AIP diet food list: what to eat and what to avoid
AIP, the autoimmune protocol, is a strict elimination diet followed by slowly bringing foods back. In the elimination phase you eat meat, fish, most vegetables, fruit and certain oils, and leave out grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds and nightshades.
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Updated November 4, 2026
AIP takes a lot out of your diet, and Cleveland Clinic warns that cutting this many foods can leave you short of vitamins and minerals. Start it with your doctor or a registered dietitian, especially if you’re pregnant, have a history of disordered eating, or take medication. Don’t stop a medicine because of a diet.
Foods to eat in the elimination phase
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Meat and poultry | Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, bison, organ meats. Choose minimally processed cuts |
| Fish and seafood | Cod, salmon, trout, sardines, shrimp, mussels |
| Vegetables | Anything that isn’t a nightshade: leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, zucchini, squash, cucumber, asparagus, leeks, onion, garlic |
| Starchy vegetables | Sweet potato, parsnip, turnip, plantain, cassava, taro |
| Fruit | Apples, berries, oranges, mangoes, bananas, pears |
| Fats | Olive oil, avocado and avocado oil, coconut oil, lard, tallow |
| Herbs and flavor | Fresh herbs, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, salt, citrus zest, horseradish |
| Sweeteners | Honey and maple syrup, in small amounts |
| Fermented foods | Sauerkraut, pickles and kimchi with no dairy or chili |
| Baking and thickening | Cassava, coconut and tigernut flours, arrowroot and tapioca starch |
| Pantry swaps | Coconut aminos for soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, baking soda with cream of tartar for baking powder |
Foods to avoid in the elimination phase
| Group | What that means |
|---|---|
| Grains | Wheat, barley, rye, rice, oats, corn, quinoa, and anything made from them: bread, pasta, cereal, baked goods. Yes, that includes cornstarch |
| Legumes | Beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, peanuts and soy: tofu, peanut butter, hummus, soy sauce |
| Nightshades | Tomatoes, white potatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, and spices made from them like paprika and cayenne |
| Dairy | Milk from cows, goats or sheep, plus cheese, butter, ice cream and dairy protein powders |
| Eggs | Whole eggs, whites, and food made with them |
| Nuts and seeds | All of them, as flour, butter or oil. That includes cocoa, and seed spices like cumin, coriander, fennel, mustard and nutmeg |
| Coffee and alcohol | Coffee, and all alcohol |
| Refined sugar | Cane sugar, corn syrup, brown rice syrup, sweets, soda, chocolate |
| Processed foods and oils | Deli meat, hot dogs, sausages, canned soup, packaged snacks, and canola, corn or soybean oil |
| Additives | Artificial sweeteners, food colorings, emulsifiers and thickeners |
Sources don’t agree on every food. Cleveland Clinic’s article lists cumin and coriander on both sides, for instance. We take the stricter reading: the recipes on this site leave out cumin, ground coriander and black pepper in the elimination phase.
Foods that are easy to miss
- Spice blends. Curry powder, chili powder and taco seasoning usually have nightshades or seed spices.
- Stock cubes and broth. Many have sugar, seed oil, soy or yeast extract. Make your own, or read the label.
- Sausages and bacon. Check for sugar, paprika and nitrates.
- Baking powder. It usually has cornstarch in it. Use baking soda with cream of tartar.
- Gluten-free food. It’s often made from rice, corn or potato, so gluten-free doesn’t mean AIP.
- Painkillers. Cleveland Clinic’s version also has you stop NSAIDs like ibuprofen. Ask your doctor before you change any medicine.
How reintroduction works
Once your symptoms have clearly improved, and with your dietitian’s help, foods come back one at a time. Cleveland Clinic’s version looks like this:
- Pick one food. Start with a small amount, about a teaspoon, and wait 15 minutes.
- If you have no reaction, try about 2 teaspoons and wait two to three hours.
- If you still have no reaction, eat a normal portion, then leave that food out for five to seven days and add nothing else new.
- If you’ve had no symptoms by the end of that time, the food can stay. If you have, leave it out and move on to the next one.
There’s no fixed order. Some people start with what they miss most. A 2025 review describes a common approach that starts with egg yolks, legumes, and seed and nut oils, moves through nuts, seeds, cocoa and egg whites, and leaves dairy, nightshades and gluten-free grains for later. A food diary makes all of this much easier.
What the research says
It’s early. In a 2017 study of 15 adults with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, symptom scores improved over 11 weeks. In a 2019 study, 16 women with Hashimoto’s reported better quality of life and fewer symptoms after a 10-week program, but there were no significant changes in thyroid function or thyroid antibodies. Both were small, had no control group, and the second also included coaching on lifestyle. Neither can show AIP treats anything.
Cooking AIP when the rest of the family doesn’t eat it
Most AIP dinners are plain good food: a roast, fish, a pile of vegetables. Everyone else can add rice, bread or cheese on their own plate. Browse AIP recipes, follow the AIP meal plan, or add your whole family to the Gluten app: it checks every recipe for each of them and tells you what to change for anyone who can’t eat it as written. If you have Hashimoto’s, there are also Hashimoto’s-friendly recipes.
Recipes to start with
Pan-Poached Cod with Sweet Leeks and Carrots
Tender white fish gently steamed over sweet, melting leeks and sliced carrots with fresh thyme.
Skillet Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Cabbage
Golden pork chops with sweet apple wedges and silky cabbage cooked right in the same pan.
Sage Turkey with Delicata Squash Mash and Apple Sauce
Golden seared turkey with silky roasted squash mash and a sweet apple sauce — a Thanksgiving plate in one pan.
Kids’ plate: Turkey strips and squash mash dip boats
Garlic Baked Haddock with Carrots, Zucchini and Dill
Flaky garlic-roasted haddock over tender carrots and zucchini, finished with lemon and lots of fresh dill.
Kids’ plate: Fish boat dinner
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Leeks and Carrots
Juicy roast pork over sweet leeks and carrots, with caramelised apple wedges and a bright cider pan sauce.
Kids’ plate: Apple Pork Strips with Soft Carrots
Turmeric Lemon Chicken with Sweet Potato Wedges and Broccoli
Roasted chicken strips and wedges with a warm turmeric glow, finished with a honey-lemon glaze for the grown-ups.
Kids’ plate: Nugget-Style Chicken Strips with Sweet Potato Wedges
Cooking for more than one diet?
Add everyone you cook for, with their allergies, diets and ages. Gluten checks every recipe for each of them and tells you what to change for anyone who can’t eat it as written. It’s free.
Questions
Can you eat rice on AIP?
Not in the elimination phase. Rice is a grain, and all grains are out. Cauliflower rice is the usual stand-in, and white rice is often one of the later foods people try bringing back.
Are potatoes allowed on AIP?
White potatoes aren’t, because they’re nightshades. Sweet potatoes are allowed, even though the names are similar: they’re a different plant family.
Can you have coffee or chocolate on AIP?
Not in the elimination phase. Coffee and cocoa are both left out, along with alcohol.
How long does the elimination phase last?
Cleveland Clinic says four to six weeks and up to a few months. Check in with your dietitian at about four to six weeks. The diet isn’t meant to stay that strict for good.
Is AIP gluten-free and dairy-free?
The elimination phase is both, because it leaves out all grains and dairy. Packaged food still needs a label check.
Does AIP work?
The research is early. Two small studies without a control group found people felt better, in Crohn’s and colitis and in Hashimoto’s. In the Hashimoto’s study, thyroid function and antibodies didn’t change significantly. AIP isn’t proven to treat any condition, and it doesn’t replace your medication.
Can kids eat AIP meals?
AIP dinners are ordinary food, so kids can eat them alongside rice, bread or whatever else they’re having. Putting a child on the elimination diet itself is something to do only with their doctor.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic: What is the AIP (autoimmune protocol) diet?
- Autoimmune protocol diet: a personalized elimination diet for patients with autoimmune diseases (review, 2025)
- Konijeti et al., Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (2017)
- Abbott et al., Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as part of a multi-disciplinary, supported lifestyle intervention for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (2019)
Gluten gives food ideas, not medical advice. Recipes are checked against the restrictions you enter, but always check labels for allergens and cross-contact, and talk to your doctor or dietitian about your diet.