What is the Elimination Diet?

The elimination diet is a method of pinpointing the source of food allergy or intolerance, by restricting certain foods and adding them back gradually.

Patients who suspect food allergies or intolerance may want to participate in an elimination diet. This type of diet is used to discover the source of a food allergy or intolerance. For one week, the patient eats a very bland diet, including tapioca, sweet potatoes, and some cooked fruits and vegetables.

New foods are then introduced two at a time in small quantities. If symptoms of allergy or intolerance do not appear, the food can be continued. If symptoms do appear, the suspected food is then eliminated.

This method requires careful monitoring of symptoms, so that links may be drawn between food and disease.