For those with a sweet tooth, the idea is appalling: sugar abstinence, because consumption triggers allergic reactions. But is the sugar allergy really there?
Imagine, you let melt a wonderfully sweet piece of chocolate on the tongue – and the next moment you get rash and itching. This can actually happen because a “sugar allergy” really exists. Fortunately for all sweet toothed cats only very rarely!
Short flights
Maybe you have also fallen into an extreme power down after your energy level has shot through the ceiling through a chocolate bar or some gummy bears? Guilt is the sugar: It raises the blood sugar level in the air, which gives us power for a short time – but this then drops off all the faster. And we sit and stare blankly at the screen, completely unable to concentrate on our work.
This reaction is completely natural and fortunately has nothing to do with a sugar allergy. Many people are just a little bit sensitive to sugar. It is critical when we realize that the sugar consumption triggers physical discomfort with us. Here, too, one must distinguish between a sugar intolerance and a genuine allergy – the latter can be life-threatening in the worst case.
What are the symptoms of a sugar allergy?
In the case of sugar intolerance, the symptoms are rather annoying in the first place: for example, nausea and bloating may occur. If there is an allergy, on the other hand, physical complaints occur immediately after consumption. These include, for example:
- diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
- skin rash
- itching
If you get short of breath or feel your neck constricted, the emergency doctor should be called immediately. Because these symptoms indicate an anaphylactic shock that, if left untreated, can lead to fainting and, in the worst case, death.
Symptoms? Off to the doctor!
Fortunately, a true sugar allergy but as I said, really rare. In contrast, intolerances are more common – because lactose intolerance is also considered to be sugar intolerance. If you feel that you are allergic to sugary foods, be sure to talk to your doctor.
The best way to do this is to run a food diary, where you record what you ate and whether it caused any discomfort. Patients with bowel diseasesuch as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis should also be aware of this: sufferers are usually at greater risk for sugar intolerance.
By the way: If you want to live sugar-free , we’ll tell you how to do it here.