Can You Be Allergic To Cheese?

Most people enjoy a little cheese here and there, but some people though they may want to, are not able to; they have a cheese allergy. It is important not to confuse lactose intolerance with cheese allergies because they are in fact something completely different. A cheese allergy can usually mean that you are also allergic to dairy products, but that is not always the case. It is also important to know that most allergies do not last past the age of three so an allergist would need to check if in fact what you are suffering from is indeed an allergy.

The Symptoms

If you indeed have a cheese allergy then you will experience symptoms like hives, vomiting, wheezing, cramps, watery eyes, runny nose, diarrhea, itchy skin and others. It is important to find out if the symptoms are from allergies or something else because though it is rare in some cases it can be life threatening. Usually the allergies are to proteins like whey and casein which are found in milk and other dairy products. The body recognizes the proteins as a potential danger so your immune system so the reaction that takes place is what causes the symptoms. The truth is that in most cases it is not real allergies but rather sensitivity to proteins found in it.

Not Lactose Intolerance

People confuse allergies with lactose intolerance and they are completely different conditions. Lactose intolerance is not a problem of the immune system like allergies are. Instead the problem originates in a person’s digestive system and the malfunction it suffers. The stomach does not process lactose (sugar found in milk) correctly. At the same time the small intestine does not produce the lactase enzyme which is needed for the digestion and nutrient absorption. The symptoms of lactose intolerance are also different in that a person who suffers from it will have diarrhea, bloating and excessive amounts of gas. As you can see most of the symptoms in lactose intolerant people are of the gastrointestinal type.

Options

Fortunately there are a few options when you like cheese and you are suffering of allergies. The most obvious would be to go with vegan cheeses because they do not contain animal byproducts and therefore the proteins that you may be allergic to are not in that type of cheese. Some people have been known to have their allergies triggered by most cheeses, but then cheese curds will not have a reaction. That is because they have a lot less lactose than other cheeses. The better option is to look for cheeses which are aged for a longer period of time. If you have lactose intolerance and not allergies then they will be a much better choice.

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