If you regularly feel bloated and suffer from digestive complaints, you may be wondering if your symptoms are caused by a reaction to eating certain foods. But how do you find out for sure? With so many food intolerance test kits available online, it can be difficult to know which one will give you the answers you need. In this blog, we discuss the things to look for in a food intolerance test, why taking one is a step to improving your health, and how they differ from elimination diets.
What is a food intolerance test?
A food intolerance test is a diagnostic tool you can use at home that will help identify whether your body has difficulty digesting certain foods. Simply send 4/5 strands of your hair to the UK Food Intolerance lab with a submission form, and we will test your cells to see how they react to a variety of foods. Your results will be emailed to you within 72 hours and give you a full breakdown of the components you’re most sensitive to. Once you know what foods are likely to trigger physical symptoms, you’ll have a clear idea of what you need to exclude from your diet to improve your health and wellbeing.
How is a food intolerance test different from an elimination diet?
An elimination diet is a procedure that is sometimes used to identify foods that a person is intolerant to. It involves cutting out foods that you suspect trigger symptoms and then slowly reintroducing them, one at a time, every few days. If you don’t experience any reoccurring symptoms, then you can assume that food is safe to eat and move on to the next item. On the other hand, if you find your symptoms present themselves after eating something you’ve reintroduced, it can be identified as a trigger and something to avoid in the future. The whole process takes approximately five to six weeks, but its time frame is influenced by how many foods you choose to eliminate and re-introduce.
Food intolerance tests vs elimination diets
Elimination diets are commonly used to identify food intolerances, but they come with their disadvantages. The main drawback is that finding out which foods trigger your symptoms can be a long process. It’s also difficult to spot the link between food and your body’s response because symptoms aren’t always immediate and can kick in hours or even days after consumption. Along with being lengthy, elimination diets are known to be quite restricting. This is particularly relevant if you need to cut out several foods at the start of the process and deny yourself meals you enjoy.
Try a food intolerance test for quick results
Taking a food intolerance test is a quick way of finding out which items your body has difficulty digesting to improve your health. Once your hair sample has been received at the UK Food Intolerance lab, your results will be emailed to you within three working days. Unlike elimination diets, a food intolerance test is very clear in its findings. The report you receive will include a full breakdown of the items you’re most sensitive to, as well as those that are likely to provoke a mild reaction. This means you could find out that your body is sensitive to ingredients you hadn’t suspected and will save you from suffering more symptoms in the future.
What should I look for in a food intolerance test?
With so many food intolerance tests on the market, knowing which one to choose can be confusing. Before your purchase, we’d always recommend checking how many food items they test against. Because our products investigate your cells’ response to over 900 items, they cover more ground than elimination diets and check against environmental factors such as pollen and animal fur. It’s also worth finding out whether other areas of your health can be assessed as part of the testing process.
Our Ultimate test will assess your reactivity to E-numbers, look for vitamin and mineral imbalances and check your gut biome, so it’s a full assessment of your digestive health. Also, check the dispatch time for your food intolerance test. We send our tests out the next working day, but you may find other companies have a longer turn-around time.
Contact UK Food Intolerance to improve your health
If you’re interested in ordering a food intolerance test, you can see the different options we provide on our website. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about our tests, so please fill out our contact form, or send an email to [email protected]. It’s important to remember that you should always speak to your GP for advice, so book an appointment to discuss any health concerns.
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