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Signs You Have a Food Intolerance

Your constant bloating or mystery runny nose may signal subtle signs of a food intolerance. 

Ever noticed that biting into a grilled cheese sandwich or spooning into yogurt unleashes a slew of uncomfortable gastrointestinal side effects? You may be victim to a food sensitivity or intolerance. 

What is a Food Intolerance? 

“A food intolerance is a digestive problem that results after eating a particular food or food group. A food intolerance is different than a food allergy in that it doesn’t produce an immune reaction to the specific food or food group. That means, your immune system isn’t triggered and therefore won’t produce a histamine response. “For example, if someone has a peanut allergy and ingests a peanut-containing product, they may experience anaphylaxis and require immediate medical attention, whereas someone with a lactose intolerance who consumes a lactose-containing product may have a stomach ache as a result. Though less severe in response, food intolerances are not to be taken lightly as they frequently lead to a decreased quality of life due to pain, discomfort, and the avoidance of certain foods.” 

While bloating and gas are two of the most common side effects, a food intolerance can trigger some other bizarrely unconventional reactions. These are the 15 signs you may have a food intolerance, straight from experts.1 

Fatigue 

“Fatigue results from an inflammation and immune response. Your body has to work harder since the food is not completely digested so the food and has a more taxing effect on your body rather than the energizing effect you hope for after eating. This may result in fatigue and inflammation. Fatigue can also result from a food allergy because your immune system is expending a good amount of energy trying to remove the food protein ‘invader.'” 

Bloating & Cramping 

“Enzymes are proteins that act on certain foods to help break them down. Some people lack the necessary enzymes to properly break down certain foods. This lack of food breakdown or digestion can lead to the feeling of bloating or stomach cramping. One of the most common intolerances that produce this symptom is a lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is caused by a deficiency in the enzyme lactase which breaks down the disaccharide or sugar in milk called lactose. 

Migraines 

Sulphites are preservatives that are commonly found in wine, dried fruit, some condiments, and other pre-packaged foods. An individual who has a sulfite intolerance may experience headaches, migraines, and even asthma-like symptoms after consuming these products. There is no true test to diagnose this intolerance, however, keeping a food log and removing these foods from the diet could reveal an intolerance if symptoms resolve.” 

Gas 

“Gas and bloating are often caused by high FODMAP foods. People often don’t realize that avoiding FODMAPs long-term might control symptoms but it doesn’t address the reason they’re reacting poorly to highly fermentable foods. In my practice, I usually see this from bacterial overgrowth. The tolerance to high FODMAP foods improves when people treat the underlying cause.” 

Joint Pain 

“Joint pain is a result of inflammation which may be the result of a food allergy or intolerance. Any immune system reaction has the potential to trigger joint pain.” 

Hives 

“Food allergy symptoms often vary from food to food. Some foods such as nuts and fish are accompanied by anaphylactic reactions, which can be life-threatening if not treated with an EpiPen. Oftentimes an anaphylactic reaction will include symptoms such as an itchy throat, trouble breathing, and hives. However, many minor reactions are also accompanied by hives, normally in the facial region. This type of reaction normally indicates an intolerance to a food consumed in the past few minutes or within the hour. Hives on the tongue are normally indicative of a more severe reaction, but can also be triggered by a sensitivity to nightshade vegetables such as eggplant or red peppers.” 

Diarrhea & Constipation 

“The most severe form of a gluten intolerance is celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the villi of the small intestine in response to the presence of gluten (the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley). Essentially, gluten confuses the body to attack itself rather than the foreign substance. This disease presents widespread issues including but not limited to constipation, diarrhea, malabsorption of key nutrients like vitamin D, iron, and B12, skin rashes, headaches and migraines, steatorrhea (oily stool), chronic fatigue, and chronic weight loss. 

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a less severe form of the gluten intolerance where the body doesn’t have an autoimmune response but still does not handle the ingestion of gluten well. Studies show that 50 percent of gluten sensitive individuals experience diarrhea and 25 percent may experience constipation. Every case of these issues does not point to a gluten intolerance. However, if persistent, these symptoms may be worth exploring.” 

Arthritis 

“Just as people who suffer from migraines usually have an immune component, an immune component can also trigger arthritis. Inflammation from gut hyper-permeability leads to higher levels of immune modulators that create inflammation.” 

Heartburn & Acid Reflux 

“Heartburn and acid reflux ensue when food is not fully digested or when acid comes up through the esophagus and burns tissue in the esophagus and throat. When your body is sensitive to a food, it takes more energy to digest and could cause a hold up in the digestive system—though at that moment we can’t see what’s happening internally, we often feel it as heartburn or acid reflux.” 

Runny Nose 

“While it is less common with allergies or intolerances, a runny nose is often a sign that your body is trying to cleanse itself and when paired with other symptoms can sometimes signify you may have a food intolerance.” 

Acne & Rosacea 

Although a food allergy differs from a food intolerance, people who are intolerant to certain foods should avoid the triggers. “Skin issues like hives, rashes, itchiness, acne, eczema, rosacea, and puffiness can all be signs of a food allergy. A food allergy results when your body’s immune system overreacts to an allergen. When you consume a food that your body thinks is harmful (even though it is not), your immune system responds by creating disease-fighting antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Anytime that you eat a food containing that protein, your body is triggered to release IgE antibodies and other chemicals or ‘mediators,’ like histamine, in efforts of attacking and expelling the invading protein from your body. Histamine is a powerful chemical. The allergy symptom you experience depends on where in the body the histamine is released. If it is released in the skin, you are likely to experience one of the skin issues mentioned above.” 

Best Foods to Ease a Stomach Ache

Get fast relief with these natural cures that ease an upset tummy. 

There’s nothing worse than the gas, bloating, nausea, and overall discomfort when stomach troubles strike. From diarrhea to queasiness, it can be debilitating—and all you want is some relief as fast as humanly possible. 

The good news? The next time you’re stuck on the toilet or laid up in the fetal position from gas pain, you don’t have to suffer so much because quick and healthy cures may actually already be in your kitchen! These are the foods that are proven to cure an array of stomach ailments—and for more staples to keep stocked for a healthy life and smarter cooking. 

Ginger 

One of the most surefire ways to soothe an upset tummy is with ginger—a remedy that’s been used since ancient times. “Its properties naturally relax the intestinal walls. “Try a cleansing light broth with ginger and shredded chicken or carrots, or sip a homemade ginger tea.” 

A recipe: Peel six to eight thin slices of ginger, quarter one lemon and place it all in four cups of water. Bring the heat up to a boil then reduce to a simmer for five minutes! “This makes a few servings, so you can sip on it throughout the day and it tastes incredible.  

Gluten Free Oatmeal Bowl and Slippery Elm 

“Stomach aches have so many different causes that it’s important to treat the cause, not the symptom. “However, the main cause of most stomach discomfort is gas or bloating. This kind of discomfort—along with an irritated digestive track—requires soothing foods, which contain a good amount of fiber to keep things moving. I recommend a small bowl of gluten-free oatmeal, made with rice or almond milk and slippery elm powder. Oatmeal is a great source of fiber, and the herb slippery elm is mucilaginous, which means that it coats the whole of your digestive tract with a soothing and healing film.” To make this combo: Mix one cup of gluten-free oats with two cups of non-dairy milk in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Simmer for five minutes until the oats are cooked. Stir in one tbsp slippery elm powder. Top with cubed apple, walnuts, and a couple of chopped dates. 

Banana and Almond Butter 

A gentle-on-the-stomach snack is banana slices with almond butter on whole grain toast. “Bananas are easy on the stomach and help you restore normal bowel function because they contain a natural ingredient called pectin. 

Milk 

“Soothing your stomach can be as simple as drinking a glass of milk, which contains calcium. “It will help balance your stomach’s pH level.” 

Lemon and Cinnamon 

Add lemon and cinnamon to tea, oatmeal, water, or any other foods that are lighter on your stomach. “Lemon and cinnamon are great ingredients that contain antioxidants that help support the mucous layer in the stomach and small intestine that can be the cause of aches if you have an ulcer. 

Apple Cider Vinegar 

Using apple cider vinegar when you have an upset stomach seems counter-intuitive because we know vinegar is an ‘acid’—the very thing that you’re told to stay away from when your stomach is ailing. “But when the vinegar is truly raw and unpasteurized—the kind that’s cloudy— it has wonderful, alkalizing effects. “It’s an antidote for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and acid reflux.”  

Papaya 

There’s magic from Mother Nature in the deliciousness of papaya; the enzymes papain and chymopapain help break down proteins and soothe the stomach by promoting a healthy acidic environment. Eating papaya can encourage digestion, ease indigestion, and also help with constipation. Your local grocer doesn’t carry papaya? You can take papaya extract tablets, which are sold at your local health food store. 

White Rice or Boiled Potatoes 

As a general rule of thumb: “the blander the better,” when your stomach is giving you trouble. Plain white rice or boiled potatoes can ease diarrhea and loose stool by absorbing fluids and adding bulk to your stool. 

Applesauce 

Apples, like bananas, contain pectin, which is a great way to relieve diarrhea. Applesauce—instead of whole, raw apples—are a better choice when your stomach is upset because it’s a much easier form to digest. Otherwise, we don’t really recommend it since it’s pretty low in fiber—unless you’re using it as a baking swap, that is! 

Yogurt 

Dairy is usually a food group you’re told to stay away from when you’re stomach is upset. But plain yogurt that is labeled as having “active cultures” or probiotics, which increase the number of good bacteria in your gut. This will help with digestion and get rid of that bloated, uncomfortable feeling in your stomach that makes you feel like you can’t even get up off the coach. 

C.R.A.P. 

This, er, memorable acronym stands for “Cherries, Raisins, Apricots, and Prunes.” They’re all fruits with fiber—which are natural ways to “loosen things up” when you’re constipated. 

Mint 

Mint—added to tea, preferably—is a soothing way to relieve gas and decrease that painful and uncomfortable cramping that comes along with it. Mint can reportedly help with the flow of bile and acids in your stomach! 

Aloe Juice 

Sold in health food stores, aloe juice can coat your stomach to relieve heartburn and stomach aches. But just keep in mind that while the juice is great for pushing toxins out of your system and clearing things out, you must drink it in moderation because it acts as a laxative. 

Fennel 

If you’re feeling particularly gassy or stomach ache-y, chew on half a teaspoon of fennel seeds or some fresh fennel. Fennel is like a natural Gas-X and helps flush toxins from your system. 

Caraway Seeds 

Caraway seeds (similar to fennel seeds, but still different!) are filled with vitamins and minerals so they stop the growth of bad bacteria that’s the culprit of indigestion, gas, or bloating. Grab a handful to snack on after eating a meal to nip any problems in the bud before they happen—or as soon as you start to feel gassy. 

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