WHAT, IF ANY, IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FOOD INTOLERANCE AND AN ALLERGY?
While it’s easy to mix the two up, intolerances and allergies are completely different reactions in the body.
“The confusion between a food allergy and intolerance is probably one of the most common I hear in my clinic,” says accredited dietitian Nicole Dynan, owner and director of The Good Nutrition Co in Sydney (goodnutritionco.com).
While allergies are triggered by our body’s immune system, intolerances occur in the digestive system. “Intolerances usually occur more slowly than an allergy, sometimes hours after the food is eaten,” Dynan explains.
Unlike allergies, which can trigger a potentially deadly reaction known as anaphylaxis, Dynan says intolerances generally aren’t life threatening.
“Food intolerance symptoms can include bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhoea and other irritable…
