Food intolerance happens when your digestive system struggles to break down certain foods. Unlike allergies, it doesn’t involve the immune system, but it can still lead to uncomfortable symptoms. It’s usually not life-threatening, but it can affect your quality of life if left unmanaged.

Symptoms often appear a few hours after eating the trigger food, and can vary depending on the type and amount of food eaten.

Most common food intolerances are:

• Lactose intolerance  - when your body can’t properly digest lactose (the sugar found in milk and dairy products). This happens due to a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose in the small intestine.

• Gluten intolerance (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye).

• Fructose intolerance, means your body has difficulty absorbing fructose, a natural sugar found in fruits, honey, and some sweeteners.