Understanding Food Sensitivities

Dr. Nicole Monk, ND- A licensed Naturopathic Physician with the College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta, Dr. Nicole Monk focuses on addressing the root causes of health concerns and the prevention of disease through evidence-based practices. 

According to Food Allergy Canada, 7.5% or over 3 million Canadians self-report having at least one food sensitivity, allergy, or intolerance.

While used interchangeably, the term ‘food sensitivity’ isn’t the same as a ‘food allergy’ or ‘food intolerance’.

Food sensitivities are often more subtle and less severe. However, they can still impact our health, mood, and overall well-being if left undiagnosed.

Let’s break down the science behind food sensitivities and the methods to help keep them in check.

Understanding Food Sensitivities

If you have a peanut allergy or are lactose intolerant, you will realize that almost right away. But with food sensitivities, you may go through your entire life without realizing you have one. 

This is because, unlike an allergy, where the reaction is right away, food sensitivity symptoms can appear days after consuming the trigger food.

This delayed food reaction makes pinpointing the trigger food quite challenging, and as the symptoms are often vague and not life-threatening, many Canadians with food sensitivities never actually get diagnosed.

The lack of data and limited scientific research make the exact science behind food sensitivities still largely a mystery.

But here’s what we know.

Common Symptoms of Food Sensitivities

Symptoms of food sensitivities are often mild and usually mimic common ailments. Common symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Bloating
• Throat mucus
• Acne/Eczema
• Constipation
• Headaches/migraines
• Post-nasal drip
• Skin rashes
• Puffiness around the eyes
• Brain fog
• Mild bodily pain

While these symptoms are nowhere close to the severity of allergic reactions, which can cause hives and anaphylactic shock, they can still be unpleasant and unwanted.

Food Sensitivity vs. Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance

While these dietary issues share many common symptoms, they also share key differences. Let’s break it down!

Food Allergies

Food allergies are abnormal immune system responses to certain types of food. Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. 

Common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, trouble breathing, hives, itchiness, rashes, swelling of the tongue, and anaphylactic shock.

These symptoms can appear within minutes and even seconds of exposure, or can appear a few hours later, depending on the type of allergy you have with a true allergy being IgE-mediated. 

IgE-mediated food allergies are the most common and are caused due to the immune system mistakenly identifying a type of food as harmful and producing immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fight it. This leads to immediate and potentially severe reactions. 

Non-IgE-mediated allergies don’t produce IgE antibodies. Rather, the immune system finds other ways to fight off what it deems as ‘harmful proteins’. As a result, symptoms can be delayed, which makes diagnosis more challenging.

Common food allergies include adverse reactions to peanuts, shellfish, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, and fish.

Food Intolerances

Having a food intolerance means that your digestive system has a hard time breaking down a certain type of food. 

The most common example of this is lactose intolerance, where your digestive system lacks the necessary amount of lactase enzymes to break down the natural sugars in milk and dairy products. 

This results in gastrointestinal distress with symptoms including farting, diarrhoea/constipation, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and bloating.

Other types of food intolerances include:

Gluten Intolerance (Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity)

Those with gluten intolerance often have symptoms similar to celiac disease, a long-term autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine, resulting in bloating, stomach pain, and fatigue. 

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity or intolerance simply means your body struggles to break down the gluten protein found commonly in wheat, rye, and barley. This can also cause bloating, gas, and fatigue, but unlike celiac disease, it doesn’t damage your intestines. 

Histamine Intolerance

Histamine is a compound often found in fermented foods like aged cheese, wine, and even certain fruits and vegetables. Some people have trouble breaking down histamine, resulting in headaches, digestive issues, and even skin rashes.

Fructose Intolerance 

Fructose is an extremely common type of natural sugar found in a variety of fruits, honey, and even some vegetables. While rare, fructose intolerance is a genetic disorder where your body lacks the enzyme aldolase B. This enzyme deficiency can result in a buildup of fructose-1-phosphate, which can cause health issues similar to lactose intolerance. 

Food Sensitivities

Food sensitivities involve a low-grade, non-IgE mediated immune response, meaning they do not cause anaphylaxis like true food allergies. While often milder than classic allergies, these reactions can still lead to both gut-related symptoms (like bloating, gas, or irregular bowel movements) and systemic symptoms (such as fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, or skin issues). 

Symptoms may be delayed, appearing anywhere from several hours up to 48–72 hours after exposure. Though sometimes confused with food intolerances, food sensitivities involve immune system activation, whereas intolerances are typically due to enzyme deficiencies or difficulty digesting certain compounds.

This makes diagnosing food sensitivities a challenging ordeal. However, thanks to increasing awareness and improved food sensitivity testing capabilities, it is possible to identify trigger foods and eliminate them from your diet, ensuring improved physical and mental well-being.

How to Test Food Sensitivities

Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure for food sensitivities. The only way to avoid having unwanted symptoms is to find the trigger food and eliminate or reduce it from your diet.

Naturopathic doctors often use the elimination diet method to identify foods that could be causing adverse health effects. Through careful elimination of certain foods in phases, you and your doctor get a better understanding of which foods might be triggering unwanted symptoms.

Keeping a food journal can also help. Tracking everything you consume and at what time can reveal and eliminate possible culprits and help you gain a better understanding of your body and immune system. 

Food sensitivity testing is a functional testing option that can provide insight into potential immune responses to specific foods. While these tests can be helpful in guiding short-term elimination strategies, they are not diagnostic on their own and should be interpreted within the broader context of your health history and symptoms. A naturopathic doctor is required to properly interpret the results and develop an individualized treatment plan that supports gut health and long-term tolerance

Naturopathic Medicine: A Holistic & Preventative Approach to Health & Healing

Living with food sensitivities or intolerances isn’t easy. Even though symptoms aren’t life-threatening, as is the case with certain food allergies, these unwanted symptoms can take a toll on the body and mind.

If you feel like something isn’t quite right about how you feel, or you are constantly troubled by symptoms like nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, stomach pain, headaches, bloating, and gas, it is best to consult with a Naturopathic Doctor.

These health care professionals have clinical areas of focus in treating digestive disorders and hormonal imbalances.

To learn more, contact us today or book an appointment with Dr. Nicole Monk, our in-house naturopathic practitioner who focuses on holistic and evidence-based care to promote healing and wellness.

FAQs

Q1) What are the key differences between food allergies and food sensitivities?

True food allergies are IgE mediated, whereas food sensitivities are non-IgE mediated. Food allergy symptoms can be life-threatening, while food sensitivity symptoms are usually milder and not life-threatening. The reaction to a food allergy is also often immediate, unlike food sensitivities, where reactions are delayed and can happen after 48-72 hours.

Q2) How do I know if I have a food sensitivity?

If you have symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, nausea, headaches, or stomach pains frequently, you likely have a food sensitivity. 

Q3) What are the priority food allergens in Canada?

While a person can be allergic to any food, Health Canada defines priority food allergens as peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, milk, egg, fish, crustaceans (e.g., lobster, shrimp) and molluscs (e.g., scallops, clams), soy, wheat, triticale, and mustard.