Question 1

Who should take the Food Sensitivity Test?

Accepted Answer

Do you ever feel like you may have certain symptoms related to foods, such as headaches, stomach pain, or diarrhea? Do you feel you may want to try eliminating possible triggers, but you are not sure where to start? Our Food Sensitivity Test measures your body’s IgG immune response to 96 common foods. A temporary elimination diet is a way to help you pinpoint foods that may be causing your symptoms. This test is not the same as a food allergy test. Food allergies are mediated by IgE antibodies, and symptoms for food allergies typically occur within minutes to hours of exposure. These symptoms are often severe and potentially life-threatening. Food sensitivities, on the other hand, are often marked by a low and slow onset, and involve an entirely different antibody—IgG. In addition, this test does not test for lactose intolerance, IBS, or celiac disease. Your body may have an immune response to foods you eat, which may manifest as physical symptoms. Some of our customers take the Food Sensitivity Test because they experience symptoms like: Feeling bloated after eating Migraines Headaches Indigestion Gastrointestinal (GI) distress Stomach or abdominal pain If you are looking to add a potentially ‘problematic’ food back into your diet to see if you’re still reactive to it on your test results, it’s recommended to consume that food for about 4-6 weeks prior to testing.

Question 2

Who should not take this Food Sensitivity Test?

Accepted Answer

The results of your Everlywell Food Sensitivity Test are intended to be used to guide a temporary elimination diet with an add-back challenge. This is a critical step in helping pinpoint which foods may be causing your unwanted symptoms. We understand that food elimination and restriction can lead to or trigger disordered eating behavior. For this reason, it is not recommended to take the Food Sensitivity Test if you currently have or are in recovery for an eating disorder (i.e., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder). It is also not recommended to use the results of your Food Sensitivity Test to achieve weight loss. Eating a balanced diet is important and your results are not intended to strictly limit your consumption and inhibit your ability to obtain necessary calories and nutrients from food. Due to the specific nutritional needs of pregnant and breastfeeding women, elimination diets are not recommended. It’s best to speak with your healthcare provider for advisement should you be experiencing unwanted symptoms.

Question 3

Is the Food Sensitivity Test available for children under 18?

Accepted Answer

Everlywell currently does not offer tests to anyone below the age of 18. This is noted in the everlywell.com cart page, our terms of use, the FAQ section, and our physical kits. Additionally, we restrict registration for anyone below the age of 18. If a test was purchased on everlywell.com and your order hasn’t shipped, we can offer a full refund upon request. Our full returns policy can be found here. For any other questions regarding this policy, please feel free to contact our Customer Care Team.

Question 4

How accurate is the Food Sensitivity test?

Accepted Answer

All of the laboratories with whom we partner are considered industry leaders in their respective areas, with extensive histories and CLIA certification. All of them perform frequent internal quality controls and testing, as well as regular third-party testing for independent validation of the accuracy of their testing. Consistently, such validation shows a high degree (>95-99%) results correlation. IgG antibody reactivity is based on exposure to the food or foods; therefore, individuals who have since eliminated 'problematic' foods (those which they suspect may have caused symptoms) from their diet may see a lower reactivity than expected. The laboratories processing Everlywell tests are CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited.

Question 5

What will my results tell me?

Accepted Answer

Your food sensitivity results will tell you how reactive your IgG antibodies are to 96 common foods. Each food will be rated on a Class scale of 0-3: Class 0 (normal reactivity) to Class 3 (high reactivity). This is a great place to start if you want to dig into your body's relationship with food.

Question 6

What guidance will I get along with my Food Sensitivity results?

Accepted Answer

Everlywell will provide suggestions about what to do next. While reactivity does not always equate with symptoms, it can help prioritize the foods selected for a temporary elimination diet. Once you have your IgG test results, you can try a two-part elimination diet to help you pinpoint which foods may be causing you symptoms. This can allow you to achieve the right balance of minimizing your symptoms while maintaining a lifestyle that you enjoy. Our tests provide personalized information and education; they are not intended to diagnose any disease or condition, or to substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have regarding your medical care. This test is a great place to start if you suspect that one (or more!) of the foods currently in your diet may be causing you discomfort. Enjoy food sensitivity testing the way it should be; quick, easy, and from the convenience of your home.

Question 7

Understanding the Difference: Food Sensitivity vs. Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance

Accepted Answer

Your body can react to a 'troublesome' food in several different ways, and how your body reacts to that food depends on whether you may have a food sensitivity, food intolerance, or food allergy. It’s not uncommon for confusion to exist around the fact that allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities aren’t interchangeable.

Question 8

What are symptoms of a food sensitivity?

Accepted Answer

If you have a sensitivity to a particular food, you might experience one or more adverse reactions several hours or days after eating that food. Some reported symptoms from our customers include: Headaches, Bloating, Stomach or abdominal pain, Indigestion, Gastrointestinal distress

Question 9

How It Works: Food Sensitivity Testing with an Elimination Diet

Accepted Answer

An elimination diet can be a useful tool for uncovering the specific foods you’re sensitive to. Basically, in an elimination diet, you temporarily remove foods from your diet that you suspect could be giving you symptoms. In other words, you stop eating those 'suspect foods' for a given amount of time – often between 4-6 weeks. Next, you add those foods back to your diet – one at a time. Each time you add a 'suspect food' back to your diet, you watch for symptoms for about 2-3 days. If a food you’re adding back doesn’t result in symptoms, then you continue eating it as a normal part of your diet. But if a food does give you symptoms when you add it back to your diet, then you’ve likely found a food you’re sensitive to. That’s why food sensitivity testing can make a real difference if you want to discover the foods you’re sensitive to. A food sensitivity test checks the reactivity levels of your IgG antibodies for many different foods. (IgG antibodies are another type of antibody that your immune system produces.) If you have a high IgG reactivity level to a certain food, there’s a possibility that food may be involved with causing your food sensitivity symptoms. So taking a food sensitivity test can give you a list of 'suspect foods' that’s based on your body’s immune system response. You can then use this information to guide your elimination diet – and to choose what foods to eliminate at first. This helps remove a lot of the 'guessing' in the elimination diet process – and can make it easier for you to pinpoint the foods behind your symptoms.

Question 10

How does a food sensitivity blood test work?

Accepted Answer

A food sensitivity blood test measures your IgG reactivity levels for different kinds of food, using a small sample of blood. High IgG reactivity for a certain food indicates there’s a possibility that food may be involved with causing your symptoms. Knowing your IgG reactivity levels for various foods can help you create a list of 'suspect foods' to initially remove in an elimination diet – making it an easier, quicker process to pinpoint what's causing your symptoms of food sensitivity.

Question 11

What is an IgG food sensitivity test?

Accepted Answer

An IgG food sensitivity test uses a small sample of blood to check how your IgG antibodies react to different kinds of food. A higher IgG reactivity level for a certain food can mean that there’s a possibility that food can be giving you symptoms – making that food an ideal candidate to include in your list of 'suspect foods' you initially remove in an elimination diet. An IgG blood test for food sensitivity reveals your IgG reactivity levels for different foods. A higher level of IgG reactivity for a given food suggests that it may be causing your symptoms. However, higher IgG reactivity levels don’t always correlate with symptom-causing foods – which is why it’s so important to use an elimination diet (guided by your IgG test results) to accurately pinpoint your specific food sensitivities.

Question 12

Can I use FSA or HSA funds to pay for the Food Sensitivity Test?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Everlywell Food Sensitivity Test is FSA and HSA eligible. You can pay directly with your FSA or HSA card at checkout. This makes proactive health testing more accessible without added out-of-pocket costs. This can vary depending on your health plan and recommend to check with you plan provider for eligibility.

Question 13

What is the difference between the Food Sensitivity Test (96 foods) and the Comprehensive Food Sensitivity Test (204 foods)?

Accepted Answer

The Food Sensitivity Test measures IgG reactivity to 96 common foods ($199). The Comprehensive Food Sensitivity Test covers 204 foods ($299) and is ideal for people who want broader coverage across additional grains, seafood, spices, and vegetables. Both tests use the same finger-prick collection method and CLIA-certified labs.

Question 14

Is the Everlywell Food Sensitivity Test CLIA-certified?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All Everlywell tests are processed in labs that hold a current CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) certificate, maintain state licenses, and go through routine inspections and third-party proficiency testing to make sure your results are accurate and reliable. Many of our labs are also CAP-accredited — widely considered the gold standard in lab testing quality.

At-Home Food Sensitivity Test

Unique stories

More ways to invest in your health

You have questions, we have answers