Kerri Waldron
Here’s a look at some of the most commonly experienced food intolerances, as well as which foods should be avoided for individuals with each intolerance.
Lactose
Lactose, which is a sugar that naturally occurs in dairy products, is the most common food intolerance, impacting an estimated 68% of the population globally. With lactose intolerance, a person is unable to fully break down lactose because they lack the required digestive enzyme (lactase), and thus they may experience GI symptoms after consumption.
People with a lactose intolerance will have varying levels of how much lactose they can tolerate before experiencing symptoms. Foods with high levels of lactose include:
- Animal milks
- Yogurt
- Cream cheese
- Ice cream
Fructose
A fructose intolerance is among the most common food intolerances alongside lactose intolerance, according to Dr. Wood. With this food intolerance, people are unable to properly absorb fructose, which is a simple sugar that’s mainly found in fruits, though it’s also added as a sweetener to processed foods and beverages. Often, individuals with fructose intolerance experience symptoms like gas pain, bloating and diarrhea within hours of consuming fructose.
To avoid these symptoms, affected individuals should read labels carefully to make sure they’re not consuming fructose or high-fructose corn syrup.
Some common foods (among many others) containing fructose include:
- Apples
- Pears
- Watermelon
- Asparagus
- Broccoli stalks
- Honey
- Fruit juice or cider
- Soda
- Certain sports drinks
- Ketchup and BBQ sauce made with high-fructose corn syrup
- Any breads, pastries or cookies made with high-fructose corn syrup
FODMAPs
Another common food intolerance is to FODMAPs, which stands for fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols. Collectively, this refers to a type of carbohydrate, or sugar, found in certain types of foods.
FODMAPs are not easily absorbed by the bowel, and thus people with an intolerance to certain FODMAPs may experience symptoms like gas, bloating, nausea and fullness, among others. FODMAPs intolerance is seen “very commonly in people that have irritable bowel syndrome,” says Dr. Kirby. The following carbohydrates are considered FODMAPs:
- Fructose (found in fruits, honey, high-fructose corn syrup)
- Lactose (found in dairy products like cheese, yogurt and milk)
- Fructooligosaccharides, or fructans (found in rye and wheat, cabbage, onions and garlic)
- Galactooligosaccharides, or galactans (found in beans, lentils and chickpeas)
- Polyols, including sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol (found in sugar alcohols and fruits with pits or seeds like avocados, cherries and peaches)
If you suspect an intolerance to a FODMAP, you may use a low-FODMAP diet approach. In this process, you initially follow a diet low in FODMAPs before following a structured reintroduction to identify intolerances.
Sulfites
Sulfites are compounds that are added to foods and beverages to make them last longer. Individuals with an intolerance have an adverse reaction to sulfites. While it’s not clear what causes a sulfite intolerance to develop, this type of food intolerance “usually affects patients that have a propensity for severe asthma,” according to Dr. Kirby.
Individuals with a sulfite intolerance may need to avoid foods and drinks including:
- Beer
- Wine
- Soft drinks
- Dried fruit
- Canned fruits and vegetables
- Deli meats
- Condiments
- Cookies and crackers
Tyramine
Another food intolerance that people may experience is intolerance to tyramine, a naturally-occuring substance that is found in foods and beverages, particularly those that have been fermented or pickled. People who get migraines may have a tyramine intolerance, per Dr. Kirby, and those taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) may need to limit their consumption of or entirely avoid tyramine.
Foods that are high in tyramine include:
- Wine, particularly red wine
- Beer
- Smoked or cured meats, such as salami, pepperoni and bacon
- Aged cheeses
- Sourdough bread
- Raspberries
- Eggplants
- Tomatoes
Source: forbes.com
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