Allergy or intolerance
What's your reaction?
Food allergy: An overreaction by the body’s immune system to a particular food. The body produces antibodies against a food protein and releases histamine and other chemicals that
cause inflammation. An allergic reaction can happen within minutes, but symptoms can also take up to two hours to appear. Peanuts and sesame seeds are common causes of food allergies.
Food intolerance: An adverse reaction to food that does not trigger the immune system. It can include reactions to non-protein substances in foods such as carbohydrates, chemicals, additives, toxins, and irritants. Food intolerance is often dose-related. Unlike allergies, symptoms can occur many hours after eating the food. Common examples include gluten and lactose.
Coeliac disease
People with coeliac disease have an immune reaction to gluten. It is a genetic, autoimmune condition caused by – you guessed it – gluten. Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye, barley, oats, as well as their various subspecies and hybridised strains. About one in 70 people in New Zealand and Australia have coeliac disease and must follow a strict gluten-free diet.
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