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Specialty Diet Filters Part I: AIP, Coconut Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free

At Primal Palate, our mission is to provide you with healthy, nutrient-dense recipes; regardless of any food sensitivities, allergies, or specialty diets. We believe food is meant to be enjoyed; and no one should ever feel as though their world is limited because of food. Whether you are allergic to nuts, eggs, or shellfish; combating an autoimmune disease, avoiding FODMAPs, or eliminating sugar altogether, we want this to be a place where you can find recipes you and your family can enjoy.

To help you find recipes tailored to your needs, we have 12 specialty diet filters available on our site! These include:

Primal Palate dietary restriction filters

We know many of these diets may seem daunting initially, and you may feel lost on what you can or cannot eat. That’s why we’ve categorized each and every recipe for you. No longer are you left wondering, “Does this recipe contain nuts?” “Is that recipe AIP friendly?” “I can’t have nightshades, will this recipe work for me?” It’s time to get excited about cooking healthy again.

In this post, we’ll show you:

  1. How to use the specialty diet filters on PrimalPalate.com
  2. How to save recipes for later use
  3. The meaning of each filter and why some individuals may choose to follow it

How do I use the specialty diet filters?

When visiting the ‘Recipes’ page, on the left-side menu bar you will find all of our specialty diet filters. Once a dietary filter box is checked, only recipes adhering to the diet(s) selected will be shown. It’s that simple!

You are able to use multiple filters at once to accommodate your nutritional needs. You can also filter recipes by meal, or recipe type.

So whether you’re looking for a special treat for your daughter’s birthday, but she can’t have nuts or eggs…

Egg Free Nut Free Paleo Treats

 

Or you’re looking for a few egg-free breakfast ideas…

Egg Free Paleo Recipes

 

Or you’re eliminating FODMAP’s from your diet…

FODMAP free Paleo Recipes

 

We’re sure you’ll find recipes to suit your needs, and the needs of your family.

I’ve found a recipe I really like, and I don’t want to lose it! What do I do?

When you find a recipe you like, click the gold “+” sign to add it to your weekly meal plan. Your meal plan can be found anytime under the tab, myKitchen. [Note: You need to be a registered user to use myKitchen, so that recipes can be saved to your account.]

How-to-save-recipes-to-MyKitchen_edited-1-800x611 copy

To learn more about using myKitchen, please see this post.

There are 1,500 recipes available on Primal Palate (and counting), so we’re sure you’ll find something to fit your needs. To make your meal plan available on your mobile device, download the Primal Palate app, myKitchen, to your smartphone or tablet.

What does each dietary filter mean?

In this section, we will take a closer look at each dietary filter, including:

  1. What foods are removed, and
  2. Why some individuals may want or need to eliminate these foods to obtain optimal health.

Since there are 12 dietary filters available, we have broken this section into three separate posts. In Part I, we will discuss:

  1. The Autoimmune Protocol
  2. Coconut Free
  3. Dairy Free
  4. Egg Free

>>Be on the lookout for Parts II and III on the blog soon!<<

Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)

Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the body cannot differentiate its own healthy proteins, from the proteins of foreign invaders. The body then attacks its own tissue, causing a hypersensitivity reaction known as an “autoimmune response.” This self-tissue attack can go on for months or years before an autoimmune disease fully develops, causing damage to cells, tissues, and/or organs. According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, autoimmune diseases affect up to 50 million Americans, and there are over 80 different types. The type of proteins or cells being attacked is what distinguishes one AI disorder from another.

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) focuses on reducing inflammation in the gut that causes an autoimmune response. Autoimmune disease cannot be cured, but the AIP diet works to calm and decrease inflammation, thereby lessening the disease’s symptoms and ideally putting it into remission.

The Autoimmune Protocol is an elimination diet designed to combat inflammation and reduce flare-ups. The AIP diet removes:

  • Dairy
  • Eggs
  • Legumes
  • Sugar and high-glycemic foods
  • Nuts and nut oils
  • Seeds and seed oils
  • Spices derived from seeds
  • Nightshades
  • Alcohol
  • Coffee
  • Chocolate

Diet and lifestyle can play a large role in keeping AI diseases under control. By eliminating inflammatory foods, you can create an environment to heal your body from within. Use the dietary filter on our Recipes page to search through our entire collection of AIP-friendly, gut-healing recipes, or view a few of our favorites below:

Parsnip fries Amazingly Crispy Paleo Fried Chicken  AIP Coconut Creme Pie shamrock smoothie

For more information, tips, and advice on the AutoImmune Protocol, check out our interview with Bre’anna of He Won’t Know It’s Paleo, who is treating Celiac Disease and Hashimoto’s with AIP. 

Coconut-Free

A coconut free diet avoids all coconut or coconut-derived products. Coconut allergy symptoms are similar to those of a tree nut and other food allergy symptoms. The allergy is caused when the immune system mistakes the proteins found in the coconut product as unsafe. The immune system then creates antibodies and activates other chemicals to fight off the coconut proteins.

While a coconut allergy is relatively rare, contact allergic dermatitis from coconut-derived products is more common. This causes an itchy rash to develop one-two days after coming into contact with coconut, and may take several days to heal. Coconut fatty acids diethanolamide (more commonly known as cocamide DEA), is a surface-active derivative of coconut oil used in many household products, including:

  • Dish washing liquid
  • Shampoos
  • Moisturizers
  • Soaps
  • Hand cleansers
  • Laundry detergents
  • Cosmetics

If you suspect you have contact dermatitis due to coconut products, visit your doctor and request a patch test for proper diagnosis. If diagnosed, be sure to check the ingredient list on labels when buying any products for yourself or your home.

While coconut is a common ingredient in Paleo baking, we have a large collection of coconut-free treats. View our entire coconut-free recipe collection here. 

Paleo Onion Crackers  White Chocolate Strawberry Biscotti  Peach Galette

Dairy-Free

Our Dairy-free recipe filter benefits people with both lactose intolerance and a Casein allergy. An allergic reaction occurs in individuals whose body mistakes the casein protein for a harmful protein, and triggers a histamine response which can include swelling (of the mouth and throat), skin irritation, and congestion (to name a few).

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), nearly 1 in 6 Americans are lactose intolerant. That’s a large number! Lactose is the primary carbohydrate found in cow’s milk and dairy products; it also happens to be the most common food intolerance. When people cannot digest the sugar lactose, they are lactose intolerant. Lactose is broken down in the small intestine by an enzyme known as lactase, and turned into glucose and galactose. Many individuals are lactase deficient; meaning, they do not have enough of the enzyme to properly digest the lactose they consume. When the indigestible lactose passes through the GI tract, it causes GI distress along the way. Symptoms may vary and range in severity, but some of the most common symptoms include abdominal pain and cramps, intestinal bloating, gas, diarrhea, and nausea.

In a dairy-free diet, individuals avoid foods with lactose and casein:

  • Milk
  • Butter and butter fat
  • Yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Cream
  • Ice cream
  • Custard
  • Pudding
  • Sheep and goat’s milk, since it contains similar proteins that may cause a reaction

For some individuals, hard cheeses and plain yogurt with live, active cultures may be well-tolerated due to their low quantity of lactose. If you are 100% dairy-free, you do not have to worry about not getting adequate calcium. Green, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and bok choy are excellent sources of calcium, and often contain higher amounts of calcium than most dairy products!

In any case, using the dairy-free Primal Palate dietary filter before preparing your meals will prevent any unwanted GI symptoms due to lactose! Here are a few recipes you’d never know are dairy-free:

cashew ice cream Homemade healthy hot chocolate Dairy Free hot fudge

Egg Free

Although eggs are a staple in many Paleo breakfasts, those who have an egg-allergy or are following the AutoImmune Protocol should avoid them. Most people who are allergic to eggs are allergic to the proteins found in egg whites (ovalbumin, conalbumin, and ovomucoid), not the yolks. [Although it’s better to be safe than sorry, and those diagnosed with an egg allergy should avoid them altogether]. Cooking is believed to inactivate many of the egg proteins, so cooked eggs may be tolerated in cases where raw eggs are not.

With an egg allergy, symptoms may appear only a short period of time after eating or even touching eggs. Egg allergies can cause skin reactions such as swelling, rash, hives, or eczema. Other symptoms may include wheezing or difficulty breathing, runny nose and sneezing, red, watery eyes, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, and most severely, anaphylaxis.

Following an egg-free diet does not have to be such an intimidating task with the help of the egg-free dietary filter. Try these egg-free breakfast options instead!

Cranberry Coconut “Muesli” Breakfast sausages Berry Parfait Maple Brown Sugar N'Oatmeal

Stay tuned for parts II and III when we go through the other 8 dietary filters!

Primal Palate Spice Blends

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    COMMENTS

    1. kethryvalis
      July 17, 2017

      Any chance you could update this post with the links to Parts II and III? I just stumbled across this post for the first time today and had a hard time finding the next 2 parts. They’re all incredibly helpful!!

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