Wheat intolerance is a condition that leads to symptoms after consuming foods made from wheat or foods that have wheat as an ingredient. Wheat is undoubtedly one of the most common cereal grains globally. Due to this popularity, wheat is found in many common foodstuffs we consume daily in the UK. In 2020 alone, the UK produced 9.66 million tons of wheat [1].
The easiest way to know you have wheat intolerance is by checking out the symptoms. If you experience common symptoms like abdominal pain, cramping or nausea every time you eat wheat-rich foods, you could be suffering from wheat intolerance. You can then prove this by getting yourself an intolerance test online.
Wheat intolerance means that your body rejects a specific protein found in wheat. In celiac disease, this protein is gluten. In such a condition, it means that you’ll have to avoid everything that contains gluten, including wheat. To know whether you have full-blown celiac disease or just wheat intolerance, you will need to take an intolerance and allergy test to rule out these assumptions.
Wheat Allergy – Is it Dangerous?
The short answer is yes. Proceeding to eat wheat even when your body rejects it, regularly, is the hallmark of celiac disease. Celiac disease is a gluten hypersensitivity condition that damages the lining of your intestines, preventing your body from taking in nutrients from the foods you eat, which could lead to malnutrition. People suffering from wheat allergy or celiac disease often develop autoimmune conditions like thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
The grown-ups can explain their symptoms, but sadly, children cannot explain what they are experiencing. Wheat or gluten allergies in children can force your child to live a life of compromise and can even affect them mentally as they won’t keep up with their fellow children both at school or the playground.
While you can easily manage wheat allergies, failure to do so can lead to severe dehydration, severe diarrhoea, and even electrolyte imbalances in the gut. All of these can cause a negative impact on one’s health and can severely impact the quality of life. The only way to manage wheat intolerance is by avoiding anything that contains wheat. Always read the labels well before consuming any products. Sometimes wheat is found in the rarest things like soy sauce and mouthwash.
Wheat intolerance symptoms.
Symptoms of wheat sensitivities can affect your whole body. As covered in the blog ‘What are the symptoms of a what allergy’, these can include:
- Headache: If you develop a headache immediately after eating wheat or foods with wheat as an ingredient, it could signify that you are dealing with a wheat allergy. The headache can be weak or strong, constant or pounding, depending on the severity of the allergy and the amount consumed.
- Rash: A rash could develop on your face, neck or elsewhere on your body, indicating that you are dealing with a wheat allergy. The rash could be itchy, or it could just be hot and inflamed, depending on the amount.
- Congestion: Feeling congested after eating wheat is another sign that you are dealing with an allergy. It’s often assumed that you are fighting a cold, but the cause could be as simple as a wheat allergy. The congestion could be partial congestion with sniffing, or it could be a complete blockage.
- Cramps or vomiting: Another common sign is having severe cramps after eating — even hours after — or vomiting. This kind of reaction is often misdiagnosed as food intolerance.
- Anaphylaxis: From difficulty breathing to trouble swallowing to fainting, anaphylaxis [2] often happens immediately after eating wheat and is the most severe allergic reaction that can occur.
How Can I Know If I Have Wheat Allergy?
Wheat allergy or gluten allergy has prevalent symptoms that can be precursors to numerous conditions. These include cramping in the abdomen, excessive gas, loss of appetite, and even diarrhoea.
The only authentic way of finding if your body is intolerant towards wheat is to get a wheat intolerance test. A simple allergy and food intolerance test will help you run a wheat intolerance test alongside other food intolerance tests. The test kit is versatile and can help diagnose as many as 110 intolerances with a simple finger-prick blood sample.
How Can I Test Myself for Wheat Allergy?
After ordering a wheat intolerance test kit online, it will be delivered to your doorstep with our tracked Royal Mail service. A blood sample can test for up to 110 allergies and intolerances, but cheaper options are also available that will test your blood for a few allergies.
Once the kit arrives, you can take the test from the convenience of your home within seconds. The finger-pricking method is pain-free and quick. You can send the sample to the testing labs through the mail, and the results will be sent to you by the team within 7 days.
If the results show that you either have a wheat allergy or intolerance, don’t panic, all will be fine. You can always contact your doctor or nutritionist and get the foods you can replace wheat in your diet. More than 8.5 million people have gone gluten-free in the UK [3], even though some don’t have wheat intolerance or wheat allergy; so, don’t feel alone in this journey. Every time you go shopping, check labels carefully to keep yourself safe. Just like other intolerances, your wheat intolerance might go away with time, but before then, keep away from it.
Conclusion
Wheat sensitivities are one of the most common self-diagnosed illnesses, which can lead to changing your diet and lifestyle unnecessarily, plus if done incorrectly, will involve cutting out important food groups from your diet. Avoid the guesswork and choose the right blood test for you. They are affordable, quick and accurate, giving you the first steps to finding out what your body can tolerate.
References
- M. Shabandeh, Statica, Wheat Production Volume in the UK (2003-2020). Published July 27, 2021. {Online} https://www.statista.com/statistics/315998/wheat-production-volume-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
- National Health Service (NHS), November 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anaphylaxis/
- British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC News), 8 September 2016, {Online}. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37292174