What Is the AIP Diet? A Complete Guide to the Autoimmune Protocol Diet
Updated 3 October 2025 • UK English
Introduction: Why Try the AIP Diet?
The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet, sometimes called the autoimmune paleo diet, is a carefully structured nutritional approach designed to help people with autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. By reducing dietary triggers and focusing on healing the gut, this diet aims to reduce inflammation, regulate the immune system, and support long-term wellbeing.
The AIP diet works on the principle that gut integrity and a balanced microbiome are essential to immune health. When the gut becomes compromised, it may trigger an autoimmune response, contributing to fatigue, pain, skin issues, or other symptoms of autoimmune diseases.
By restoring gut health through food and lifestyle, the AIP diet can help reduce inflammatory activity and promote natural healing. At Lantern Clinic, our doctors use this evidence-based diet as part of a wider Functional Medicine approach, helping patients uncover root causes, not just suppress symptoms.
This is not a fad or one-size-fits-all plan; it’s a therapeutic diet designed to calm the body’s inflammatory response, give clarity on foods that may be contributing to immune dysfunction, and build the foundation for long-term balance.
Research on the AIP diet has shown that this anti-inflammatory diet may support individuals with autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. While more studies are needed, early findings are promising.
The AIP diet aims to reduce triggers by introducing whole foods into your diet, remove processed food, and include nutrient-dense foods that nourish the gut and immune system. Similar to the Mediterranean diet, it emphasises balance, quality ingredients, and mindful eating.
If you’re exploring ways to manage your autoimmune condition naturally and would like professional guidance, our Functional Medicine team can help you try the AIP diet safely and effectively.
What Is The AIP Diet?
The AIP diet (short for the Autoimmune Protocol diet) is an elimination diet designed to identify food sensitivities, calm inflammation, and support immune health in people with autoimmune conditions.
It is an extension of the paleo diet, taking the concept further by removing foods most likely to irritate the gut or trigger an autoimmune reaction. Essentially, the AIP diet focuses on foods that heal and eliminates those that inflame, creating a reset for the body’s natural defences.
The Three Phases of the AIP Diet
Elimination (4–12 weeks): Remove certain food groups known to contribute to inflammation or immune reactions, while focusing on nutrient-dense foods that repair the gut.
Reintroduction: Gradually reintroduce foods one by one to identify which are well tolerated.
Personalised maintenance: Create a balanced diet that keeps symptoms under control and supports long-term vitality.
The Elimination Phase of the AIP Diet
The first phase of the AIP diet, known as the elimination phase, is the most structured part of the journey. During this time, you eliminate foods that are known to cause inflammation or trigger an autoimmune response.
This phase typically lasts 4 - 12 weeks and helps calm the immune system, reduce flare-ups, and promote healing.
Foods to Eliminate
Grains and legumes
Dairy and eggs
Nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, aubergine, white potatoes)
Nuts, seeds, and seed oils
Processed food and food additives
Refined sugars, alcohol, and coffee
Foods Allowed on the AIP Diet
Whole foods such as vegetables and fruit (excluding nightshades)
High-quality proteins such as poultry, fish, grass-fed meat, and organ meats
Fermented foods like sauerkraut and coconut yoghurt
Nutrient-dense foods including bone broth, shellfish, and liver
Healthy fats such as olive, avocado, and coconut oils
This structured diet plan supports gut repair and reduces inflammation while providing essential nutrients. Following the diet under professional guidance can help ensure your nutritional needs are met.
Reintroduction Phase: How to Reintroduce Foods Back Into Your Diet
After completing the elimination phase of the AIP, you’ll enter the reintroduction phase. This is where you begin to reintroduce foods carefully and systematically, allowing your body to guide the process.
Choose one new food at a time (for example, egg yolk or white rice).
Try a small portion, then gradually increase over 3–7 days while monitoring your symptoms.
Track any changes in digestion, mood, energy, skin, or pain.
If symptoms return, remove the food and wait before testing another.
The final phase of the AIP involves creating a personalised, sustainable eating plan, keeping foods that support wellbeing and avoiding those that cause flares. This is how the AIP diet works long-term: by building awareness, not restriction.
When done carefully, this process empowers you to understand which foods truly support your health.
Benefits and Research on the AIP Diet
The efficacy of the autoimmune protocol continues to be researched, but early studies suggest the AIP diet may help reduce inflammation and autoimmune symptoms in people with autoimmune disorders.
Reported benefits include:
Improved digestion
Reduced joint pain
Better sleep and energy
Enhanced mood and quality of life
Particularly for autoimmune diseases like IBD, many participants experience measurable improvements. However, the AIP diet is not a cure; it is a therapeutic framework that helps you discover your body’s unique responses.
Maintaining a balanced diet after elimination and reintroduction is essential and your clinician can help ensure adequate nutrition as you follow the AIP diet safely.
Managing Autoimmune Conditions Beyond Diet
The AIP diet is one part of a holistic approach to manage autoimmune conditions. Nutrition is vital, but lifestyle factors matter too.
We recommend pairing the diet with:
Quality sleep
Mindful stress reduction
Gentle movement
Supportive medical care
Some people benefit from combining the AIP with aspects of the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on longevity and cardiovascular health.
At Lantern Clinic, our Functional Medicine doctors take a whole-person view, helping you align diet and lifestyle changes with compassionate medical care. This personalised approach empowers patients to heal more deeply and sustainably.
Comparing the AIP Diet With Other Diets
| Feature | AIP Diet | Palaeo Diet | Mediterranean Diet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshades | Removed initially | Allowed | Allowed |
| Phased reintroduction | Yes | No | No |
| Primary focus | Autoimmune patients | General wellness | Cardiometabolic health |
| Evidence base | Emerging | Moderate | Strong (general) |
The AIP diet is an elimination plan that targets immune balance, while the paleo diet promotes general wellbeing and the Mediterranean diet supports heart health. Each has its place but the AIP is uniquely focused on reducing symptoms of autoimmune activity and rebuilding gut integrity.
Is the AIP Diet Right for You?
The AIP diet can help some people manage their autoimmune condition, but it is not suitable for everyone.
We do not recommend starting the AIP diet without first consulting a medical or nutritional professional.
This is especially important if you are pregnant, underweight, have a history of eating disorders, or have higher-than-average energy needs. If you experience symptoms associated with autoimmune conditions and are considering trying the AIP diet, seek guidance from a qualified practitioner to ensure it is safe and appropriate for you.
If you would like to discuss the AIP diet or explore your wider health, book a free discovery call with one of our practitioners below.
FAQs About the Autoimmune Protocol Diet
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Usually 4–12 weeks, depending on symptoms and professional advice.
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Vegetables (excluding nightshades), fruits, high-quality meat and fish, bone broth, fermented foods, and healthy fats such as olive, avocado, and coconut oils.
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The AIP diet work by helping to reduce inflammation and improve quality of life for some people. Evidence is still emerging, but results are encouraging.
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Strict elimination isn’t meant to be permanent. The goal is to transition into a balanced diet after identifying triggers.
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Because the plan is restrictive, without guidance it can cause nutrient gaps or social challenges. Working with a clinician ensures safety and sustainability.
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The focus is healing, not weight loss, though improvements in inflammation and metabolism may lead to natural balance.
Final Thoughts
The AIP diet is a structured, therapeutic elimination diet that aims to uncover triggers and restore calm to an overactive immune system. While it isn’t a cure for autoimmune disease, it can be a powerful way to regain balance, comfort, and clarity.
At Lantern Clinic, we approach healing with compassion and science, using nutrition, diagnostics, and lifestyle medicine to help people with autoimmune conditions rediscover vitality.
If you’re curious to know about the AIP diet or explore how using the AIP could fit into your personalised plan, we invite you to book a 15-minute discovery call with one of our doctors.
Your path to better health can begin with understanding what your body truly needs and with the right guidance, you don’t have to walk that path alone.
Educational only; not medical advice.
