everybody, they are just a tricky gang.

4. Histamine

Histamine intolerance acts like an overzealous nightclub bouncer, filing innocent passersby out of the club. 

It is the inability of your body systems to digest histamine, a chemical compound that is naturally found in most foods and even formed during allergic reactions.

Symptoms:

Headaches

Diarrhea

Nausea

Skin rashes

Itchy skin

Why It Happens:

Either your body produces too much histamine, or you’re not breaking it down efficiently, which may then result in heavy accumulation in the body and give way to those awful symptoms.

What to Do:

• Avoid allergens foods that are rich in histamine, such as mature cheeses and fermented products like smoked fish and some alcohol.
• Consume fresh, less processed foods, which are all zero or very low in histamine. A low histamine diet can help.
• Have DAO supplements to support histamine metabolism.

5. Caffeine

Caffeine intolerance is like that one friend who gets you so hyped, then leaves you with a nasty headache—you know, a real buzz kill.

Symptoms:

Nervous feeling or jitters

Headaches

Insomnia

Tachycardia

Stomach upset

Why It Happens:

Caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant to most, for some, it might just be like a party gone wrong. Your body might be telling you nothing but, “Whoa, let’s take it down a notch.”

What to Do:

• Choose decaffeinated versions of beverages you enjoy most.
• If you really love coffee, try the darker roasts. These have less caffeine.
• Get your jonesin’ for hot drinks with herbal teas or decaf versions of your drink.

6. Sulfites

Sulfite intolerance is kind of the wine snob who will whine about everything. Here, in basic form, sulfites are a preservative that occurs in wine-dried fruits and some processed foods.

Symptoms:

Headaches

Skin rashes

Asthma-like symptoms

Diarrhea

Why It Happens:

The thing is that, in some people, mostly those with asthma or allergies, sulfites can foster allergic reactions of sorts. It’s like your body is saying, “No, thanks; I prefer my wine sulfite-free.”

What to Do:

• Choose organic wines with lower levels of sulfites.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are fine, but their dried or processed alternatives should be avoided.
• Always check food labels and avoid those that have added sulfites.

7. Salicylates

Salicylate intolerance is a bit like that spicy meal which leaves one having a burning feeling, but not in quite such a good way. Natural chemicals in many plants, and spices, can end up spicing your life a little too much than usual.

Symptoms:

Stomach pain

Diarrhea

Skin rashes

Asthma-like symptoms

Why It Happens:

For some people, salicylates provoke the immune system into an inflammatory response—and those awful symptoms.

What to Do:

• Keep a food journal and start relating which spices or foods really get to you. 
• Use milder spices and herbs or very small amounts of them only. 
• Instead, opt for low-salicylic acid fruit and vegetable options like bananas, cucumbers, and cabbage.

8. Nightshades

Nightshade intolerance is much like having vegetables that belong to a shady group to do more damage than good. 

Listed foods under the nightshades are potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. What they can do is kind of cast a shadow over your digestive system.

Symptoms:

Joint pain

Stomach upset

Skin problems

Headaches

Why It Happens:

Nightshades contain alkaloids that upset digestion, along with proper nerve functioning, in some individuals. Your body would be saying, “I do not appreciate your shady friends; goodbye!”

What to Do:

• Just exclude the nightshade vegetables for some time and watch if you heal. 
• Please, try other vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and zucchini. 
• If you are just not going to give up on tomatoes, at least go for the cherry tomatoes, which have a significantly lower content of alkaloids.

9. Egg Intolerance

Egg intolerance is like that morning scramble that leaves you feeling scrambled yourself. It’s when your body says, “Nope!” to eggs, a breakfast staple for many.

Symptoms:

Nausea

Stomach cramps

Diarrhea

Skin rashes

Why It Happens:

Egg intolerance can be due to a variety of factors. Further, it could be an aversion to the proteins in egg whites or yolks, or it might be a sensitivity to the chemicals and antibiotics that are sometimes present in commercially produced eggs.

What to Do:

• Try alternative breakfast options like oatmeal, tofu scrambles, or egg-free pancakes.
• If you’re a baker, use egg substitutes in your recipes, like mashed bananas or flax seeds mixed with water.
• Similarly, opt for egg-free mayonnaise and sauces.

10. Soy Intolerance

Soy intolerance is more like a burrito from that roadside stand that you really wish you would have passed by. Also, soy is inside most processed foods and can catch a person unaware of its presence.

Symptoms:

Stomach pains

Bloating

Diarrhea

Skin issues

Why It Happens:

Soy contains goitrogens, which are compounds known to disrupt thyroid functioning. Moreover, the ensuing result of this disruption in the normal functioning of the thyroid leads to other abdominal discomforts and is usually the main cause of soy intolerance.

What to Do:

• Read labels carefully and avoid products containing soy: soy milk, tofu, and soy sauce.
• Choose other vegetable proteins
• Choose fresh, whole over-processed, as soy tends to sneak in when foods are processed.

A Word From Fitelo On Food Intolerances

We at Fitelo know how difficult it can be to live with food intolerances. Your favorite foods suddenly go on the “enemy” list, and mealtimes turn into a game of Russian roulette. 

But there is hope, read the simple tips in the following sections that will help you navigate this new terrain like a pro.

• Keep A Food Diary: Be a sleuth! Log everything you eat and the symptoms that develop. Further, keeping track will help you realize what exactly is triggering a reaction.
  
• Elimination Testing: Exclude foods that are suspected for a period of time, then add them back into your diet to observe your body’s reaction to it. It is a science project but on food!
  
• Don’t Self-Diagnose: Yes, you may jump onto Google to look up the symptoms, but don’t jump to conclusions. Consult a healthcare professional to seek proper advice and testing.
  
• Variety Is The Spice Of Life: Gone are the days of boredom because you can’t eat certain foods. If you know what you’re looking for, there are loads of new ingredients to try and cuisines to investigate that generally turn up delicious alternatives.
  
• Listen To Your Body: Start becoming aware of how the different foods make you feel. If any food constantly makes you feel bad, then it’s time to bid farewell.
  
• Seek Support: It can get frustrating to live with food intolerances. Also, take help from support groups and share your experience. Share delicious, safe recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Food Intolerances Be Life Threatening?

Although most of the food intolerances are not life-threatening, they can still cause much discomfort and health problems. Digestive disorders, headaches, and fatigue are major symptoms that become rather crippling in day-to-day life and need these dietary adaptations for management.

What Happens If You Ignore Food Intolerance?

Such methods of testing include elimination diets and blood tests to identify specific triggers. The tests quantify the immune response to foods to identify intolerances and, therefore, direct dietary changes toward health management.

How Is Food Tolerance Testing Done?

Food tolerance testing typically involves an elimination diet, where suspected foods are removed and reintroduced to identify triggers. Blood tests may also be used to measure immune responses to specific foods, helping to determine intolerances and guide dietary changes.

Contact Us Today

Your search to find the right guidance to be a part of all those fat-to-fit stories ends here. So, contact us today if you are looking for a diet plan with cheat meals. Also, we will discuss how we can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Disclaimer

This blog post was written to help you make healthy and better food choices. So, be aware and take care. The most important thing to consider is your health before starting a restrictive diet. Always seek advice from a doctor or dietitian before starting, if you have any concerns.

Eat healthy and live healthy. Enjoy a long, happy life.