What Is an Elimination Diet? What are its benefits?

One of the primary reasons people begin an elimination diet is to attempt and identify food intolerances and sensitivities that contribute to digestive problems like gas, bloating, or stomach pain.

Food intolerance occurs when your body processes a particular food (or foods) differently than other foods, which may result in symptoms such as gastrointestinal discomfort.

Elimination Diet- What Is It Exactly?

What is an (Image via Pexels/ Chan Walrus) e limination diet? (Image via Pexels/ Andrea Piacquadio)

An exclusion diet is a meal plan that excludes an item or a set of foods thought to be responsible for an unfavorable food reaction, sometimes known as a "food intolerance." You can discover which foods are causing symptoms or exacerbating them by omitting specific foods for a while, followed by a "challenge" phase in which you reintroduce the foods.

In this approach, an elimination diet may reduce IBS, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea symptoms.

In order to avoid any unpleasant symptoms in the future, you can make an elimination diet food once you have successfully discovered one that your body cannot tolerate well.

It is used to determine which foods are causing symptoms in those with a sensitive gut, food intolerance, or food or dairy allergies, and it only lasts 5–6 weeks.

What are the Phases Involved in Elimination Diet?

Phases involved in the elimination diet. (Image via Pexels/ Mikhail Yanalya)

There are 2 phases involved in the elimination diet meal plan:

1) Elimination phase

For a brief amount of time, usually two to three weeks, you must eliminate the foods you believe to be the cause of your symptoms during the elimination phase.

Eliminate meals you believe your body can't handle as well as those known to bring unpleasant symptoms.

2) Reintroduction phase

The next stage is the reintroduction phase, during which you gradually add the foods you have cut out to your diet.

Over the course of two to three days, each food category should be introduced slowly while monitoring any symptoms.

You can proceed to the next food group and presume it is safe to eat if you don't experience any symptoms at the time when you reintroduce a food group.

On the other hand, if you have unpleasant symptoms like fatigue, bloating, changes in bowel habits, etc., you have identified a trigger food and ought to eliminate it from your diet.

Benefits of Elimination Diet

Elimination diet benefits. (Image via Pexels/ Chan Walrus)

In an elimination diet, you abstain from one or more potential trigger items for some time. You'll keep a food journal throughout this process to track your eating habits and how they affect you.

The elimination diet might help you if you're dealing with symptoms that refuse to go away despite treatment.

Your diet can help your doctor diagnose food allergies or intolerances, which are frequently misdiagnosed conditions.

Is Elimination Diet Safe?

Eliminating diets can have some pitfalls, but they're a terrific method to figure out which foods make you sick.

First of all, an elimination diet is to be followed for no more than four to eight weeks.

Long-term adherence to an exclusion diet is not advised as it may result in nutrient deficits as some food groups are cut out.