What Is The Difference Between A Wheat Intolerance And Gluten Intolerance?

Gluten proteins are found within wheat. That means that those who are Gluten Intolerant are also wheat intolerant. However, it doesn’t work the other way around.

Gluten is found in other grain substitutes such as barley and rye, so those with a wheat intolerance who do not react to gluten proteins, can still eat these foods without experiencing a reaction.

Supermarkets have continuously expanded their range of gluten and wheat-free produce in recent years to cater for those who are following a gluten-free diet or avoiding wheat.

What is the difference between wheat intolerance and celiac disease?

Celiac disease is a lifelong intolerance to gluten, which is classed as an autoimmune disease. It is estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition where the body’s immune system actively attacks its own tissues when gluten is consumed. It’s important to know that celiac disease is neither a food allergy or food sensitivity.

A wheat intolerance, on the other hand, could be reintroduced after eliminating the food trigger for a few months.  If you feel that you might have celiac disease, it’s important to discuss your concerns with your doctor where they can take a simple blood test to check for antibodies which can indicate celiac disease. yorktest food sensitivity tests do not test for celiac disease.

Can you outgrow wheat intolerances?

It is possible to no longer be intolerant to wheat by eliminating it from the diet and then reintroducing it later in life.

This task should always be carried out with the support of a nutritional professional, who can advise on healthy alternatives and ensure that your diet remains balanced.

Step one – Have you visited your doctor to discuss the symptoms you are experiencing? If not, you should consult with them so they can rule out any underlying medical conditions and celiac disease.

Step two – Take a Full Yorktest Programme, which identifies the individual foods and/or drinks your body is reacting to (both wheat and gluten are tested for). Typically, those with intolerances* react to 4 or 5 ingredients. You should therefore be aware that wheat may be just one of your “trigger foods”.

Step three – With the help of a yorktest nutritional therapist, carry out a 12-week elimination diet by cutting out your food intolerances* and substituting healthy alternatives into your diet.

Step four – If you wish to reintroduce your trigger food(s) back into your diet, we advise that this should be a gradual process in order to monitor how your body responds and to look out for a return of any symptoms.

* yorktest define food intolerance as a food-specific IgG reaction.

Is there a test for wheat intolerance/sensitivity?

The symptoms of a wheat intolerance are much less extreme than those of an allergic reaction. However, they can still be very disruptive to a person’s life. After your doctor has ruled out any underlying medical conditions, you can get a Food Sensitivity Test* from yorktest.

yorktest have been offering food intolerance* tests directly to consumers for more than 35 years. These tests analyse your IgG antibody reactions to up to 208 food and drinks, including wheat and gluten.

With this simple home-to-laboratory finger-prick test, yorktest can identify whether or not your body is producing IgG antibody reactions to elements of your diet.

Our reactions to food and drink varies a great deal from person to person and an ingredient that causes a problem for one individual could be completely okay for another. Fortunately, yorktest’s team are on hand to identify your own personal “food fingerprint”.

It is thought that 45% of people have an intolerance of some kind and usually it is more than one ingredient that the body is reacting to. We find that the average person who is intolerant* reacts to 4 or 5 ingredients and it can often be an unexpected food or drink, which is causing an IgG reaction.

Real Stories – True stories from people who came to yorktest to identify their intolerance* and then optimised their diet.

Our tests do not detect allergic reactions to wheat, if you feel that you may have a wheat allergy, please consult your doctor or medical professional.