The number of people with food intolerances or allergies is increasing. As this is a subject that can cause many doubts, insecurities and frustrations in the lives of those who are going through it directly or indirectly, I decided to talk a little more about it here today.

The vast majority of physical reactions to certain foods are caused by food intolerances, however, as gastrointestinal symptoms are common in both conditions, allergy and intolerance, many people confuse them.

A true food allergy triggers an immune system reaction that affects various organs in the body. It can cause a variety of symptoms involving the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and skin. In some cases, an allergic reaction to a food can be severe and life-threatening. In contrast, food intolerance symptoms are generally less severe and often limited to digestive problems.

In cases of food intolerance, there is the possibility of eating small amounts of the offending food or reducing its impact. For example, if you are lactose intolerant, you can drink lactose-free milk or take lactase enzyme tablets to aid digestion. The same does not happen in cases of allergies.

If you have a food allergy, eating small amounts of the food can trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), even if the previous reactions were mild. There is no way to predict the intensity of the body's reaction when in contact with the allergen. Allergens are proteins commonly found in foods that can induce a hypersensitivity reaction. The most allergenic foods are: eggs, fish, oysters, cow's milk, peanuts, soy, nuts and wheat.

The most allergenic foods are: eggs, fish, oysters, cow's milk, peanuts, soy, nuts and wheat.

Food allergic reactions happen when the immune system mistakes a harmless protein for an invader and attacks it, producing immunoglobulins (antibodies) of the IgE type, that is, special proteins that can detect specific food proteins present on the surface of cells throughout the body. Like radar, these IgE antibodies detect food and signal an alert to the cell to release chemicals such as histamine, which result in allergic symptoms.

Sensitization to food occurs preferentially in childhood, but it can also occur in adulthood. It usually occurs with foods eaten early in life and which are good sources of protein consumed in large amounts. Therefore, milk and eggs are foods with high allergenic potential for babies and children.

I hope this post has helped to clear some doubts! If you have questions or comments, please write them below or email them!

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