Elimination Diet Food List

Elimination Diet Food List

A certain percentage of people worldwide suffer from food insensitivity or intolerance. Some of the experiences come and go while others linger on for a while. Some issues cause fatigue, brain fog, and feeling unwell.

However, some of the problems could be due to some medical or health matters, one other likely cause could be the food you are eating. Resolving these issues could be as simple as eliminating some foods from your diet.

What Is An Elimination Diet?

Just as the name suggests, an elimination diet eliminates some food types from your diet.

The primary purpose of the diet plan is to identify the trigger foods and remove them from your diet one by one. Later on, you can reintroduce the same foods back into your regular diet one by one.

It is possible to use various elimination diets, depending on your needs and preferences.

Specific individuals feel better after avoiding gluten and dairy for a few weeks, while others may benefit from a more stringent FODMAP Diet to manage IBS symptoms or Crohn’s disease (IBS).

Another popular elimination diet is the 30-day Whole30 Diet which allows you to cut trigger foods such as legumes, dairy, processed foods, grains, and artificial additives.

Today, people embrace the elimination food diet because they are more aware of their intolerance to some of the most widely eaten foods, such as lactose and gluten.

Initially, the elimination diet might be challenging and complicated. Restricting yourself to some foods that you probably like is not an easy thing to do.

However, once you get the hang of it, you will see immense changes that include better sleep, a more precise and attentive mind, and less fatigue.

In the end, an elimination diet could improve your overall wellbeing and health. Before beginning an elimination diet, consult with your doctor first.

What Are The Signs Of Food Intolerance?

Food allergies can be instantaneous and life-threatening, especially with allergens such as peanuts and shellfish. The two discharge histamine into the body system leading to throat and lung swelling.

However, not all food allergies are instantaneous, life-threatening, or this severe. The severity of food intolerance also varies from one person to another.

Some people have barely noticeable symptoms, while others think of something else besides foods causing their problems.

One good example is gluten which causes fatigue in some people. Fatigue is not a red flag because it could result from many other things besides gluten. Different food intolerance reactions include:

• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Digestive upset
• Dry skin
• Stomach aches
• Migraines
• Joint aches and pains
• Itching
• Headaches
• Fatigue

Your body chemistry determines how you react to varying food allergens. Therefore, it is vital to take the time to identify the foods that respond negatively to your body.

Before you start the diet challenge, you should:

• Make a complete list of all the foods you want to test for intolerance.
• Introduce the trigger foods one at a time into your regular diet and stick with them for at least three days
• Not every feeling and reaction during the reintroduction phase, no matter how minute it is.
• Go back to the diet without the trigger foods for at least 3 to 4 days until you feel normal again.

Repeat the same with all your suspicious food items until you check every food item on your list

Elimination Diet Food List

The most challenging aspect of an elimination diet is figuring out which foods are most likely to induce sensitivity in the first place.

The following grocery list contains all the foods you need to adhere to during your elimination diet. The foods are rich in fiber, essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Fruits

• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Bananas
• Apricots
• Apples
• Kiwi
• Huckleberries
• Grapefruit
• Figs
• Coconut
• Cherries
• Cantaloupe
• Peaches
• Papayas
• Nectarines
• Mulberries
• Melons
• Mangos
• Loganberries
• Lemons and limes
• Kumquat
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Prunes
• Pears

You can consume all the above fruits as fruit juices or as raw fresh produce.

Vegetables

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Chives
• Celery
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Brussels sprouts
• Bell peppers
• Lettuce
• Leeks
• Kohlrabi
• Kale
• Endive
• Eggplant
• Dandelion greens
• Cucumber
• Parsley
• Pak-Choi
• Onions
• Okra
• Mushroom
• Zucchini
• Watercress
• Sweet potatoes and yams
• Squash
• Spinach
• Snow peas
• Red leaf chicory
• Potato
• Kelp
• Tomatoes
• Swiss chard

You can consume the vegetables either raw, as veggie juices, baked, sautéed, or steamed.

Herbs, Spices & Extracts

• Basil
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Dry mustard
• Dill
• Dandelion
• Cumin
• Cinnamon
• Black pepper
• Nutmeg
• Turmeric
• Thyme
• Tarragon
• Sea salt
• Salt-free herbal blends
• Rosemary
• Pure vanilla extract
• Parsley
• Oregano

Breads & Baking Flour

• Gluten-free bread
• Rice flour
• Quinoa flour
• Teff flour
• Baking soda
• Arrowroot Flour
• Millet flour
• Potato flour
• Amaranth flour
• Tapioca flour
• Rice tortillas
• Rice bran

Non-Gluten Grains     

• Brown rice
• Wild rice
• White rice
• Quinoa
• Millet
• Amaranth
• Teff
• Rice crackers
• Buckwheat
• Cereals & Pasta
• Buckwheat noodles
• Rice pasta
• Quinoa flakes
• Puffed rice
• Puffed millet
• Cream of rice

Dairy Substitutes

• Rice milk
• Oat milk
• Coconut milk
• Almond milk

Nuts

• Coconut

Vinegar

• Ume Plum
• Tarragon
• Rice
• Red wine
• Balsamic
• Apple cider

Sweeteners

• Natural juice concentrate
• Stevia
• Rice syrup
• Molasses
• Fruit sweetener
• Agave nectar

Beverages

• Herbal tea
• Water
• Non-caffeinated drinks
• Fresh veggie or fruit juice

When you go grocery shopping for your elimination diet food list, double-check all the ingredients because some foods might appear as good fits whereas they are not.

If you do not know where to begin, you should start by drawing up a day’s diet plan and do that every day.

The above elimination diet list is free of trigger foods, but you still have to countercheck if any other food item causes sensitivity.

Foods to Avoid

When you are on an elimination diet, you should avoid the following foods because they might trigger food intolerance reactions.

• Citrus fruits
• Whole milk
• High-fat yogurt
• Butter
• Different types of cheeses
• Non-diary creamers
• Wheat
• Barley
• Corn
• Oat
• Spelt
• Kamut
• Beef
• Pork
• Shellfish
• Canned meat
• Cold cuts
• Eggs
• Veal
• Soy and its by-products
• Walnuts
• Peanuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Pecans
• Cashews
• Hazelnuts
• Almonds
• Creamed veggies
• Chili peppers
• Tomatoes if you have arthritis
• Onions
• Cayenne
• Butter
• Margarine
• Shortening
• Processed oils
• Salad dressings
• Alcohol
• Coffee
• Soft drinks
• Sugary energy drinks
• Sodas
• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Evaporated cane juice
• Honey syrup
• Fructose corn syrup
• Maple syrup
• Ketchup
• Chocolate
• Chutney
• Relish
• Soy sauce
• Teriyaki
• Barbeque sauce
• Anything with artificial colors and flavors

When you reintroduce any of these foods back into your diet, do not forget to note down how your body reacts to them.

Final Thoughts

Whereas an elimination diet can be beneficial for specific individuals, it may not be effective for everyone else.

Our bodies react differently to certain food types and what might react on your system might not do the same on someone else’s. It is also highly possible that food is not the source of the problems you are going through.

In addition to providing specific medical insights, your physician or health professional can perform testing for allergic sensitization.

It may also be beneficial to seek the advice of a registered dietitian or nutritionist because the diet is not easy to undertake, especially if you are doing it for the first time.

Printable Elimination Diet Food List (PDF)

Printable Elimination Diet Foods to Avoid (PDF)

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