Understanding Elimination Diets

What Are Elimination Diets?

Elimination diets are a structured, evidence-based approach to identifying food triggers. They work by temporarily removing suspected foods from your diet, monitoring your symptoms over several weeks, and then systematically reintroducing foods one at a time to observe your body's response.

Unlike allergy tests which detect immediate IgE immune responses, elimination diets identify delayed sensitivities — reactions that can occur hours or even days after eating. This makes them one of the most reliable methods for diagnosing food-related symptoms that standard allergy panels miss.

How Food Triggers Works

Step 1: Take the Assessment

Answer questions about your symptoms, health history, and eating patterns. Our clinically-informed algorithm analyses your responses across 7 symptom clusters to identify which of 11 elimination diets are most relevant to you.

Step 2: Follow Your Plan

Activate your recommended diets and use the personalised ingredient browser to see exactly what you can and cannot eat. Plan meals with our recipe library and meal planner, generate shopping lists, and track your food intake and symptoms daily in your diary.

Step 3: Discover Your Triggers

After the elimination period (typically 4–12 weeks), systematically reintroduce foods one at a time. Track reactions in your diary. Over time, you'll build a clear picture of which foods trigger your symptoms and which are safe to enjoy.

The 11 Elimination Diets

Food Triggers covers 11 clinically-recognised elimination diets, each targeting different food sensitivities:

• Lectins — Targets plant lectins found in grains, legumes, and nightshades that may increase gut permeability.
• Histamine — Reduces high-histamine foods like aged cheese, fermented products, and cured meats.
• Mold / Candida / SIFO — Eliminates sugar, yeast, and mold-prone foods to address fungal overgrowth.
• FODMAP / SIBO — Removes fermentable carbohydrates that feed bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.
• Fructose Intolerance — Limits fructose and fructans for those with impaired fructose absorption.
• Oxalates — Reduces high-oxalate foods to prevent crystal accumulation in kidneys and joints.
• Salicylates — Avoids naturally occurring salicylates found in many fruits, vegetables, and spices.
• Sulfur Compounds — Limits sulfur-rich foods for those with impaired sulfur metabolism.
• Nightshade Family — Eliminates nightshade vegetables containing alkaloids that may trigger inflammation.
• Food Intolerances (IgG) — Targets specific foods identified through IgG testing as causing delayed immune reactions.
• Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) — The most comprehensive elimination diet, designed for autoimmune conditions. Removes grains, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshades, and seed spices.

What to Expect

A typical elimination diet journey takes 8–16 weeks: 4–12 weeks of elimination followed by 4–8 weeks of systematic reintroduction.

Many people notice symptom improvements within 2–3 weeks of starting their elimination phase. But the real discovery happens during reintroduction — that's when you learn exactly which foods your body reacts to and which are perfectly safe.

Food Triggers tracks your progress throughout, reminds you of milestones, and can give your healthcare practitioner visibility into your journey if you choose to share your data.

Important Note

Elimination diets are a discovery tool, not a permanent lifestyle. The goal is to identify your personal triggers and then eat as broadly as possible, avoiding only those foods that genuinely cause you problems.

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting an elimination diet, especially if you have existing medical conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18 years of age.