Autoimmune Protocol Diet

A specialized dietary regimen designed to reduce inflammation, manage symptoms, and support healing in individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases by emphasizing nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory foods.

Close up of shrimps on a food plate
Sliced Pears Beside a Honey

About AIP

The AIP is also known as Paleo Autoimmune Protocol because it is derived from the Paleolithic diet (which is based on meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, and seeds)1, although it is a stricter version, eliminating foods that may be antigenic, stimulate the immune system, or create dysbiosis.

There are three phases: the initial elimination phase removes grains, legumes, nightshade vegetables, sugar, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, alcohol and coffee, processed foods, and industrial seed oils; the reintroduction phase, where items are individually reintroduced while monitoring for symptoms or progression of disease; and the maintenance phase, in which patients sustain their personalized restrictions and reintroductions as long as they are symptom free. The effects of the AIP in adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis were first reported in 2017.2,3

References

  1. Fletcher, Jenna. "All you need to know about the AIP diet", Medical News Today, January 3 2020, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320195, October 20 2023.
  2. Konijeti, G. G., Kim, N., Lewis, J. D., Groven, S., Chandrasekaran, A., Grandhe, S., Diamant, C., Singh, E., Oliveira, G., Wang, X., Molparia, B., & Torkamani, A. (2017). Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 23(11), 2054–2060. https://doi.org/10.1097/MIB.0000000000001221
  3. Chandrasekaran, A., Molparia, B., Akhtar, E., Wang, X., Lewis, J. D., Chang, J. T., Oliveira, G., Torkamani, A., & Konijeti, G. G. (2019). The Autoimmune Protocol Diet Modifies Intestinal RNA Expression in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Crohn’s & Colitis 360, 1(3), otz016. https://doi.org/10.1093/crocol/otz016

In Details

The food list provided is a simplistic overview of the basic requirements of the diet, offering a bird's eye view of restricted and allowed foods. It is not an all-inclusive list of the allowed and restricted foods, nor does it define all the rules of the diet. This list should NOT be used as a guide to following the diet.

Read more

The IBD-AID defines three phases based on the level of symptoms present and it is extremely important to begin the diet at the proper phase. The table represents the foods allowed in the third and final phase of the diet, intended for those in remission. The IBD-AID aims for 80% compliance or above, noting that better results may come with better compliance. Any foods added within the 20% noncompliance buffer are not included in the table.

AIP Food List

The food list provided is a simplistic overview of the basic requirements of the diet, offering a bird's eye view of restricted and allowed foods. It is not an all-inclusive list of the allowed and restricted foods, nor does it define all the rules of the diet.

This list should NOT be used as a guide to following the diet.

Details about the AIP

The AIP is a little different from the other diets. The AIP begins with a restrictive Elimination Phase, which must be followed for a minimum of 30 days, but may require longer use. It then shifts to a Reintroduction Phase in which patients test adding back in other foods. In the Maintenance Phase, the foods that were tolerated in the Reintroduction Phase are incorporated back into the diet. Unlike some other therapeutic diets in which reintroductions are de-emphasized or cautioned against, AIP emphasizes and encourages the adding back in of tolerated foods to achieve healthy diversity.

Our table represents the Elimination Phase of AIP, which is actually the first and most restrictive phase of the diet, and not the most inclusive phase as with most of the other diets. This was done because the Elimination Phase is the only phase to define specific foods as being allowed and not allowed. It is important to note that while AIP may look very restrictive as defined in the table, the actual diet used in Maintenance Phase likely will include more diversity than suggested in the table, but that diversity will be highly individualized.

Food Type
General Consensus
Allowed
Fish
Allowed
Seafood (other than fish)
Allowed
Poultry
Allowed
Red Meat (not processed)
Allowed. Grass-fed organ meats encouraged
Vegetables (Other than starchy vegetables and nightshades, which are listed separately)
Allowed
Fruits
Allowed in moderation (2-3 servings per day)
Honey
Allowed
Mixed
Starchy Vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, parsnips, etc)
Allowed if not nightshades
Sweeteners (other than honey and artificial sweeteners, which are listed separately)
Allows date sugar, maple syrup, maple sugar, molasses, evaporated cane juice, coconut sugar
Fats/Oils
Fats from grass-fed organic meats allowed, unrefined oils allowed; no seed oils, no processed vegetable oils
Excluded
Processed Meat
Excluded
Wheat/Gluten
Excluded
Corn
Excluded
Oats
Excluded
Rice
Excluded
Grains (other than wheat, corn, oats, and rice, which are listed separately)
Excluded
Dried Legumes / Beans
Excluded
Fresh Legumes / Beans
Exclude: Peas and green beans are not allowed but are one of the first foods recommended for reintroduction.
Nightshades (tomatoes, tomatillos, white potatoes [not sweet potatoes], eggplant, peppers, goji berries, etc)
Exclude
Dairy
Excluded
Nuts
Excluded
Seeds
Excluded
Artificial Sweeteners
Excluded
Processed Foods / Preservatives / Artificial Additives
Excluded
Eggs
Excluded
Cocoa
Excluded
Coffee
Excluded
Alcohol
Excluded
Formula (PEN; eg, Boost®, Ensure®, Pediasure®, Modulen IBD®)
Excluded
Emulsifiers
Excluded

Delicious and Nutritious Recipes

Explore all recipes

Our recipe section offers a wide range of options that align with various nutritional therapies, ensuring you can find meals and snacks that are both flavorful and supportive of your dietary needs.

IBD-AID P3
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CDED P3
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CDED P2
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CDED P1
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IBD-AID P2
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IBD-AID P1
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Somebody in the kitch - view from the back while preparing healthy foods. Cutting board with various healthy foodsPink Milkshake and fruits on a white table and pink backgroundWoman stirring in a pot with vegetables.on the stove

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