Food allergy vs food intolerance — plus the grey zones in between

A true food allergy is an immune emergency.

It’s IgE-mediated, fast, and can be life-threatening — even trace amounts of a food can trigger hives, swelling, breathing difficulty or anaphylaxis.

But most food reactions aren’t true allergies.

The majority of people sit in the in-between zone — where foods trigger delayed immune, histamine, inflammatory or nervous-system responses rather than classic allergy pathways.

These reactions can show up as

• bloating or IBS symptoms

• rashes or eczema

• headaches or migraines

• joint pain

• fatigue, brain fog, anxiety

• flares that appear hours or days later

They’re very real — but they’re not IgE allergies.

These reactions are often dose-dependent, cumulative, and driven by gut health, microbiome balance, histamine clearance, immune tolerance and stress physiology.

Understanding the difference matters — because avoidance alone isn’t always the answer.

Sometimes the goal isn’t permanent removal, but repair and reintroduction.

Not sure which you have? Test dont’ guess! I use IgE + IgG testing, including complementary immune system markers, which can make you tolerant again!