The immune system may react to a wide range of foreign bodies in one’s body and it can do this in more than one ways. This is the main reason why people tend to mistake an allergy for an intolerance and so on. Food intolerance and allergy are not an exception from this rule either.There are some significant differences between an allergy and an intolerance and you should pay attention to the following in order to learn how to make the right difference between these two conditions that can affect your body.

• For start, a food allergy is all about an immune response to a particular food. A food allergy can be confirmed by undergoing several tests that include stool, urine, skin and blood testing. On the other hand, a food intolerance consists of bodily symptoms that are caused from your overexposure to particular foods – this intolerance may appear as soon as your immune system is weakened and your body will find it difficult to deal with a particular food than normal.

• However, medical lab testing seems to be the only solution when it comes to determining whether you are suffering from a food allergy or food intolerance. Unlike a food allergy, you may actually grow into and even out of your food intolerance. Keep in mind that a food intolerance is not caused by your immune system as it is the case with a food allergy.

• Food intolerance is also milder when compared to food allergies and it comes as your body’s failure to break down and digest that particular foods in the proper way. The main symptoms of a food intolerance include vomiting, general irritation, cramps, nervousness, heartburn,upset stomach, headaches, nausea and even loss of sleep. Instead of being a direct response by your immune system, your food intolerance will occur in your digestive system.

• A food allergy is what happens when your own immune system thinks that a particular ingredient from your food is dangerous. This will be the moment when your immune system will begin to fight that ingredient off by producing the necessary antibodies. Usually, people develop food allergies to some particular type of protein. For instance, the most common foods that may trigger food allergies are peanuts, tree nuts, soy products, milk and eggs. For a person dealing with a food allergy, the symptoms may be severe or milder and include pain in the chest, difficulty breathing, itchy skin, stomach pain and even diarrhea.

• Knowing the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance is paramount. For instance, you should keep in mind that a food allergy will be brought on even if you have just a tiny amount of that particular food – you will have to deal with your food allergy every time you eat that particular food. So, in order to avoid future food allergy, you will have to avoid consuming that particular food. On the other hand, a food intolerance is all about the amount of food you get and paying attention to the amount you get on a regular basis may help you avoid future food intolerance.