You can do a two day tannin elimination diet to see if you are tannin intolerant.
You will need to make sure you are in a smoke-free zone (no wood fires, barbeque smoke, or cigarette smoke) for two days.
Widespread pollution in the air does not trigger symptoms (it may do in very polluted cities), but some room fresheners and perfumes do if sprayed close by.
Don’t use any moisturizers, shampoo, hair conditioner, or cream/spray deodorants during the diet.
One of the reasons I eat/consume tannin 2 -3 times a week is so I can wash my hair.
All shampoos, hair conditioners, moisturizers, cream deodorants etc., contain some form of tannin and will be absorbed into the bloodstream when rubbed into the skin, triggering symptoms. You can use shower gel or soap only if it is on the skin briefly.
You can use the crystal deodorants that you run under the tap. They are very effective.
To be clear, I only wash my hair and use moisturizers when I eat tannin, as I will have symptoms anyway.
Do not use toothpaste during the diet. Brushing teeth without toothpaste is as effective as brushing with it (I have researched this online). I do, however, use toothpaste on the days I eat tannin.
When you stop eating food that contains tannin (before you start the diet), make sure you brush your teeth and remove any food stuck between your teeth, gum, and cheek; otherwise, you may swallow it hours later, extending the length of time you have symptoms the following day.
If you prove to have tannin intolerance and decide to avoid tannin sometimes and eat it at other times, use a separate toothbrush to brush your teeth when you eat tannin and another for when you don’t eat tannin, to prevent contamination.
It would be best not to do any exercises like crunches or yoga during the diet as the detoxing effect can sometimes cause headaches which might affect/confuse the results of the test.
Also, if you will be giving up coffee, tea, and smoking, it would be good to do so before you start the diet, as it could cause withdrawal symptoms that might confuse the test results.
Ensure all dishes used during the diet are rinsed to remove washing-up soap suds. Dishes from the dishwasher will be fine.
Preparation
Make your tannin-free bread, flapjacks, etc., the day before starting your elimination diet (see Recipes page).
You will find further information about how to follow the two day tannin elimination diet on the following pages: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, and Miscellaneous Points and Reminders.