What are the most common food intolerances?

If you read our previous blog, you’ll know that food intolerances and food allergies are very different things. Although a food intolerance doesn’t trigger the immune system like an allergy, food intolerance symptoms can still affect your quality of life and make you feel unwell. But did you know what the most common food intolerances are? You will after reading this article!

Identifying common causes of food intolerances

If you’re noticing physical symptoms after eating, a food intolerance test will flag up any sensitivities you have towards certain ingredients. It’s worth knowing some foods have a reputation for causing unwanted health issues when consumed, so it’s better to get tested sooner than later if these symptoms flare up after digesting the following items:

Lactose

Lactose is a sugar in milk and other dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese. Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is in short supply of an enzyme called lactase, which breaks lactose down. When there isn’t enough lactase, lactose can’t be absorbed or digested correctly, causing problems such as bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Overall, Lactose intolerance is very common and why many people choose to eliminate dairy products from their diet.

Gluten

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye and the cause of many food intolerances. Although the symptoms of non-coeliac gluten sensitivity are similar to those of coeliac disease, they are much less severe and will not cause internal damage. Even so, the best way to manage health problems caused by eating gluten is to avoid it completely. If you do have coeliac disease, even the smallest amount of cross-contamination can result in a severe bout of digestive problems. While food intolerance is a less serious condition, avoiding products that contain gluten, such as bread, crackers, pasta, and some sauces, is the best way to manage your symptoms and improve your health and well-being.

Caffeine

Yes, this is bad news for those of us who rely on coffee to function properly. The good news is that most adults can happily drink around four mugs a day, but some people are more sensitive than others to the stimulant that increases alertness. If you notice that you have a rapid heartbeat, digestive problems and increased restlessness after drinking coffee, tea or energy drinks, you may have a decreased ability to metabolize caffeine. If this is the case, it’s best to undertake a food intolerance test and switch to de-caffeinated drinks to see if your symptoms subside.

Eggs

Having an intolerance to eggs is generally more common in children but can still occur at any age. Although egg whites typically contain more of the proteins that cause food intolerance symptoms, it’s generally easier to avoid them completely and choose alternatives when cooking and eating out if you think you’re very sensitive to them. If you do have an intolerance to eggs, the main symptoms are gastrointestinal such as nausea, bloating and abdominal cramps and can occur several hours (and sometimes even days) later.

How to deal with common food intolerances

If you’ve noticed feeling unwell on a regular basis after eating, taking a food intolerance test can put your mind at rest. As well as improving your health and well-being, the results could help you make any necessary changes to your diet and alleviate your symptoms. As always, our tests do not replace the advice of a medical professional, but they can make a big difference to your quality of life.

If you’d like to contact us with any questions you have about food intolerance tests, please email [email protected] or use the contact form on our website.