Six Kinds Of Food Allergies

By Laura Power, MS, PhD

What Is a Food Allergy?

A food allergy, (hypersensitivity), is defined as an exaggerated immune response to a food. Reactions can vary by the person, food, symptoms, or type of response. Six kinds of immune responses can cause physical, mental and emotional symptoms. The top five reactive foods include milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and peanuts.

Type 1 – IgE

These immediate reactions occur within 1 60 minutes. They affect only 20% of people, but are the most severe. IgE antibodies attach to foods on mucus membranes, releasing histamine, causing inflammation.

Symptoms include asthma, rhinitis, hives, eczema, flushing, or anaphylactic shock. They often involve dairy, seafood, nuts and beans. They can be tested by a blood test or skin prick.

Type 2 – Lectins

These delayed reactions occur within 8 72 hours. Lectins bind to the digestive lining or red blood cells, causing inflammation and damage.

Symptoms include digestive swelling or anemia. Scientific articles describe 65 food lectins that attach to cells with A, B or O blood type markers. Common foods include beans, seafood, and vegetables. But 95% of lectins are destroyed by cooking and digestion.

Type 3 – IgG

These delayed reactions occur within 8 72 hours. IgG antibodies bind to food allergens, form immune complexes that deposit in tissues, causing inflammation and damage. Symptoms include digestive problems, rashes, joint pains. They often involve milk, eggs, and gluten grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats). They can be tested by ELISA-IgG blood test.

Type 4 – T-cells

These delayed reactions occur within 8 72 hours. T-cells (white blood cells) react to food allergens in tissues, causing damage and inflammation. Symptoms include contact allergies, rashes, joint pains, and digestive problems. They often involve dairy, nightshades, sugars, and chemical sensitivities. They can be tested by the ELISA/ACT LRA blood test.

Type 5 IgD

These reactions have only recently been discovered. IgD antibodies are released in the blood and secretions (saliva, digestive juices), and react with small molecules. These include sulfites, chemical dyes, food additives, iodine, alcohol, and gluten grains.

Symptoms include fever and inflammation, but can also include hives and eczema like IgE, but not consistently to the same foods as IgE. No commercial tests are available yet except for total IgD.

Type 6 IgA

Secretory IgA antibodies are protective against microbes, but not usually inflammatory. However, S-IgA antibodies are elevated in celiac disease, a food intolerance that damages the intestinal celia or villi. They can be tested by a blood test.