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Food Allergy vs Food Sensitivity



Are you noticing some discomforts after eating? or simply experiencing symptoms like below, but don't know why? The food you are eating might be something your body doesn't like.


Food allergy

Food allergy is an immune reaction that your antibody IgE (Immunoglobulin E) categorise the substance as an invader. As a result, our body produce antibodies immediately to 'fight' with it.


Symptoms of food allergies can be seriously severe and it can be fatal.

Example of symptoms are,

  • Skin reactions such as hives, swelling, irritation

  • Breathing difficulties, wheezing, including anaphylaxis

  • Digestive discomforts such as cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting


Food Sensitivity

Food sensitivity/ intolerance are more common, but may not known well enough. In fact, immediate food allergies are known to affect 4% of the general population, where as food sensitivities score much higher around 20% or more. One of the reason why it's not know well is probably because the reactions may not appear immediately, sometimes it takes up to 2 days to appear. The symptoms occur when our body can not break down the food properly. Food sensitivities can cause a wide range of symptoms and disorders such as

  • Digestive discomforts such as gas, bloating, constipation, cramping and nausea

  • Irritable bowel

  • Fatigue (Because your body is trying so hard and using so much energy to digest!)

  • Headache, migraine

  • Cough

  • Runny nose

  • Hives

If you are experiencing these symptoms, but don't quite know what the triggers are, we can organise an easy, effective testing for you. We can test variety of foods and can be organised based on your diet style (Vegetarian, Asian food). Your result will become a useful guide for you to be aware of how sensitive you are to each foods and it helps us to tailor made your personalised treatment plan. Contact us for more information.


Food items:

General foods: Almond, Amaranth, Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana, Barley, Beans (Kidney, Lima, Pinto), Beef, Beet, Blueberry, Broccoli, Buckwheat, Cabbage, Capsicum (green), Carrot, Casein, Cauliflower, Celery, Cheese (Cheddar, Cottage, Mozzarella), Chicken, Clam, Cocoa, Coconut, Cod, Coffee, Corn, Crab, Cranberry, Cucumber, Egg White (Chicken), Egg Whole (Duck), Egg Yolk (Chicken), Garlic, Gliadin (Wheat), Gluten (Wheat), Grape, Grapefruit, Halibut, Hazelnut, Honey, Lamb, Lemon, Lentil, Lettuce, Lobster, Milk (Cow, Goat), Mushroom, Oat, Olive, Onion, Orange, Papaya, Pea (green), Peach, Peanut, Pear, Pecan, Pineapple, Plum, Pork, Potato (Sweet), Potato (White), Pumpkin, Radish, Raspberry, Rice (white), Rye, Sesame seed, Salmon, Scallop, Shrimp, Snapper, Sole, Soy Bean, Spelt, Spinach, Strawberry, String bean, Sugar cane, Sunflower seed, Tomato, Tuna, Turkey, Walnut, Wheat, Whey, Yeast (Baker’s, Brewer’s), Yoghurt, Zucchini


Vegetarian Foods: Almond, Amaranth, Apple, Apricot, Artichoke, Avocado, Banana, Barley, Beans (Kidney, Lima, Navy, Pinto), Bean sprout, Beet, Blueberry, Broccoli, Buckwheat, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Capsicum (green), Carrot, Casein, Cashew, Cauliflower, Celery, Cheese (Cheddar, Cottage, Mozzarella), Cherry, Cocoa, Coconut, Coffee, Corn, Cranberry, Cucumber, Egg white (Chicken), Egg whole (Duck), Egg yolk (Chicken), Eggplant, Flaxseed, Garlic, Gliadin (Wheat), Gluten (Wheat), Grape, Grapefruit, Hazelnut, Honey, Kamut, Lemon, Lentil, Lettuce, Milk (Cow, Goat), Millet, Mushroom, Oat, Olive, Onion, Orange, Papaya, Pea (green), Peach, Peanut, Pear, Pecan, Pepper (black), Pepper (chilli), Pineapple, Pistachio, Plum, Potato (Sweet), Potato (white), Pumpkin, Quinoa, Radish, Raspberry, Rice (brown), Rice (white), Rye, Sesame seed, Soybean, Spelt, Spinach, Strawberry, String bean, Sugar cane, Sunflower seed, Tomato, Walnut, Watermelon, Wheat, Whey, Yeast (Baker’s, Brewer’s), Yoghurt, Zucchini


Asian Foods: Abalone, Almond, Apple, Bamboo Shoot, Banana, Bean (Kidney, Red), Beef, Bitter Gourd, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Capsicum (green), Carrot, Casein, Cashew, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherry, Chicken, Clam, Cocoa, Coconut, Cod, Coffee, Corn, Crab, Cucumber, Curry powder, Cuttlefish, Duck, Egg (chicken), Egg (duck), Eggplant, Garlic, Ginger, Gluten, Goose, Grape, Grapefruit, Guava, Honey, Honeydew, Job’s Tears, Kelp, Kiwi, Lamb, Leek, Lemon, Lettuce, Lian Woo, Lobster, Mango, Milk, Mung bean, Mushroom, Mustard, Oat, Olive, Onion, Orange, Oyster, Papaya, Peach, Peanut, Pepper (black), Pepper (Cayenne), Pineapple, Pork, Potato (Sweet), Potato (white), Radish, Rice (white), Salmon, Sea Bass, Sea Perch, Sesame seed, Shrimp, Soy bean, Spinach, Strawberry, Sunflower seed, Taro, Tea (Oolong), Tomato, Tuna, Vanilla bean, Vegetable Sponge, Walnut, Watermelon, Water Spinach, Whey, Woo-hsiang powder, Yeast (Baker’s, Brewer’s), Yoghurt



 

References

Nordqvist, C. (2017). What is a food intolerance. Retrieved from URL: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263965.php

Olsen, N. (2018). Food allergy vs. Sensitivity: What's the difference. Retrieved from URL: https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/food-allergy-sensitivity-difference









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