Food Intolerance Testing
When experiencing uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating or tummy pain after we eat, it is a good idea to look to eating habits and diet to see if this could be causing the unpleasant physical reactions. In some instances, there are certain foods or ingredients that may be impacting on digestive health and a food intolerance test can help identify which ones are most likely to be causing digestive difficulty.
A food intolerance test is a helpful tool to guide you in which foods should be avoided, but it is important to note that this is NOT an allergy test. It is always worth investigating with your GP, as testing may be available via the NHS, however if you know you do not have an allergy but may have an intolerance then worth trying food intolerance testing.
What is a food intolerance?
An intolerance can have very similar symptoms to an allergy – you may notice when you eat certain foods that you have digestive symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation or perhaps indigestion. It may be other symptoms too, such as brain fog, low energy levels, headaches, anxiety or joint pain.
About the test
Cambridge Nutritional Sciences offer a skin prick blood testing service, which can identify foods you have an intolerance to.
There are several choices of test available. You can choose the range of foods that are tested – from 40 foods (priced at £120) up to over 200 foods (priced at £275).
All of the test kits are very simple and are done at home via a skin prick blood test. The test kit will be sent to you at home to do, then you return it to Cambridge Nutritional Sciences.
The results of the test will be with you in around 10 working days, they will be emailed to you directly. The results will be split into three sections:-
GREEN FOODS
YELLOW FOODS
RED FOODS
What happens after the test?
This is an intolerance test NOT an allergy test, therefore you would eliminate the problematic foods for a period of three months. After that you can reintroduce those foods slowly. Some clients find that although they can reintroduce those foods after three months, they feel better without them and so choose to not include those foods in their diet.
The report from CNS is a very useful tool for our customers to be able to navigate shopping, knowing what they can and can’t eat and of course we are here in store to help provide guidance on your results and show you options we have in store. We never advocate leaving out food groups from your diet and would look to find healthy alternatives if you have identified foods that are problematic.
If you have been avoiding certain foods that you suspect are problematic and then decide to do the intolerance test, you would need to start eating those foods before testing.
What if I have an allergy to a food?
The difference between a food allergy and food intolerance is that a food allergy produces an immediate IgE antibody reaction with symptoms such as rashes, sneezing, hayfever and breathing difficulties. Food intolerance is a delayed IgG antibody reaction producing symptoms up to 3 days after eating a particular food making it more difficult to identify the cause – ref: Cambridge Nutrition
The Food Intolerance Testing we offer is NOT allergy testing. If you suspect that you have an allergy we recommend you speak with your GP
How do I buy a test, and which one should I go for?
You can talk through the options with us in store or by calling us on 01737 223499. Our team of registered Nutritional Therapists will guide you to the most suitable test for you. You can also contact us online using the contact form below.
In the meantime, you can take a look at which foods are included in each FoodPrint Test. Click here….. Food Print Food List.
Prices are correct as of 20th April 2022. These can be changed, withdrawn or amended with immediate effect.
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FoodPrint 40+ £120.00
The cheapest of the FoodPrint range and includes some of the most common foods such as wheat, gluten, yeast, soya and dairy.
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FoodPrint 120+ £230.00
In addition to all the foods included in the FoodPrint 40+ this test also includes foods such fish, goat's milk, brazil nuts, pistachio, sheep's milk, buckwheat, mackerel, venison, tomato, cocoa, tea and coffee.
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FoodPrint 200+ £275.00
This is our most comprehensive food sensitivity test including everything in the FoodPrint 40+ and FoodPrint 120+ along with spelt, tapioca, seafoods, beans, flax, buffalo milk, casein, whey, quinoa and blueberries.
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Vegetarian 60+ £245.00
Tests for 60+ vegetarian foods including gluten, yeast, soya, chickpeas, lentils, cow's and goat's milk.
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Vegan 60+ £235.00
Tests for 60+ vegan foods including gluten, yeast, soya, chickpeas, lentils, sesame seeds, coconut and carob.
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FoodPrint Indicator £15.00
The FoodPrint Indicator test is designed to determine whether an individual has elevated food-specific IgG antibodies. If the Indicator test is negative, it is unlikely that they have an IgG food intolerance. However, if the result is positive, then upgrading to a more detailed FoodPrint test would be recommended.