Do you sometimes make do with frequent abdominal issues, brain fog, sinus problems, or even mysterious skin rashes? If so, it could be something you ate! Food sensitivities have become a hotly contested topic in the realm of integrative health, mostly because they appear to be on the rise.
If you think a food sensitivity may be at the root of your symptoms, you should consider trying an elimination diet in an attempt to pinpoint the food (s) responsible. Of course, there’s also the option of going for a food sensitivity test. But since the science is still in its infancy, the question remains- are food sensitivity tests such as the famous gluten sensitivity test accurate?
Before delving deeper into our discussion topic, it is important to know how food sensitivities differ from intolerances and allergies. While the terms are often used interchangeably, food intolerances, food sensitivities, and food allergies aren’t the same thing.
In the event that someone has food intolerance, you might hear them mention that certain foods or ingredients like cruciferous vegetables, food additives or dairy products, don’t agree with them. Commonly defined as having trouble digesting certain foods, intolerances don’t involve the immune system. Despite this, they can cause digestive upsets just a short time after eating the offending food.
The good thing about food sensitivity testing is that it can test a large number of foods for adverse reactions from a single sample. Not to mention it may help to identify specific foods causing symptoms and results can be obtained faster than those uncovered via a traditional elimination diet.
However, some of the drawbacks to these tests is that it can’t be customized to test for specific foods and can sometimes be expensive. Remember, laboratory-developed tests are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In this regard, you should speak with your healthcare provider to determine if a food sensitivity test is right for you. Things are not any different when you want to settle for a gluten sensitivity test.
