Was It Something You Ate: Food Intolerance What Causes It and How to Avoid It

This is the first book for general readers that offers clear guidance through the chemical minefields that can be present in food. While most people are sensitive to one or more chemicals in their diet, such as M.S.G., alcohol or caffeine, our bodies can usually tolerate modest amounts of these offending substances. If we know which chemicals give us a problem, we can usually avoid unpleasant bouts of nausea, headache, and diarrhea. This book helps identify the substances that can provoke a toxic response-ranging from benzoates to serotonin, sorbates, and tyramines-and explains why food intolerance occurs, what its symptoms are, and why some people are so badly hit while others are not bothered at all. Each chapter is illustrated with actual case studies of people who have been stricken by substances in their diet. Based on proven medical and scientific research, this essential book will help people to avoid troublesome chemicals and enjoy their food.

John Emsley is Science Writer in Residence at Cambridge University. Peter Fell, MD, is Director of the Oxford Allergy Center.