If you've searched for food sensitivity testing, there's a good chance you've also come across "intolerance testing" and "allergy testing" and wondered whether they're the same thing. They're related, but not identical, and understanding the difference helps you choose the right test and interpret your results correctly.
What is food sensitivity testing?
"Food sensitivity" is often used as an umbrella term covering non-allergic reactions to food, reactions that aren't life-threatening but still cause real, ongoing discomfort. In practice, most food sensitivity tests (including ours) work by measuring IgG antibody reactions to a wide panel of foods, in the same way an intolerance test does. A raised reaction flags foods that may be contributing to symptoms like bloating, fatigue, skin issues or digestive discomfort.
Common symptoms linked to food sensitivities
- Bloating, wind or stomach discomfort after eating
- Sluggishness or fatigue following meals
- Skin complaints such as breakouts or eczema-like flare-ups
- Headaches with no clear trigger
- Joint aches some people associate with certain food groups
How food sensitivity testing works
- Order your test kit online
- Take a small finger-prick blood sample at home
- Return your sample in the prepaid packaging
- Get a full breakdown of your results online, food by food
Results are typically graded by reaction strength, so you can prioritise which foods to eliminate first rather than cutting everything at once.
Sensitivity, intolerance or allergy, which test do I need?
Allergy (IgE): fast, sometimes severe reactions, hives, swelling, breathing difficulty. Needs urgent care if severe; not for at-home testing if reactions are serious.
Intolerance / sensitivity (IgG): slower, milder reactions, bloating, fatigue, skin issues, building up over hours or days. This is what food sensitivity and intolerance tests screen for.
If your symptoms are sudden and dramatic, start with allergy testing or a GP. If they're gradual and linked to digestion or energy levels, a sensitivity or intolerance test is the more relevant starting point.
What to do with your results
Once you've identified your higher-reacting foods, the standard approach is a short elimination period followed by a slow, one-at-a-time reintroduction, tracking how you feel as each food goes back in. This is far more informative than cutting multiple foods at once, where it becomes difficult to tell which change actually helped.
