Diet and Health Guidelines for Food Intolerances

Food Intolerances
Some people have adverse reactions to foods

that do not involve the immune system These are referred to as "food intolerances they are not food allergies

Causes of Food Intolerances

Food intolerances may be caused by: Enzyme deficiencies Reactions to chemicals in foods Sulfur Digestive diseases

Metabolic Intolerances
A metabolic intolerance is when the body

cannot adequately digest a portion or component of a food For example lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance

Lactose Intolerance
People with lactose intolerance cannot digest

(breakdown) lactose in milk Lactose is a disaccharide (sugar) in milk Lactose is digested by the enzyme lactase into two monosaccharides, glucose and galactose, which can be absorbed by the small intestine

Lactose Intolerance
If there is not enough lactase, the lactose is

goes undigested the intact lactose moves into the large intestine and is fermented by normal bacteria found in the large intestine The amount of lactase produced tends to decrease in adulthood Incidence of lactose intolerance varies for different populations.

Symptoms Of Lactose Intolerance

Symptoms include cramps, bloating,

intestinal gas, diarrhea and nausea Severity of symptoms varies with the amount of lactose consumed and degree of intolerance Symptoms appear from 15 minutes to several hours after eating foods or beverages containing lactose

Is Lactose Intolerance A Milk Allergy?

A milk allergy is an allergic reaction to the

protein components in milk, not the lactose in milk People with milk allergy usually must avoid all milk products. People with lactose intolerance can use certain dairy products that are low in lactose

How Much Lactose

Amount of lactose allowed depends on the

degree of lactose tolerance

Many can tolerate 6 grams lactose (1/2 C milk) Many can tolerate fermented products such as

yogurt and acidophilus milk Hard cheeses and cottage cheese may be tolerated because most of the lactose is removed with whey

How Much Lactose

Many foods contain small amounts of lactose,

for example breads, dry cereals, cold cuts, cream soups, salad dressings, candy, cookies, drink mixes, and sugar substitutes Most people can handle the small amount of lactose in these foods

How Much Lactose

Very sensitive people need to check food

labels carefully for:

Milk Whey Lactose Nonfat milk solids Dry milk solids Curds

Cheese Margarine Sweet or sour cream

Lactobacilus
Many people can use commercially prepared

milk products that have been treated with an enzyme (lactobacilus) that breaks down lactose Alternatively, people can take enzyme tables with meals or add enzyme drops to their milk
Example: Lact-aid, Dairy-ease, Lactinex

Gluten Intolerance
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and

barley or derivatives of these grains such as malt Some individuals cannot tolerate the gliadin fraction in gluten

Gluten Intolerance
Gluten intolerance is also referred to as celiac

disease, celiac-sprue, nontropical sprue or gluten sensitive enteropathy Individuals do not outgrow gluten intolerance

Symptoms Of Gluten Intolerance

As a result of gliadin intolerance the

intestinal lining is flattened which results in reduced food absorption, diarrhea, steatorrhea (fat in the stool), bloating, loss of appetite, muscle wasting, weight loss and can lead to progressive malnutrition

Symptoms Of Gluten Intolerance

Lactose intolerance may temporarily occur

secondarily to gluten intolerance However, lactose containing foods can be returned to the diet within a short time

Gluten Intolerance
Gluten containing grains Wheat Rye Barley Oats Although oats is gluten-free, the use of oats is controversial due to contamination with wheat during processing A limited intake of oats (40 to 60 g/day) is currently considered acceptable

Gluten Intolerance
Non-gluten containing grains Tapioca Corn flour Corn starch Rice flours Potato starch Potato flour Soy flour

Gluten-Free Flour Substitute

Gluten-free flour mix Rice flour 6 cups Potato starch 2 cups Tapioca flour 1 cup

Food Additive Intolerances

Although most individuals consume a wide

variety of food additives each day, only a small number have been associated with intolerances to food additives

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

MSG is a flavor enhancer MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, an

amino acid found naturally in all protein A few people report mild and short-lived reactions after eating MSG If MSG is added to a food it is listed on the label as monosodium glutamate

Sulfites
Sulfites are used to preserve color of foods

and inhibit microorganism growth Some people develop shortness of breath or fatal shock shortly after exposure to sulfites Sulfites can produce severe asthma attacks in sulfite-sensitive asthmatics

Sulfites
FDA banned the use of sulfites on fresh fruits

and vegetables (except potatoes) intended to be sold to consumers raw Sulfites added to all packaged and processed foods must be listed on the product label

Aspartame
Some people have complained of adverse

reactions to aspartame However, in clinical studies aspartame has not shown allergic reactions FDA concluded there is no evidence of a cause and effect between aspartame and sensitivities reported