I’ve always paid close attention to my health—tracking sleep, workouts, and nutrition through apps like Function Health among others. But one area still felt mysterious: food sensitivities.
Not "nutrition," but specific foods.
Every now and then I’d feel bloated or sluggish after eating “healthy” meals. Oatmeal, yogurt, almonds—nothing obviously bad. Yet I couldn’t shake the suspicion that something in my diet wasn’t working for me.
Traditional doctors rarely test for these kinds of issues. And elimination diets can take weeks with uncertain results, and they feel more like guesswork. So when I came across Everlywell’s at-home Food Sensitivity Test, which promised lab-verified insights into my body’s IgG reactions to over 200 foods, I decided to give it a try.
I wasn’t expecting a miracle. I wanted data—something measurable that could help me confirm or rule out the foods that might be draining my energy.
In this review, I’ll break down how the test works, what I received in my report, what it costs, and how much it actually changed my diet and habits.
Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Product Tested | Everlywell Food Sensitivity Comprehensive Test (IgG) |
| Price | $299 (often discounted to $259) |
| Collection Method | Finger-prick blood sample (at home) |
| Turnaround Time | ~7 days from lab receipt |
| My Key Finding | 28 foods with elevated IgG reactivity — including oysters, egg whites, and yogurt |
| App & Report Experience | Clean, visual, and easy to interpret |
| Best For | Anyone curious about hidden food sensitivities or exploring gut-health correlations |
| Bottom Line | A convenient and eye-opening first step in understanding how your body reacts to common foods — but not a medical diagnosis substitute. |
Everlywell has grown from a new company featured on Shark Tank, into a broad at-home lab testing + virtual care platform: 30+ tests across digestive, sexual health, heart/metabolic, hormones, thyroid and more, all routed through CLIA-certified labs with physician authorization/review and results in ~5–7 business days after lab receipt. Telehealth visits can tie results to care plans and prescriptions where appropriate.
I personally tried the Food Sensitivity Comprehensive Test (204 foods). It measures IgG antibody reactivity to guide a temporary elimination diet (different than an allergy diagnosis).
My results flagged 28 high-reactivity foods; the strongest and most actionable was Pacific oysters. That aligned with my real-world experience (oysters → 12–24 hours of flu-like misery), so cutting them has been a win. Separate from that personal win, major allergy societies caution that IgG is not a diagnostic for food allergy/intolerance; so treat results as hypotheses for a structured elimination diet, not as medical proof.
What is Everlywell?
Everlywell is a consumer health company that lets you order tests online, self-collect (finger-prick blood, saliva, urine, swabs), ship to CLIA-certified partner labs, and get physician-reviewed results in a sleek web/app experience. It now also offers Virtual Care Visits with licensed clinicians.
Availability: Kits are sold in 49 U.S. states (New York currently excluded for most at-home tests). Check their support page before buying.
Typical turnaround: Everlywell says most results post within 5–7 business days after the lab receives your sample, and your dashboard shows a live estimate. My end-to-end took about a week.
Payment & benefits: Many tests/visits are FSA/HSA eligible; insurance coverage varies by plan (you usually submit your receipt for reimbursement).
What They Offer
Below are some of the categories and offerings from Everlywell’s shop. Exact bundles, names, and pricing can change, so check their website for more up to date info:
- Digestive & Food
- Food Sensitivity: 96-food or Comprehensive 204-food IgG reactivity panels designed to guide a two-part elimination diet (not to diagnose allergy). The 204-food panel is typically listed at $299; the 96-food panel is less.
- Hormone Health
- Women’s & Men’s Health panels that may combine salivary and blood markers (e.g., cortisol, estradiol, testosterone) depending on the kit.
- Thyroid
- Panels with TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and TPO antibodies combinations.
- Heart & Metabolic
- Lipids (total, HDL, calc LDL, triglycerides), HbA1c, and related markers in bundled panels.
- Sexual Health
- Discreet multi-pathogen STI panels with clinician follow-up if results are abnormal, including potential prescriptions where appropriate.
- Virtual Care Visits
- On-demand video consults with licensed clinicians; used for common concerns and to interpret results, build a plan, or prescribe when appropriate.
Quality/Process signals: Physician authorization/review and CLIA-certified labs are highlighted throughout Everlywell’s site and documentation.
How It Works
- Buy a kit from the catalog and create your account (or use the iOS app).
- Self-collect per instructions (finger-prick, saliva, urine, or swab) and drop it in prepaid shipping.
- Lab processing is completed at CLIA-certified partner labs; physician review of results.
- Results are populated to your online dashboard for review.
My Experience Testing Food Sensitivity
- Why I tried it: I’ve had sporadic “wrecked the next day” episodes that classic allergy testing never explained. I wanted a ranked list to run a structured elimination diet.
- Collection: Finger-prick → dotted dried blood spots → mailed with the prepaid label.
- Turnaround: Portal updated ~1 week later (which matches Everlywell’s stated 5–7 business days after lab receipt).
- Results & Readout: My dashboard posted results in about a week. The report ranks each food Class 0–3 and I had 28 flagged foods across mild + moderate tiers. The most actionable insight was Pacific oyster—the only seafood in my high/moderate tier (Class 2). I also had one mild seafood hit (clam, Class 1). Oysters map perfectly to my lived experience (they trigger 12–24 hours of flu-like symptoms), so cutting them was a clear win.
How Everlywell scores results
• Class 0 = Normal
• Class 1 = Mild (ABNORMAL 1)
• Class 2 = Moderate (ABNORMAL 2)
• Class 3 = High
My report: 28 foods across Class 1–2, with Pacific oyster (Class 2) the standout.
- How I used it: As intended—a roadmap for a staged elimination and careful re-introductions, not a diagnosis.
- Reality check: Everlywell is explicit that this kit does not diagnose allergy or celiac disease; it measures IgG reactivity as a way to prioritize eliminations. Major specialty societies (AAAAI, CSACI) caution against using IgG to diagnose food intolerance/allergy. Both statements can be true: use the panel as a hypothesis generator; confirm with real-world trials and clinicians as needed.
Strengths
- Breadth & convenience: One storefront for digestive, hormone, thyroid, heart/metabolic, and sexual health testing, plus optional telehealth.
- Care loop integration: Virtual Care connects results to action (care plans, meds when appropriate).
- Quality claims: CLIA-certified labs, physician authorization/review, HIPAA-style privacy language across the site.
- Clearer positioning on Food Sensitivity: The site emphasizes elimination-diet guidance, not allergy diagnosis.
Limitations
- Science controversy (Food IgG): AAAAI and CSACI state that IgG as a measurement to foods reflects exposure and shouldn’t be used to diagnose intolerance—allergy workups should use validated methods through an allergist. If you expect a diagnosis in a box, you’ll be disappointed.
- State restrictions: Most tests are available in 49 states; NY is the common exception.
- Insurance complexity: FSA/HSA often works; traditional insurance coverage varies by plan and is not guaranteed.
Where Everlywell Could Improve
Everlywell’s flow is polished, but a few upgrades would make it exceptional:
- Turn the Class 0–3 labels into an auto-generated elimination plan (group foods into weeks, create a calendar with reminders, grocery swaps, and recipe ideas).
- Add built-in symptom tracking with day-after prompts and a simple “re-challenge” wizard to confirm or clear suspects.
- Show UOD ranges/thresholds and a brief “what this means” explainer next to each food, plus a toggle to hide foods I rarely eat so the list stays practical.
- Enhance the results view with filters (e.g., By Reactivity / By Food Group / New vs. Prior Test), trend lines across retests, and a one-click doctor summary PDF.
- Offer richer data export (CSV/JSON, Apple Health) and a clinician handoff note.
- Surface state availability and shipping/ETA earlier in the checkout.
- Improve accessibility in the UI (color-blind safe palettes for the reactivity scale and clearer iconography).
Who It’s For
- Self-directed testers who value convenience and a clean UX, and who will actually act on results (elimination diets, retesting, telehealth follow-ups).
- People troubleshooting vague or delayed food reactions who want a rank-ordered starting point for elimination/re-challenge—with the caveat that IgG ≠ diagnosis.
- Busy professionals who want a fast, private pathway to common labs and telehealth without waiting weeks.
Who Should Skip or Reconsider
- If you suspect true allergy (immediate reactions, anaphylaxis risk), go straight to an allergist for validated IgE testing and supervised challenges.
- If you want deep longitudinal panels (e.g., broad bloodwork + continuous programs), you might compare with comprehensive services like primary-care-ordered labs or specialized programs.
Pricing Notes
I've noticed that Everlywell’s catalog changes frequently, but as of this writing:
- Food Sensitivity Comprehensive Test (204 foods): typically $299 list price on the Everlywell site; the 96-food version is less. FSA/HSA eligibility is common; traditional insurance varies but shouldn't be expected.
FAQ
Is Everlywell legit from a lab standpoint?
Everlywell routes tests through CLIA-certified partner labs and has physician authorization/review baked into the flow.
How fast are results?
Everlywell cites 5–7 business days after lab receipt for most tests; my Food Sensitivity result posted in roughly a week.
Does Everlywell replace my doctor?
No. It’s a convenient front-door for common testing with optional virtual care. Complex or high-risk issues still belong with your physician or specialists.
Can I use FSA/HSA? Insurance?
Often yes for FSA/HSA with receipts; insurance coverage depends on your plan.
Is the Food Sensitivity test an allergy test?
No. It measures IgG reactivity to help prioritize a short-term elimination diet. Major allergy societies warn that IgG ≠ diagnosis for intolerance/allergy.
Conclusion
Everlywell delivers on convenience and awareness—but it’s best as a starting point, not a clinical diagnosis. If you’re curious about food sensitivities, it’s a simple, actionable first step.
They succeed at making lab testing + telehealth feel approachable, fast, and connected. For self-starters, the UX and care loop are genuinely useful. My Food Sensitivity experience produced at least one high-signal, life-improving change (ditching oysters) while staying within the test’s stated limits.
If you buy the Food Sensitivity panel, go in with the right mental model: it’s a structured elimination-diet accelerator, not a diagnostic. Use it to triage your trials; escalate to clinicians for anything severe, persistent, or ambiguous.
For inquiries or collaboration: Email adam@adamtreister.com — I personally read every message.
