Results Explained: Food Sensitivity Testing

Food sensitivity testing can be a beneficial tool in improving your health and reducing annoying symptoms. But occasionally, people feel they need a little more guidance concerning their results. That's why we've put together a bit of guidance in interpreting your test results.

The Threshold for Food Sensitivity Testing

As its quite normal for our bodies to have IgG antibodies, we don’t just look for IgG at all. But instead, look for a certain amount of the antibodies. We report those substances that produce a reactivity level of 85% and above as those foods which may be causing intolerance symptoms.

Colour coded results

Your intolerance test report will only contain those items with a food reactivity of 85%. These reports are separated into orange and red results. Results marked with red are those most likely to be causing your symptoms. They’re the items that have shown the highest reactivity levels. We recommend starting with excluding these when commencing your elimination diet. Those foods marked as orange are foods that have shown less of a reaction, but still high enough that they may cause intolerance symptoms. You can think of these as slightly lower ‘risk’ foods. Foods that your body might cope with in small amounts, for example, but not in larger quantities.

"I’ve been diagnosed with an allergy before..."

If you have previously been diagnosed with an allergy, but your test results didn’t indicate any sensitivity to the food, DO NOT begin eating it again. It’s often confused that food sensitivities and allergies are one and the same. This is not the case. It is possible to have a food allergy but show no signs of an intolerance to the food, and vice versa. Food sensitivities and food allergies are entirely different conditions. Allergies are usually for life, whereas sensitivities can come and go over time. Often avoidance of a food item for a while can be enough to improve or even eliminate the intolerance.

Further Support

If after reading this blog, you’d like more tailored advice, we do also offer Nutritional Therapist sessions. Many clients have found follow-ups with a BANT registered Nutritional Therapist to help them with next steps substantially. Clients often have questions after receiving their results, many of which our customer service team aren’t qualified to answer. A Nutritional Therapy session is the perfect solution for those looking for more bespoke guidance in their diet, based on food intolerance test results