Today I want to talk you through the difference between food allergies and food sensitivities and how you can determine if you have a food sensitivity. Hidden food sensitivities are considered less severe than food allergies, but the symptoms can cause puzzling illnesses and chronic symptoms that have a negative impact on quality of life. Many people are usually unaware that food is playing a huge role in their health problems.
What does it mean to have a food sensitivity?
A food sensitivity involves an IgG antibody and is considered a non-allergic food hypersensitivity. Food sensitivities do not produce an immune response to food and can be difficult to detect. Symptoms may not present for 12-72 hours after consuming the food and if the food is consumed regularly the symptoms may feel chronic. If multiple foods and symptoms are at play it can be difficult to decipher the symptoms and connect the dots to which foods are triggering the reaction.
Food allergy
Food allergies are an IgE mediated immune response to a food that the body mistakes as a foreign invader. When the body attacks the invader, the allergic reaction occurs. When you have a food allergy- you know it! You will get hives, dizziness, mouth tingling, throat swelling, wheezing or dizziness and possibly anaphylaxis due to a release of histamine. The most common food allergies are peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, wheat, soy, dairy and shellfish.
What are the most common foods that people are sensitive to?
The most common food sensitivities are corn, eggs, soy, sugar, wheat/gluten, sulfites, caffeine, yeast and shellfish.
How do I know if I have a food sensitivity?
Knowing the signs and symptoms can help you determine if you need to follow an elimination diet to determine which foods may be causing your symptoms.
Many people have hidden food sensitivities and are unaware of the impact it has on their quality of life.
Food sensitivities can present as any of the following:
- joint pain
- neck, back or knee pain
- stomach aches
- brain fog/trouble concentrating
- sinus congestion
- gas
- bloating
- fatigue
- heartburn
- acid reflux
- headaches
- anxiety
- irritable, cranky
- chronic congestion
- skin issues (eczema, acne)
- frequent colds
- GI upset
- Sleep problems
Having these symptoms doesn’t mean you definitely have a food intolerance, but it is worth exploring.
Where do I start?
Eliminating the most common trigger foods is the first step in determining a food sensitivity. There are blood tests that can be performed but I typically recommend an elimination protocol as a first step to keep costs down and it is the most accurate.
Starting an elimination protocol can seem daunting. When I first eliminated gluten and dairy I felt stressed and worried about finding alternatives to fit into my lifestyle. I promise, there are TONS of delicious and healthy foods you can eat while on an elimination diet and once you start feeling better the diet modifications will feel worth it.
If your aches and pains and sleepless nights are caused by food it is 100% worth it figure out which foods are the culprit. When you are feeling your best everything else falls into place and you have more patience, are more productive at work and just feel good.
After being gluten and dairy free for a while I was having extreme heartburn and heart palpitations. I was eating eggs almost daily for breakfast and sometimes even for dinner. Once I eliminated eggs that terrible feeling went away after a few days. Aha! I gave it a few weeks and tried a few bites of a farm fresh egg. I thought I was ok but after THREE whole days the palpitations and heartburn returned. Do I miss eggs? Not really! I do not miss that terrible heartburn feeling I was experiencing. After some time, I can now tolerate eggs in baked goods in small amounts.
Once you eliminate the possible offenders and “clear the muddy waters” it is easy to determine which foods bother you because they aren’t built up in your system. Food elimination does not have to be forever. Sometimes your body just needs a rest and sometimes your gut needs time to heal if leaky gut is the cause.
Look out for my next post with my favorite gluten, dairy and egg free breakfast recipes!
Egg substitute for baked goods
1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds*
2 ½ tablespoons of water
Mix ground flax and water and let sit for 5 minutes to form a gel. This recipe will replace one egg in a recipe. If you need more than one egg for a recipe then you can double or triple the recipe. I do not recommend replacing more than 3 eggs because it will impact the texture.
*For optimal nutrition and freshness try grinding whole flaxseeds in a food processor or coffee grinder and store in the refrigerator. If using already ground flaxseeds, it is especially important to check the date, choose cold milled and store in the refrigerator.
Flaxseeds contain omega 3’s that can go rancid if processed using high heat and can cause oxidative damage to our cells. I like the Spectrum brand flax seed and Thrive Market organic flaxseed (ground or whole) because they are high quality and cold milled.
If you want help figuring out if food is the culprit for your symptoms, then reach out to me and let’s get you started! Send me an email at Sarah@SarahTheFunctionalFoodie.com and we can find a time to talk.
