{"id":583,"date":"2021-10-01T05:36:38","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T05:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/preprod.cookingenie.com\/content\/?p=583"},"modified":"2025-07-28T11:57:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T06:27:20","slug":"whats-difference-between-food-allergies-intolerances-sensitivities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/whats-difference-between-food-allergies-intolerances-sensitivities\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the Difference Between Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #12334e;color:#12334e\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #12334e;color:#12334e\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/whats-difference-between-food-allergies-intolerances-sensitivities\/#Food_allergies\" >Food allergies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/whats-difference-between-food-allergies-intolerances-sensitivities\/#Food_intolerances\" >Food intolerances<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/whats-difference-between-food-allergies-intolerances-sensitivities\/#Food_sensitivities\" >Food sensitivities<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/whats-difference-between-food-allergies-intolerances-sensitivities\/#The_bottom_line\" >The bottom line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>We\u2019re all familiar with food allergies, but nowadays you constantly hear terms like \u201csensitivity\u201d and \u201cintolerance\u201d to different foods. These three terms often get lumped together, but they\u2019re unique conditions that elicit different responses from the body and have varying levels of seriousness. So, what do all these terms mean? And how should they affect your cooking?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Food_allergies\"><\/span><strong>Food allergies<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of the three<strong>, <\/strong>food allergies are the most serious. A food allergy is an immune response in your body, usually diagnosed by an allergist with a formal test. The cause of food allergies is still unknown, but the body perceives a harmless food as a threat and in response releases an immune hormone called histamines to \u201cattack\u201d that food it sees as harmful. The release of these histamines causes various symptoms such as hives, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. The onset of symptoms from an allergic reaction is usually immediate.<\/p>\n<p>In cases of extreme allergic reactions, the victim can go into anaphylaxis, a rare allergic condition which can cause fainting and restricting airways. Anaphylaxis requires emergency medical attention and can be life-threatening.<\/p>\n<p>People can be allergic to almost anything, but the most common severe food allergies are milk, <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/glossary\/eggs\/\" title=\"Eggs\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"30311\">eggs<\/a>, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, wheat, and shellfish.<\/p>\n<p>Allergic reactions from food can range from a slight itch in the ears to a fatal case of anaphylaxis, and just a trace amount of the allergen can be enough to cause a dangerous reaction. Even those who believe they have a \u201cmild\u201d allergy may have a severe reaction any time they consume that allergen, so it\u2019s best to avoid it altogether. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/how-to-cook-for-guests-with-food-allergies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Cooking for someone with a food allergy<\/u><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0must be done with great caution.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Food_intolerances\"><\/span><strong>Food intolerances<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While food intolerances are not as serious as allergies, they can cause significant illness and discomfort. An intolerance is not an immune response like an allergy, but instead is marked by the body\u2019s inability to digest certain foods. Most food intolerances cause uncomfortable symptoms including stomach pain and diarrhea, but they are never life-threatening. Food intolerances are usually diagnosed by a doctor and symptoms often take several hours after eating to occur. Some common food intolerances are to lactose, a sugar found in cow\u2019s milk, and wheat.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike with allergies, those with food intolerances can usually have small amounts of the food they\u2019re intolerant to. For example, those with a lactose intolerance may be able to have a little bit of grated parmesan <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/white-cheese-types-nutrition-recipes-cookingenie\/\" title=\"White Cheese: Explore Types, Best Uses, Nutritional Facts and Chef Approved Recipes\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"30312\">cheese<\/a> on a pizza or a touch of heavy cream cooked into a soup, but a spoonful of yogurt may make them sick. Similarly, someone with a mild intolerance to gluten may be able to have a dash of soy sauce over rice, but not a bowl of <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/glossary\/pasta\/\" title=\"Pasta\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"800\">pasta<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>There are, however, some more severe intolerances. Celiac disease is a rare intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, that can cause severe stomach pain, diarrhea, and violent vomiting. People with Celiac disease cannot have any traces of gluten.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Food_sensitivities\"><\/span><strong>Food sensitivities <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Compared to food allergies and intolerances, food sensitivities have the mildest of reactions. Similar to an allergy, food sensitivity is an immune response so it can affect multiple organs with a wide range of symptoms including headaches, fatigue, rashes, and nausea.<\/p>\n<p>The reaction from a food sensitivity can begin hours, or even days, after eating. Because of the delayed onset, food sensitivities can be hard to pinpoint and many of them go undiagnosed. Food sensitivity to gluten, for example, can be as simple as generally feeling tired a couple of days after eating bread. A good way to figure out if you have food sensitivity is to systematically eliminate certain foods from your <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/qa.cookingenie.com\/content\/blog\/the-path-to-a-healthier-you-building-a-balanced-diet\/\" title=\"The Path to a Healthier You: Building a Balanced Diet\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"179\">diet<\/a> for a week or two at a time to see if there\u2019s a change in how you feel. You can also get tests for certain food sensitivities.<\/p>\n<p>For many people with food insensitivities, a moderate amount of the ingredient will not lead to symptoms. However, as with allergies and intolerances, the level of sensitivity varies from person to person.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_bottom_line\"><\/span><strong>The bottom line <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities are all challenging conditions that should be taken seriously when cooking. When cooking for others with any of these conditions, be sure to talk to them beforehand and fully understand the nature and severity of their condition. If it\u2019s just a mild sensitivity or intolerance, you may be able to use a little bit of the ingredient to make the tastiest dish possible. But, if your guest has a severe food allergy, you should steer clear of that ingredient.<\/p>\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/cookingenie.com\/\"><strong><em>CookinGenie<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, all allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities are taken very seriously. <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/cookingenie.com\/explore\/chef\" title=\"Chef\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"29382\">CookinGenie chefs<\/a> undergo a rigorous interview process, and they are adaptable to different dietary restrictions. The CookinGenie support staff will also work with you closely to ensure your meal meets your requirements so that you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a delicious homecooked meal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re all familiar with food allergies, but nowadays you constantly hear terms like \u201csensitivity\u201d and \u201cintolerance\u201d to different foods. These three terms often get lumped together, but they\u2019re unique conditions that elicit different responses from the body and have varying levels of seriousness. So, what do all these terms mean? And how should they affect [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6699,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[75,76,77],"class_list":["post-583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-food-allergies","tag-food-intolerances","tag-food-sensitivities"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.5 (Yoast SEO v25.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Understanding Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to identify, manage, and prevent food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities with tips from CookingGenie&#039;s blog.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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