What is an Elimination Diet?

Elimination diets may be recommended in some cases to help identify foods that may be associated with symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, and gas. A follow-up program with a duration of 4-8 weeks is applied. Before applying this type of diet, it is necessary to rule out various health problems that may exist. For example: if celiac disease, which may have the same symptoms, is suspected, an endoscopic biopsy can be performed by a doctor to test the tissue in the intestines. Or a breath test can be done to rule out lactose/fructose intolerance. If there is no problem after all these are done, elimination diet can be recommended at the point of food intolerances.
Elimination diets require motivation. It can be quite difficult to make necessary dietary changes, even if only for a short time. For this reason, it is necessary to manage the process in the presence of a health professional who is an expert in the field.

The elimination diet has two phases:
– Elimination phase
– Re-entry phase

Elimination Phase

During the elimination phase, all foods considered offensive are removed from the diet. One food/food group can be completely eliminated at a time. The goal is to see if symptoms go away by restricting these foods. Often individuals are aware of which foods cause symptoms. However, the healthcare professional will also raise awareness about which foods may cause problems.

Re-entry Phase

If there is improvement in existing symptoms, the next step is to reintroduce the restricted foods to the diet. The goal is to see if symptoms return by eating these foods. At this stage, the patient monitors which foods are tolerated. Usually, starting with a small amount, one food item at a time is added back into the eating plan. If symptoms do not return, a larger portion of the food is tested for tolerance. The patient records the amount of food tolerated. This phase continues until all of the potentially offending foods have been tested.
Sometimes food intolerances can be related to an ingredient used in a particular product or brand of food. This is common with sulfite sensitivities. For example, some dry foods contain sulfites. However, one brand of dried apricots may contain sulfites while the other may not, so label reading and detailed food records are a must.