FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK FACTSHEET
Introduction to food
intolerance
Our food has
changed drastically over the last 30 years, and so have food-related problems.
Additives are
now used in healthy foods such as bread, butter, yoghurt, juice or muesli bars
as well as in junk food. Reactions to food additives are related to dose, so
the more you eat, the more likely you are to be affected. A British survey in
2007 found that:
·
most consumers underestimate how many additives they eat
·
the average consumer eats 20 additives per day (19 if foods are
home-cooked)
·
most consumers don't know which foods contain additives.
Effects of food additives can include
·
irritability, restlessness, difficulty falling asleep
·
mood swings, anxiety, depression, panic attacks
·
inattention, difficulty concentrating or debilitating fatigue
·
speech delay, learning difficulties
·
eczema, urticaria and other itchy skin rashes; angioedema or
swelling of the lips etc often associated with rashes
·
reflux, colic, stomach aches, bloating, and other irritable bowel
symptoms including constipation and/or diarrhoea, sneaky poos, sticky poos,
bedwetting
·
headaches or migraines
·
frequent colds, flu, bronchitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis; stuffy or
runny nose, constant throat clearing, cough or asthma
·
joint pain, arthritis, heart palpitations, racing heartbeat
·
and see more at the bottom of our home page
|
Some additives that can cause problems ARTIFICIAL COLOURS (in sweets, drinks,
takeaways, cereals and many processed foods) 102 tartrazine, 104 quinoline
yellow, 110 sunset yellow, 122 azorubine, 123 amaranth, 124 ponceau red, 127
erythrosine, 129 allura red, 132 indigotine,133 brilliant blue, 142 green S,
143 fast green FCF, 151 brilliant black, 155 chocolate brown NATURAL COLOUR 160b annatto (in
yoghurts, icecreams, popcorn etc, 160a is a safe alternative) PRESERVATIVES 200-203 sorbates (in margarine, dips,
cakes, fruit products) 210-213 benzoates (in juices, soft drinks,
cordials, syrups, medications) 220-228 sulphites (in dried fruit, fruit
drinks, sausages, and many others) 280-283 propionates (in bread, crumpets,
bakery products) 249-252 nitrates, nitrites (in processed meats like ham) SYNTHETIC ANTIOXIDANTS (in margarines,
vegetable oils, fried foods, snacks, biscuits etc) 310-312 Gallates 319-320 TBHQ, BHA, BHT (306-309 are safe alternatives) FLAVOUR ENHANCERS (in tasty foods) 621 MSG 627, 631, 635 disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate,
ribonucleotides |
Natural food chemicals
Some natural
chemicals called salicylates can cause the same problems as additives if consumed
in large doses or by sensitive people. For problems serious enough to see a
doctor, or conditions with a diagnosis such as ADHD, eczema etc it is best to
find out more about salicylates, as well as other natural food chemicals called
amines and glutamates.
These natural
food chemicals are increasing in our food supply, due to increased availability
of out-of-season fruit and vegetables, concentrated natural chemicals in
processed foods, and added flavours. Foods high in salicylates include strawberries,
kiwifruit, avocadoes, sultanas and other dried fruits, citrus, pineapple,
broccoli, pizza toppings, tomato sauce, olive oil and tea. Cheese and chocolate
are particularly high in amines. Salicylate sensitivity can be triggered or
worsened by medications such as aspirin and other NSAIDs (non steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Nurofen and lotions e.g. anti-arthritis,
salicylate-containing teething gel.
People rarely
realise that they are affected by salicylates or amines unless they eat a very
large dose in a short time (e.g. salicylates at Christmas or amines at Easter)
or until they reduce their intake. This is because these food chemicals are
eaten so frequently that the effects fluctuate and can build up very slowly.
One mother wrote:
'I cut back my five-year-old daughter's intake of fruit to about a
quarter of what she normally had. Within days we saw dramatic changes. Her
behaviour evened out … she was more sensible and obliging, less aggressive and
defiant - and altogether much more pleasant to live with.'
Flavours and
fragrances such as fruit or mint (e.g. in toothpaste) are another source of
salicylates. Since the 1970s, increasingly large doses have been added to
products. In the UK, recent studies of new mothers found more headaches and depression
in mothers and more asthma, diarrhoea, vomiting and ear infections in babies
with increasing use of air fresheners and/or aerosols.
A smaller
number of people are sensitive to dairy foods and/or wheat or gluten.
A dietitian can
supervise a three week trial of the RPAH (
For more information
·
The revised edition of Fed
Up (2008) by Sue Dengate is now in bookstores.
·
The Failsafe Cookbook
(2007) by Sue Dengate from your bookstore or library. It's not just a recipe
book - there's heaps of information about food intolerance as well, and a step
by step guide about how to do the elimination diet.
·
The DVD Fed Up with
Children's Behaviour is available through the website. This is what one man
wrote:
‘I've watched your fantastic DVD three times since receiving it.
It has made me go back to the drawing board, I think I missed salicylates
earlier. You might want to reconsider the title "Fed up with Childrens
behaviour", it is not just about children I feel, and it is not just about
behaviour either. It goes much further. Many people who are not concerned about
children's behaviour could still benefit in a big way from the DVD. Perhaps
consider "Your Food, Your Health, Your Relationships & Your wellbeing:
YOUR LIFE!!!" or something similar. Although the focus in this DVD was on
children, but many a time adults are shown to benefit as well.’
·
Write for our list of supportive dietitians confoodnet@ozemail.com.au - if you
say where you live, we may be able to recommend someone special. Most people
only need one or two visits to a dietitian plus some phone or email backup.
Dietitians say it cuts an hour off consultation time needed if people have read
Fed Up before they go.
·
Friendly Food by researchers from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Allergy Unit, available from libraries, bookstores and
http://www.cs.nsw.gov.au/rpa/Allergy/default.htm. Firnely Food contains excellent colour-coded
salicylate and amine charts, but in our experience, very few families succeed
with Friendly Food alone. One failsafer wrote: 'Thank you for writing your
fantastic "Failsafe Cookbook". We have been using it for a while and
have recently gotten "Friendly Foods" as well and as good as it is
for a lot of stuff, I'm SO grateful for the simple, family friendly recipes in
your book.
·
our email newsletters and support groups provide useful support,
local shopping lists and answers to questions
For example, email with "subscribe" in the subject line
to:
Newsletter -
failsafe_newsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com newsletter (4 per year) with
product updates, new research, helpful reports ...
parents -
failsafebasic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
babies -
failsafebaby2-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
adults - failsafeadult-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
asthma -
failsafeasthma-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
eczema -
failsafeeczema-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
NZ -
finCant-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
ACT -
finACT-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
NT -
finNT-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
See factsheets
for more information 
The
information given is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor
for underlying illness. Before beginning dietary investigation, consult a
dietician with an interest in food intolerance. You can find a supportive
dietitian through the Dietitians Association of
© Sue Dengate update
May 2008
