Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance

Food Allergy	Food Intolerance/ Sensitivity
A food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by the body’s immune system. There are several types of immune response to food.	A digestive disorder. The inability to digest certain foods normally.
IgE antibodies to a specific part in a food triggers an immune reaction	Causes severe illness that can last for weeks after the offending food is digested.
220 million people worldwide have a true IgE food allergy (15 Million US)	More difficult to diagnose because reactions vary and can be delayed.
Can be life threatening- death within seconds up to 2 hours if not treated with Epi pen.	More prevalent than food allergies.
Ingestion of food allergen can cause severe sickness for weeks and impact the skin, gastrointestinal track, head, mouth and respiratory system.	168 Million people have a lactose intolerance. Other common food intolerance to MSG, beans, gluten, but there are over 150 known to cause food intolerance.
No cure except strict avoidance	Some medications have proven effective for some intolerances (i.e. lactose) Strict avoidance may be necessary.

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