Food Allergies and Intolerances
What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?
A food allergy involves the immune system and can be life-threatening. A food intolerance affects digestion and is usually less serious.
Name one reason why someone might choose to be vegetarian.
Which stage of life usually needs the most milk or calcium-rich foods?
Childhood and adolescence (teenage years), because bones are growing rapidly.
What is a food taboo?
A food taboo is a food that people avoid because of religious, cultural or traditional beliefs.
Where do you commonly see food advertisements?
Television, social media, YouTube, websites, magazines, billboards and supermarkets.
Name two common foods that can cause allergic reactions.
List two foods that are suitable for a vegan diet.
Name the five main stages of the human life cycle.
Infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and older adulthood.
Give one example of a food that is not eaten in a particular religion or culture.
Name two techniques advertisers use to encourage people to buy food.
Why is it important to read food labels if someone has a food allergy?
Food labels show whether an allergen is in the product. Reading labels helps prevent accidental allergic reactions.
Explain one health benefit and one challenge of following a vegetarian diet.
Explain why teenagers need more energy and nutrients than young children.
Teenagers experience rapid growth, increased muscle development and hormonal changes, so they require more energy, protein, calcium and iron.
Explain why some religions have rules about certain foods.
These rules are part of religious beliefs and traditions and help followers practise their faith.
How can advertising influence the food choices of teenagers?
Advertising can make foods look appealing, encourage people to try new products and influence buying decisions.
Explain why someone with coeliac disease cannot eat foods containing gluten.
Gluten damages the small intestine of people with coeliac disease, making it difficult to absorb nutrients and causing illness.
Compare the diets of a vegan and a pescatarian.
Vegans eat only plant-based foods and avoid all animal products. Pescatarians eat fish and seafood but avoid other meats.
Which stage of the life cycle needs the most iron, and why?
Adolescence, because teenagers grow rapidly and need iron to support growth and healthy blood.
Why is it important for restaurants and schools to understand people's food taboos?
It helps respect cultural and religious beliefs and ensures everyone has suitable food choices.
Explain how social media influencers can affect the foods people choose to eat.
People may trust influencers and want to copy them, making them more likely to buy or eat foods that influencers promote.
A café accidentally serves a customer peanuts instead of another nut-free ingredient. Explain what could happen and describe two ways the café could have prevented this mistake.
The customer could experience a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which is a medical emergency. The café could prevent this by:
A teenage athlete decides to become vegan. Explain how they could still meet their protein, iron and calcium needs.
They should eat foods such as tofu, beans, lentils, soy milk, fortified cereals, leafy green vegetables and nuts. Planning meals carefully helps ensure they get enough nutrients.
Which stage of the life cycle has the highest energy (kilojoule) requirements, and why?
Adolescence, because teenagers experience rapid growth, puberty and are often more physically active, so they require more energy than other life stages.
Imagine you are planning a school lunch for students from many cultures and religions. Explain how you would ensure everyone has suitable food choices.
Provide a variety of meals, clearly label ingredients, offer vegetarian, halal and allergy-friendly options, and avoid cross-contamination.
What is one reason why food advertisements may not always give consumers a complete picture of a product?
Advertisements often highlight positive features while leaving out less healthy aspects such as high sugar, fat or salt content.