What Are the Best Foods to Eat if You Have Autoimmune Disease?

December 13, 2025 •

4 min read

Affecting an estimated 50 million Americans, autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. Incorporating the best foods to eat if you have autoimmune disease is a powerful strategy to help manage symptoms by reducing chronic inflammation.

Quick Summary

Dietary changes can profoundly impact autoimmune symptoms by focusing on anti-inflammatory and gut-supportive foods. Identifying your trigger foods through an elimination approach can help you personalize your nutrition plan.

Key Points

Anti-Inflammatory Focus: Prioritize foods that actively reduce inflammation, like leafy greens, berries, and fatty fish.
Heal the Gut: Incorporate fermented foods and bone broth to support a healthy gut microbiome, which is central to immune health.
Avoid Trigger Foods: Identify and limit or eliminate common inflammatory foods such as processed goods, refined sugars, and certain dairy products.
Personalization is Key: Due to the unique nature of autoimmune diseases, a personalized approach to diet is essential to identify specific food triggers.
Consider the AIP Diet: The Autoimmune Protocol is a structured elimination diet that can help uncover food sensitivities, but should be undertaken with medical supervision.
Adopt a Holistic Lifestyle: Combine a healthy diet with stress management, sufficient sleep, and regular exercise for a comprehensive approach to managing symptoms.

Understanding the Link Between Diet and Autoimmunity

Autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions where the immune system, designed to protect the body, mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. This overactive response leads to chronic inflammation, which can cause a wide range of symptoms, including pain, fatigue, and digestive issues. Research indicates that the gut plays a critical role in immune function, and an unhealthy digestive tract can contribute to abnormal inflammatory responses. Certain foods can exacerbate this cycle of inflammation, while others contain properties that can help soothe it and support a healthier immune response.

Nutrient-Dense Foods to Emphasize

To help manage autoimmune symptoms, the focus should be on a whole-food diet rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients. These foods provide the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants needed to support a healthy immune system and repair damage.

Anti-Inflammatory Produce

Dark Leafy Greens: Foods like spinach, kale, and collard greens are high in antioxidants, which protect cells from damage, and magnesium, a mineral vital for immune function.
Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and other berries are rich in antioxidants and important prebiotic fiber that supports a healthy gut microbiome.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage contain sulfur compounds that help protect the body against cellular damage.

Gut-Healing and Probiotic-Rich Foods

Fermented Foods: Options like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir contain probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that help balance the gut microbiome and combat harmful bacteria.
Bone Broth: Rich in nutrients that can help support the healing of the gut lining.

Healthy Fats and Proteins

Fatty Fish: Wild-caught salmon, mackerel, and sardines are excellent sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which can help regulate inflammation.
Healthy Oils: Use minimally processed oils like extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. These contain healthy fats that help reduce inflammation.
Lean Meats: Opt for high-quality, grass-fed meats and poultry.

Popular Dietary Approaches for Autoimmunity

There are several eating patterns that focus on reducing inflammation and identifying food triggers.

The Mediterranean Diet

Often praised for its anti-inflammatory benefits, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes a wide variety of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and healthy oils. While generally less restrictive than other protocols, it may be a good starting point for many individuals seeking to improve their overall diet and reduce inflammation.

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet

The AIP diet is a more restrictive elimination diet that removes foods thought to cause inflammation or increase gut permeability. It typically includes several phases, beginning with a strict elimination phase followed by a slow reintroduction phase to identify individual trigger foods. It is highly recommended to undertake the AIP diet under medical supervision.

Foods to Emphasize vs. Foods to Avoid: A Comparison


Category	Foods to Emphasize (Anti-inflammatory)	Foods to Avoid (Pro-inflammatory)
Vegetables	Leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots	Nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant) during the AIP elimination phase
Fruits	Berries, apples, mangoes, melons	Fruit juice and large quantities of high-sugar fruit
Protein	Fatty fish (salmon, tuna), lean poultry, grass-fed meat, organ meats	Processed meats (deli meat, hot dogs), charred or deep-fried meat
Fats & Oils	Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, avocados	Refined vegetable/seed oils (canola, corn, soy), trans fats, margarine
Grains	Whole grains (Mediterranean diet), though eliminated during AIP	Refined carbohydrates (white flour products, instant rice), all grains during AIP elimination
Legumes	Beans, lentils, peas (Mediterranean diet), though eliminated during AIP	All legumes during AIP elimination
Dairy	N/A (Often avoided due to lactose intolerance/inflammation risk)	All dairy products, especially if intolerant
Sweeteners	Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup (in moderation)	Added and refined sugars, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners

The Path to Personalization

Because autoimmune diseases manifest differently in each person, a personalized approach to diet is crucial. The goal is to discover which foods trigger your specific symptoms and which ones help you thrive. While general anti-inflammatory guidelines are a fantastic starting point, an elimination diet like AIP can offer more specific insights. However, it requires careful planning to ensure nutritional needs are met. Always work with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to ensure your dietary plan is safe, sustainable, and effective for your unique health situation.

A Balanced Approach to Wellness

Beyond diet, managing stress, getting adequate sleep, and regular exercise are also crucial for managing autoimmune disease. By adopting a holistic lifestyle that includes a nutrient-dense diet and positive habits, you can empower your body to better manage chronic inflammation and improve your overall quality of life. The path to wellness involves listening to your body and making informed choices to support your health. The journey may involve experimentation, but with the right guidance and a commitment to nourishing your body, you can make significant strides in managing your condition.

For more information on the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet, see the resource from Johns Hopkins Medicine Anti-Inflammatory Diet | Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Conclusion

Understanding what foods to eat if you have an autoimmune disease can be a powerful tool for symptom management. By focusing on anti-inflammatory, gut-supportive, and nutrient-rich whole foods, you can help calm an overactive immune system. While there are broad guidelines to follow, such as emphasizing fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, the optimal approach is often personalized. Working with a medical professional to explore dietary changes, like the Mediterranean or AIP diets, can help you identify specific triggers and build a sustainable, healthy eating pattern for long-term well-being. A balanced lifestyle, combined with mindful nutrition, provides the best foundation for managing your condition and improving your quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, diet is not a cure for autoimmune diseases. However, incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet and identifying food triggers can be a powerful strategy for managing symptoms and improving your overall quality of life.

The initial elimination phase of the AIP diet is highly restrictive and is generally not intended for long-term use. The goal is to reintroduce foods systematically to determine your specific tolerances. Long-term use without proper guidance can risk nutrient deficiencies.

The Mediterranean diet is a less restrictive, long-term eating pattern focused on general anti-inflammatory foods like vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. The AIP diet is a strict, temporary elimination diet specifically designed to identify individual food triggers causing inflammation.

One of the best ways to identify triggers is through an elimination and reintroduction process, such as the one used in the AIP diet. You eliminate a category of food for several weeks and then slowly reintroduce it, observing for any returning symptoms.

Nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant. In the AIP diet, they are avoided because some individuals find that compounds in these vegetables can increase gut permeability and trigger inflammatory responses.

Not necessarily. For some people, following a Mediterranean-style diet that includes certain whole grains is beneficial. However, for those with specific conditions like celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, or during the initial phase of the AIP diet, grains are typically eliminated.

Processed foods often contain high levels of refined sugar, unhealthy fats, and additives that can promote chronic inflammation and negatively impact gut health, potentially leading to symptom flares.