What Does AIP Eliminate? Your Guide to the Autoimmune Protocol Diet

October 27, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), autoimmune diseases affect over 24 million people, and diet can play a significant role in symptom management. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is a targeted approach that relies on an elimination phase to identify potential food triggers. Understanding precisely what does AIP eliminate is the critical first step toward adopting this specialized nutritional plan.

Quick Summary

The AIP diet removes common inflammatory foods like grains, dairy, and nightshades in its initial phase. Foods are then slowly reintroduced to identify individual triggers to help manage autoimmune symptoms by calming the immune system.

Key Points

Extensive Elimination: The AIP diet starts with removing all grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nightshades, nuts, seeds, and processed foods to calm immune activity.
Gut-Focused Approach: The diet's rationale is to heal the intestinal lining and support the gut microbiome, which is strongly linked to immune regulation.
Identify Personal Triggers: The strict initial phase is followed by a methodical reintroduction period to identify which specific foods are problematic for an individual.
Nutrient-Dense Replacements: While restrictive, the diet encourages consuming nutrient-dense whole foods like quality meats, fish, vegetables, and fermented foods to avoid deficiencies.
Not a Permanent State: The ultimate goal is to move beyond the initial elimination phase and create a less-restrictive maintenance diet tailored to one's unique sensitivities.
Holistic Lifestyle: The AIP approach also emphasizes lifestyle factors such as stress management, sufficient sleep, and physical activity to enhance healing.

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is an elimination diet designed to help manage autoimmune conditions by reducing chronic inflammation and supporting gut health. It is often described as a stricter version of the paleo diet, as it removes an even wider array of foods that are known to potentially trigger an immune response and increase intestinal permeability, or 'leaky gut'. Following this protocol correctly, especially the strict elimination phase, is crucial for identifying individual food sensitivities.

The Extensive List of Foods AIP Eliminates

The most challenging part of the AIP is the initial elimination phase, which typically lasts 30 to 90 days, or until a significant improvement in symptoms is observed. During this time, the goal is to remove all potential dietary triggers to give the body a chance to calm down and heal. The list of eliminated items is extensive and includes many dietary staples.

Grains and Pseudo-grains

This category includes all forms of grains and grain-like seeds, such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, corn, oats, rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and amaranth. Products like bread, pasta, and cereals are also eliminated.

Legumes

All types of beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, and soy products are removed due to compounds that can be difficult to digest and may irritate the gut.

Dairy

All dairy products from any animal source, including milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, butter, and whey protein, are eliminated because of potential inflammatory components like casein and lactose. Ghee is also typically excluded in the strictest initial phase.

Eggs

Eggs, particularly the whites, are eliminated during the initial phase as they contain proteins that can be problematic for some individuals with autoimmune conditions.

Nightshade Vegetables

Vegetables and fruits in the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, white potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and goji berries, are removed because they contain alkaloids that some evidence suggests can stimulate the immune system. Related spices like paprika and cayenne are also excluded.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, cashews) and seeds (e.g., chia, flax, sesame), along with their derived products and seed-based spices, are often eliminated due to potential irritants and lectin content.

Processed Foods and Additives

Highly processed foods, refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, food additives (emulsifiers, thickeners, preservatives, dyes), and industrial seed oils are eliminated due to their pro-inflammatory nature.

Other Eliminations

Alcohol and coffee (both caffeinated and decaffeinated) are removed due to inflammatory effects. NSAID medications may also be advised against as they can irritate the gut lining.

Comparison of Eliminated vs. AIP-Compliant Foods

To help visualize the dietary shift, the following table compares common eliminated foods with the nutrient-dense alternatives encouraged on the AIP diet.


Eliminated Foods	AIP-Compliant Alternatives
Grains (Wheat, Rice, Corn)	Root vegetables (Sweet potato, Taro, Cassava), Plantain flour
Legumes (Beans, Lentils, Soy)	Fermented foods (Sauerkraut, Kombucha, Kimchi)
Dairy (Milk, Cheese, Butter)	Coconut milk, Avocado, Olive oil, Bone broth
Eggs (Whites & Yolks)	Organ meats (Liver, Heart), Grass-fed meat
Nightshades (Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes)	Leafy greens (Kale, Spinach), Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini
Nuts and Seeds	Avocado oil, Coconut oil, Coconut flour, Herbs like basil, thyme, oregano
Processed Sugars & Additives	Natural sweeteners (Honey, Maple Syrup, Molasses, in moderation)

The Importance of Reintroduction

Following the elimination phase, the AIP diet progresses to a careful reintroduction phase where eliminated foods are slowly added back to identify individual triggers. This phase is crucial for determining a personalized, less-restrictive long-term diet plan that effectively manages symptoms. Keeping a detailed food and symptom journal is essential during this process.

Conclusion

The Autoimmune Protocol diet offers a structured approach to managing autoimmune disease symptoms by focusing on the gut-immune connection. The initial, challenging phase eliminates a wide range of potential inflammatory foods to promote healing. The subsequent reintroduction phase helps individuals identify specific dietary triggers. This detailed process of understanding what AIP eliminates can be a transformative step towards improved health and wellness.

For further information on the Autoimmune Protocol diet, consider visiting the Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials article on the AIP diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

The AIP diet is designed to remove all potential dietary triggers at once, allowing the immune system to calm down and the gut to heal. The excluded foods are commonly associated with causing inflammation or irritating the gut lining in sensitive individuals.

No, eggs must be eliminated during the initial phase of the AIP diet. Eggs, especially the whites, contain proteins that can be inflammatory for some people with autoimmune conditions.

Nightshade vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and white potatoes, are eliminated during the AIP's initial phase. These vegetables contain compounds that some sensitive individuals find inflammatory.

The AIP diet is more restrictive than a general anti-inflammatory diet, eliminating a wider range of foods, including nuts, seeds, and eggs. The AIP is designed as a temporary, targeted elimination and reintroduction protocol for those with autoimmune conditions to pinpoint specific triggers.

The duration varies depending on the individual, but it typically lasts between 30 and 90 days, or until a noticeable improvement in symptoms is experienced. A healthcare provider can help determine the right length for you.

No, both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee are eliminated during the initial phase of the AIP diet. It is a food that can be reintroduced in later stages to test for individual tolerance.

Refined and artificial sugars are strictly forbidden on AIP. However, natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup may be allowed in moderation, though some protocols suggest limiting even these due to their sugar content.