What can you eat on a full elimination diet?

January 9, 2026 •

4 min read

An estimated 20% of the population suffers from undiagnosed food sensitivities, making the full elimination diet a crucial tool for identifying potential triggers. This highly restrictive, short-term dietary approach removes common allergens and irritants to help pinpoint foods that may be causing symptoms like digestive issues, skin problems, or headaches.

Quick Summary

A full elimination diet removes common allergens and irritants like gluten, dairy, soy, and eggs. Safe foods typically include lean proteins, rice, quinoa, and a wide variety of non-nightshade and non-citrus fruits and vegetables. This dietary phase helps reset the body, allowing for the strategic reintroduction of foods to identify problematic triggers.

Key Points

Prioritize Whole Foods: Focus on unprocessed ingredients like lean proteins, fresh fruits, and vegetables to minimize exposure to potential irritants.
Strictly Eliminate Common Allergens: During the initial phase, completely remove dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, and nightshade vegetables to achieve a clean baseline.
Create Variety with Safe Foods: Plan meals using a range of allowed items like lamb, turkey, rice, quinoa, apples, and leafy greens to avoid food fatigue.
Hydrate with Water and Herbal Tea: Stick to plain water and caffeine-free herbal teas to support your body without introducing potential irritants.
Reintroduce Foods Systematically: After the elimination phase, reintroduce food groups one by one to accurately pinpoint your specific triggers.
Seek Professional Guidance: Always consult a healthcare provider or dietitian before and during an elimination diet to ensure it's done safely and effectively.

Understanding the Elimination Phase

The elimination diet is a two-part process designed to reveal which foods are causing adverse reactions in your body. The first phase, elimination, requires you to completely remove a wide range of common allergens and irritants from your diet for a set period, usually 2 to 3 weeks. The purpose is to allow your body to reset, and for any symptoms to subside. The key to success is strict adherence, as even small amounts of a trigger food can produce a reaction and skew results. During this time, the focus is on eating a simple, clean diet of foods that are least likely to cause an allergic or sensitive reaction.

Allowed Proteins

During the elimination phase, you will focus on high-quality, lean protein sources that are generally well-tolerated. It is recommended to choose organic and grass-fed options when possible to avoid additional additives and potential irritants.

Lamb: A hypoallergenic meat that is often safe for consumption.
Turkey: A lean protein, particularly organic and free-range turkey, is a safe choice.
Wild-caught Fish: Fish like salmon, sardines, and halibut are good sources of omega-3s, but cold-water fish are often preferred.
Chicken: Opt for free-range or organic chicken to ensure no additives are present.

Safe Grains and Starches

Many grains are eliminated due to gluten, but there are still several safe, gluten-free options that provide complex carbohydrates and fiber. When choosing grains, ensure they are certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.

Rice: Both brown and white rice are generally allowed.
Quinoa: A complete protein and a safe alternative to wheat.
Buckwheat: A gluten-free pseudocereal often included in elimination diets.
Sweet Potatoes and Yams: Nutrient-dense root vegetables that are not part of the nightshade family.

Permissible Fruits and Vegetables

The key is to choose low-allergen fruits and to avoid nightshades and citrus during the elimination phase. Focus on a colorful variety to ensure a broad spectrum of nutrients.

Fruits: Apples, pears, bananas, and most berries are safe choices.
Vegetables (Non-nightshade): Focus on leafy greens like spinach and kale, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and root vegetables like carrots, beets, and celery.

Healthy Fats and Oils

Focus on cold-pressed oils and healthy fats that support bodily functions without causing inflammation.

Olive Oil: Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is an excellent choice for cooking and dressings.
Coconut Oil: A versatile, anti-inflammatory fat.
Flaxseed Oil: Another source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Avocados: A good source of healthy fats, often allowed during the elimination phase.

Beverages and Spices

Staying hydrated is crucial. Beverages should be simple and free of common irritants, and spices should be natural and fresh.

Water: At least 2 quarts per day is recommended.
Herbal Tea: Caffeine-free herbal teas are generally safe.
Black Pepper: Typically allowed for seasoning.
Fresh Herbs: Basil, cilantro, rosemary, and turmeric are excellent choices for flavor.
Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar can be used sparingly.

Comparison Table: Full Elimination Diet vs. Standard Diet


Feature	Full Elimination Diet (Initial Phase)	Standard Western Diet
Dairy	Completely eliminated (e.g., milk, cheese, yogurt).	Frequent, often daily, consumption.
Grains	Restricted to gluten-free options (e.g., rice, quinoa).	High consumption of wheat, oats, barley, and processed grains.
Proteins	Limited to specific lean meats, wild-caught fish (e.g., lamb, turkey, salmon).	Includes all meats, processed meats, and fatty cuts.
Vegetables	Focuses on non-nightshade and low-allergen options.	Includes nightshades (e.g., potatoes, tomatoes), corn, and others.
Fats	Restricted to healthy, cold-pressed oils and avocados.	Often includes margarine, hydrogenated oils, and butter.
Sugar	All forms of refined and simple sugar are eliminated.	High consumption of refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup.
Beverages	Limited to water and caffeine-free herbal teas.	Includes coffee, soda, alcohol, and sugary drinks.

Navigating the Challenges of a Restricted Diet

One of the biggest hurdles of an elimination diet is maintaining variety and nutritional balance. To avoid boredom and potential nutritional deficiencies, it is important to be creative with allowed ingredients. Batch cooking and meal prep can be a game-changer, ensuring you have safe, satisfying meals ready to go. You can create large batches of steamed chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, and mixed greens to mix and match throughout the week. Experiment with different fresh herbs and spices to add variety and flavor without resorting to restricted condiments.

Creating Balanced Meals

To construct balanced meals, ensure each plate contains a lean protein, a complex carbohydrate, plenty of vegetables, and a healthy fat. For example:

Breakfast: A smoothie with rice milk, banana, frozen berries, and a handful of spinach.
Lunch: A large salad with grilled turkey, shredded carrots, cucumber, and an olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing.
Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Reintroduction and Beyond

After the elimination period, the reintroduction phase begins, where you systematically reintroduce one food group at a time to monitor your body’s reaction. This is a slow, careful process and should be done with professional guidance. This second phase is what makes the diet truly effective, as it helps identify specific food sensitivities that you can then manage in the long term. Once triggers are identified, you can gradually return to a more varied, personalized diet, though it is often advisable to maintain a healthy, whole-food foundation.

Conclusion: A Path to Understanding Your Body

A full elimination diet is a powerful tool for discovering and managing food sensitivities. While it is restrictive and challenging, it provides a clear pathway to understanding how certain foods impact your body's health. The diet requires discipline, but the reward is a clearer understanding of your unique dietary needs and a path to reducing uncomfortable symptoms. The list of safe foods is not exhaustive, but provides a strong foundation for a successful elimination phase. It is essential to undertake this process under the supervision of a healthcare provider or registered dietitian for safety and to ensure all nutritional needs are met. For additional information on dietary approaches, the Healthline guide provides a helpful starting point on the general process.

Frequently Asked Questions

A full elimination diet is a short-term eating plan that removes common food allergens and irritants, such as dairy, gluten, soy, and eggs, to help identify specific food sensitivities or intolerances by monitoring symptoms after reintroducing foods.

The elimination phase most often lasts for 2 to 3 weeks. If symptoms persist or you have concerns, you should consult a doctor, as it should not be a long-term diet.

No, both coffee and alcohol are typically eliminated during the initial phase. This also applies to black tea and soda, as caffeine and other additives can cause irritation and complicate the identification of true food triggers.

Eggs are one of the most common allergens and are strictly removed during a full elimination diet. They are only reintroduced carefully in the later phases to test for reactions.

All forms of refined and simple sugar, including white sugar, brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup, are generally eliminated. In some cases, minimal pure sweeteners might be allowed, but it is best to avoid all added sugars during the elimination phase.

If your symptoms do not improve after strictly following the elimination phase for 2-3 weeks, it is crucial to consult a healthcare provider. It suggests that your symptoms may not be caused by a food sensitivity, or that a less common trigger is responsible.

Reintroduction should be a slow, systematic process, introducing only one food group at a time. After reintroducing a food, you monitor your body's response over several days before trying the next group to accurately identify any reactions.