An elimination diet is an eating plan that omits a food or group of foods believed to cause an adverse food reaction, often referred to as a “food intolerance.” By removing certain foods for a period of time and then reintroducing them during a “challenge” period, you can learn which foods are causing symptoms or making them worse. We often think of reactions to food as being a rapid allergic reaction, such as when a person has an anaphylactic reaction to eating peanuts and their throat swells up.  However, there are other ways our bodies can react to foods that may not be so immediate, and may or may not be tied to an immune system response. Food intolerances may be triggered by various natural compounds found in foods (natural sugars or proteins) or common food additives (such as natural and artificial colors, preservatives, antioxidants, and flavor enhancers) that can cause reactions through various mechanisms in the body. There is currently dispute about the specific mechanisms involved in different reactions to foods, and many tests to identify the suspected culprit(s) can be unreliable. Clinical experience has shown that an elimination diet is one of the best tools for identifying food culprits and is very safe, as long a variety of foods are still eaten supplying all the essential nutrients.

Symptoms

Symptoms of food intolerance can vary widely.  They can include stomach and bowel irritation, headaches, hives, itching, and even vague feelings of being unwell, such as flu-like aches and pains, unusual tiredness, or concentration problems. Certain foods and food groups are also known to exacerbate symptoms in people with specific conditions such as autoimmune disorders, migraines, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and others.²

Symptoms and their severity are unique to the individual. They are influenced by specific compounds in the food, a person’s sensitivity level, and how much of certain foods are eaten. If the same food is eaten repeatedly, or different foods with the same compound are eaten together or often, the body may reach a threshold, or a tipping point where symptoms begin to occur.

Natural Food Substances

Even “healthy” foods contain many different naturally occurring chemicals that can be a problem for some people. Substances common to many different foods, such as salicylates, amines, and glutamate, may cause symptoms for different individuals. It is beyond the scope of this handout to provide detail about the different categories of natural substances that may cause symptoms, but this can be explored with a practitioner who is comfortable working with elimination diets (not all practitioners are).

Individual Variation

Because people are unique genetically, and because we each have different eating patterns, elimination diets have to be based on each unique individual. Eliminating the most offending food or multiple foods and substances all at one time is the most reliable way to find out which