Whole Protein v Peptide Food Sensitivity Testing… the devil is in the details

There is so much confusion and misinformation about food sensitivities and food sensitivity testing. More and more people are getting curious about which foods they should or should not eat, so they turn to testing. It seems like everywhere you go, this practitioner says their testing is the best and another says it’s no good! Who’s right?! 

….the answer to this question lies in what you are looking to confirm by testing….

If you have done an at-home food sensitivity test or blood test with your doctor, these tests measure an IgG-mediated whole protein look at foods that could be affecting your immune system and causing inflammatory symptoms like headaches, digestive distress, skin rashes, etc. 

The most important limitation of whole protein food sensitivity testing is the digestive capacity and intestinal barrier of the client. If whole proteins are being presented to the immune system the test results confirm leaky gut not food sensitivities. If you cannot break down your foods and/or your gut is leaky, whole food proteins will provoke an immune response. In this case, it is not the food causing the immune response but impaired digestion. Many people seeking food sensitivity testing already know their gut is compromised, what they need and want to know is what specific foods could be contributing to it. 

Vibrant America. (2019, February 19). Food Zoomers Module 1 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quQwqbk9f7w&feature=emb_logo

Vibrant America Zoomer tests measure an IgG + IgA peptide level of highly processed foods, like wheat, corn, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts, nuts, shellfish, and lectins. The peptide level is the zoomed in (Zoomer, get it!?), deepest look at how specific food peptides interact with the immune system. Measuring peptides is what the immune system interacts with, not whole proteins, unless there is digestive insufficiency or leaky gut. No matter the individual’s digestive capacity, Zoomers are accurate, sensitivities are not missed, and there is no confusion between cross-reactivity of foods. 

I use this test with clients that experience some of the following scenarios: 

  • mystery digestive symptoms after years of eliminating many food groups 
  • unresolved symptoms despite following a gluten-free diet for years
  • those that experience unrelating reflux, autoimmune flares, fatigue, nausea, congestion and more 

An easy way to think of peptide v whole protein testing is to imagine a string of pearls. Whole protein testing looks at groups of pearls where peptide testing looks at individual pearls. By looking at each individual pearl, everything is accounted for. This could be the difference between thinking “I can never eat dairy again” and learning you are not sensitive to ghee, A2, milk, and sheep milk. Understanding these details can be a gamechanger for someone that has been on an extremely restricted diet for years. 

If you are testing to confirm leaky gut or digestive insufficiency, go for whole protein food sensitivity testing. If you want to know what specific foods are causing an inflammatory immune response, Zoomer testing all the way! 

Ready to explore your food sensitivities?! Follow this link that includes 4 Zoomer panels + before and after consult with me! 

Are you a new client and want to learn more about working together? Schedule a Free 20 minute strategy with me here.

– Kate