Food Reintroduction Handout

In What Order Do We Reintroduce Foods?

  • Wait until you've plateaued—no further improvement from the diet—for at least 1 week before reintroducing any new foods.

  • Do not reintroduce foods if you’re still improving weekly on your current plan.

  • Be cautious if you’re also introducing GI-clearing herbs or new supplements. Make sure you’ve been stable on these for 1–2 weeks before attempting food reintroduction.

  • After reintroducing a food successfully over 1–2 days, do not continue eating that food while reintroducing others. This helps identify delayed reactions that may otherwise be masked.

Reintroducing Foods Back into Your Diet

  • The reintroduction phase usually spans 2–3 days (3 days for sensitive individuals).

  • Day 1: Start with a very small serving (e.g., one bite or one teaspoon).

  • Day 2–3: Gradually increase the portion if no symptoms occur.

  • Begin reintroduction after a minimum of 4 weeks on the elimination diet and at least 1 week of symptom plateau.

  • The idea: smaller food portions = smaller potential reaction.

Watch for Symptoms:

  • Joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, mood changes, weight gain

  • Return of any symptoms experienced before starting the elimination diet

  • If symptoms appear, wait until your gut is more healed before retrying that food


1. Eggs

  • Start with runny yolks only (poached, over-easy, or sunny-side up).

  • Avoid scrambled eggs or overcooked yolks, which can denature proteins.

  • If yolks are tolerated, try the full egg next.

2. Dairy (In This Order):

  1. Ghee (clarified butter — least reactive)

  2. Grass-fed Kerrygold butter

  3. Raw yogurt (Dr. J approval required)

  4. Raw cheese (Dr. J approval required)

  5. Raw milk (Dr. J approval required)

Ghee and butter have more butterfat and less casein/lactose, which are common irritants.

3. Nuts and Seeds

  • Reintroduce one at a time only.

  • Use soaked nuts/seeds to reduce phytates and lectins (anti-nutrients).

4. Nightshades

  • Examples: tomato, white potato, eggplant, pepper, paprika, chili powder

  • Contain alpha-solanines and glycoalkaloids—can irritate joints, skin, or gut

  • Reintroduce in small amounts; monitor for inflammation or brain fog

  • Be cautious with nightshade-based seasonings

5. FODMAPs (If Previously Removed)

  • Reintroduce only after AIP food reintroductions

  • Begin with moderate FODMAPs, then move to high FODMAPs

  • Avoid combining a known tolerated FODMAP with a new one at the same meal

  • Helpful tip: Adding FODMAPs during the clearing phase can help draw out and eliminate bad bacteria—only if tolerated

Example: Don’t try broccoli and garlic together if both were eliminated. Reintroduce separately.

Click here to access Dr. J’s FODMAP Handout.


Summary Tips:

  • Wait for symptom stability before testing foods.

  • Reintroduce one food at a time every 2–3 days.

  • Start with a small amount and gradually increase.

  • Be observant of both obvious and subtle symptom recurrence.

  • Log everything in a food/symptom journal for best results.

Contact our clinic if you’re unsure which foods to start with or need help interpreting your response.