FOOD INTOLERANCES & SENSITIVITIES

Some people have digestive medical problems. They are  unable to eat certain types of foods and ingredients.  Ingesting such products  can make them  unwell and if severe,  to the point of hospitalisation. There are also those who have identified through trial and error,  if they avoid  certain  foods, minor  unpleasant symptoms  are alleviated and  they generally feel better.  

The most common are wheat, lactose and gluten.

WHEAT: (not to be confused with Gluten) -  this is where products such as bread, pasta, pastry, cakes & biscuits, basically anything made from or contains  wheat flour and durum wheat .  Symptoms can  range from diarrhoea, lower abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating, constipation, fluid retention, indigestion, headaches & migraines, lethargy & tiredness, fluid retention,  depressive states & mood swings and in some instances feature in hyperactivity in children.  Barley, oats, rye, millet and maize are good substitutes.  

LACTOSE: is the sugar found in milk, it can cause nausea,  vomiting,  abdominal discomfort and various  digestive upsets including  projectile vomiting and colic in babies. Soya, goats, rice milk are common alternatives.  (Note  that some can be sensitive to soya products also).

GLUTEN: The condition is medically know as ‘Coeliac Disease’.  Gluten is a protein, an elastic substance  found in most grains . It is very stretchy and holds air very well, this is why high gluten flour is good for bread making as it rises. Grains that do not contain gluten or contain lesser amounts are less apt to rise. Wheat, rye, barley and oats all contain varying degrees of gluten. Gluten free flours and grains include  rice & rice flour, potato, soya, and gram  flours, millet, sorghum, corn and corn flour. There are quite a few gluten free products available but tend to be expensive.   Basically the gluten attacks the lining of the small intestines and food absorption practically stops, causing gassy distention abdominal pain, varying degrees of diarrhoea, severe weight loss and other health problems due to the malabsorption of essential nutrients.  Some  coeliacs may on very odd  occasions be able to tolerate small amounts of gluten without incurring symptoms. However, others can have severe reactions purely via contamination e.g. cutting a a loaf of wheat bread and then using the same knife or cutting board to cut cheese. If a coeliac ate the cheese the residue from the bread on the cheese can be enough to cause very unpleasant symptoms.  Many, many foods contain gluten and it is worth noting that manufacturers are not obliged to state gluten or gluten containing products in the ingredients if the quantity is below a certain amount - again another dietary minefield.