Wheat Intolerance

Whilst it is possible for the body to develop a sensitivity or intolerance to any food or drink item there are certainly those, which are very common, including wheat.

Wheat is a common ingredient used in a wide range of foods, such as bread, pasta, biscuits, crackers, cereal, cakes, pastries and more. It’s also often used as a thickener so can be found in soups, sauces, stews and processed meals, as well as alcoholic drinks like beer. That means, if you regularly experience symptoms after eating many of these foods, you may have a wheat intolerance.

What is a wheat intolerance?

Wheat intolerance is caused by your body’s inability to digest or metabolise wheat, which leads to symptoms often experienced around the stomach and gut that range from mild to severe. It’s relatively common, which means there are plenty of wheat-free products available so that you can still eat the food you enjoy but avoid unpleasant or painful symptoms.

What is the difference between a wheat intolerance and a gluten intolerance?

While wheat does contain the protein gluten, gluten isn’t specific to wheat. If you have a wheat intolerance, you’ll only experience symptoms after eating wheat. If you have a gluten intolerance, you’ll not only experience symptoms after eating wheat, but all other cereals and grains that contain gluten as well.

For more information read our article on the difference between a wheat intolerance and gluten intolerance.

What’s the difference between wheat intolerance and coeliac disease?

Coeliac disease is when your body’s immune system attacks healthy cells every time you eat gluten, which can cause damage to the lining of your gut which can lead to problems with digestion. This can have a major impact on your long-term health, unlike with an intolerance, which only causes short-term effects.

Wheat intolerance vs wheat allergy

A wheat allergy is caused by your body’s immune system incorrectly interpreting wheat as a threat, triggering it to attempt to fight it. This is what causes the symptoms, which are often similar to that of a cold or flu.

A wheat intolerance is caused by the body’s inability to process it. The symptoms can be similar to an allergy, but often centre around the gut or stomach.

How common is wheat intolerance?

Wheat intolerance is fairly common, which is one of the reasons why there are so many alternatives to wheat-containing products on the market.

Many very young children have a wheat sensitivity or allergy due to their developing digestive and immune systems, but the majority will grow out of it as they enter their teens.

Because wheat is a member of the Poaceae family, it’s common for adults with a wheat allergy or intolerance to also have an allergy to other species in the family, including grass pollen. That being said, an intolerance can develop at any stage throughout your life, even if you’ve never experienced symptoms before.

Wheat intolerance symptoms

If you have symptoms every time you eat food containing wheat, there’s every chance you do have an intolerance. Here’s our wheat intolerance symptoms checklist so you can see if what you experience lines up, which may arise immediately or several hours later:

  • Diarrhoea
  • Constipation
  • Bloating
  • Cramps
  • Gas
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Skin redness or irritation

How to test for a wheat intolerancene

Thankfully, if you suspect you have a wheat intolerance or allergy, there are ways to quickly, affordably and reliably find out for sure.

Wheat intolerance test

There isn’t a specific wheat intolerance test, but you can take a food intolerance and sensitivity test that uses a small sample of hair to check against up to 970 potential triggers to determine exactly what you have an intolerance to – including wheat.

Body Intolerance Test product
blood allergy testing

Wheat allergy test

If your symptoms are more in line with an allergy, a blood allergy test enables you to take a quick and painless blood test at home to find out exactly what you have an allergy to in less than one week.

How does a wheat intolerance impact your diet?

If you have a wheat intolerance, there are two major ways it can impact your diet. The first is that it can lead to a series of painful, unpleasant and potentially embarrassing symptoms every time you eat wheat, which makes eating out in restaurants especially tricky.

The second is that it’ll encourage you to take a closer look at product labels to make sure the food you buy doesn’t include wheat. Even though wheat is a common ingredient in many foods, there are plenty of alternatives available so you can continue eating your favourites.

Wheat-free foods you can enjoy

As we’ve already highlighted, there are so many wheat-free alternatives available that you don’t have to go far to find the products you enjoy but in a wheat-free way. Many of these will be found in your local supermarket’s gluten-free aisle as there is a lot of crossover.

Check out this list of wheat-free foods you can pick up so you can make positive but tasty changes to your diet:

Flour

  • Almond
  • Arrowroot
  • Brown rice
  • Buckwheat
  • Coconut
  • Cornmeal (maize)
  • Garbanzo
  • Millet

Bread and bread products

  • Almond
  • Brown rice
  • Buckwheat
  • Millet
  • Rye
  • White rice

Cereals

  • Cornflakes
  • Oatmeal
  • Granola

Pasta

  • Buckwheat
  • Chickpea
  • Quinoa
  • Red lentil
  • Rice

Foods to avoid if you have a wheat intolerance

Wheat is used in a wide range of products, so it’s important to read the label on anything new you might buy. But, there are usually gluten- or wheat-free alternatives so you don’t have to miss out.

Foods that often contain wheat include:

  • Bread
  • Pastries
  • Cereal
  • Biscuits
  • Cakes
  • Pizza
  • Pasta
  • Sauces
  • Stews
  • Soups

Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAMS)

Our food sensitivity tests are carried out using bioresonance therapy and is categorised under Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAMs) which covers a wide range of therapies that fall outside mainstream medicine. Tests and related information provided do not make a medical diagnosis nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider if you have a medical condition or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and/or medical symptoms.

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We believe that in providing you with your test results and relevant information in each section, your results can form the beginning of a journey, enabling you to make positive changes to your daily diet and environment.

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