Tomato allergy/intolerance symptoms

Today we are going to take a look at how a tomato intolerance can manifest and how it’s different to a tomato allergy. If you find that eating tomatoes gives you uncomfortable symptoms, you may be dealing with a tomato intolerance. Like many other intolerances, reactions to tomatoes are on the rise. Let’s take a more in-depth look into it.

Symptoms of tomato intolerance

When you experience an intolerance to foods, it is generally not mediated by the immune system. Instead, it is a reaction that usually occurs in the digestive system and can have far-reaching symptoms that branch out into all areas of the body. The response you have may also be dose-dependent and varies between individuals.

With tomato intolerance, the main symptoms that can occur are:

Stomach cramps and pains
Gas and bloating
Nausea
Heartburn/reflux
Skin irritations and eczema
Headaches/migraines
Irritability and or moodiness
Fatigue

Symptoms of tomato allergy

Unlike intolerances, food allergies are immune-mediated reactions that can very quickly turn life-threatening. This is due to an overload of histamine that can swell up airways and cause anaphylaxis to occur. If you are having severe reactions to tomatoes, we highly recommend you to see a doctor who specialises in food allergies and can safely test this for you. The early symptoms of tomato allergy can be similar to those of tomato intolerance, which is important to be aware of.

The main tomato allergy symptoms:

Hives or itchy skin rashes after consumption of tomatoes
Stomach pains and cramps
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
An itchy throat, followed by swelling of the mouth and throat in severe cases
Symptoms of hayfever, sneezing, running nose, coughing, wheezing.

Causes of tomato intolerance

As discussed above, having an intolerance to tomatoes is usually a digestive system reaction or issue. Where tomatoes are concerned, there are some specific things that may be causing you to react. They are:

The presence of a chronic condition such as irritable bowel syndrome or chron’s disease. These digestive conditions can make you far more intolerant to certain foods, including tomatoes.
Having a lack of protein digesting enzymes in your digestive tract.
A sensitivity to certain additives that are used in the production of tomato products. In this case, it’s not the tomatoes themselves. It could be things like sulphites that are used in preserving the tomato.
Having an undiagnosed histamine intolerance. Tomato products are high in histamines and can exacerbate an already existing intolerance. If you aren’t aware of it, it may seem like the tomatoes are causing the issue.
If you suffer from existing GORD – gastroesophageal reflux disease – then eating tomatoes can exacerbate this too. It may cause further reflux, heartburn, cramping and digestive issues.

In summary, today’s article covers the difference between a tomato allergy and a tomato intolerance. Some of the symptoms definitely overlap; however, a tomato allergy is severe and life-threatening, whereas a tomato intolerance is not. We also take a look into some of the potential causes of tomato intolerance. These are mainly digestive in nature and can be delved into further with the care of a qualified Naturopath or holistic doctor.

As always, if you suspect that your symptoms may be caused by a tomato intolerance, we highly recommend our state of the art intolerance test. You can order yours HERE today. Once we’ve received your hair sample, you will have your results within three business days. Like many of our previous customers, this information may be life-changing. We can’t wait to help you today.

References

https://www.livestrong.com/article/546076-tomato-intolerance-and-digestive-symptoms/

https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/tomatoes-recipes#symptoms