Food Families - Grace Cheetham

The key to following an Elimination Diet and a Rotation Diet is to follow the food families. There are groups of foods which, being related to each other, share chemical components. I’ve listed the main food families below – and their components. I’ve only listed the whole ingredient, so any part of that ingredient would also apply. Grapeseed oil, for example, is taken from the grapeseed and is therefore part of the Grape Family, cornflour is made from corn/maize, and is part of the Grass Family, and so on.

It’s important to remember that you need to take into account the food families of any product you may buy or use. So wine, for example, contains high levels of grapes (grape family) and yeast (fungus family). Likewise, something like gelatine may contain beef products (beef family) and soya includes products such as tofu, soy sauce, tamari and miso.

AGAE

agar-agar,all seaweeds including arame, dulse, kelp, kombu, nori, wakame spirulina

AMARANTHACEA

amaranth

ARROWROOT

arrowroot

ARUM

dasheen, eddoe

ASTER

camomile, chicory, curry leaves, dandelion, endive, globe artichoke, jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, safflower, salsify, sunflower seed, tarragon, yarrow

BANANA

banana, plantain

BEECH

chestnuts

BEET

beetroot, quinoa, spinach, sugar beet, swiss chard

BEEF

all cow/goat/sheep dairy products, including butter, cheese, milk, yogurt
beef, goat, lamb, veal

BLUEBERRY

blueberry, cranberry

BIRCH

hazelnuts

BRASSICA

bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chinese leaves, cress, daikon, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard seed, pak choi, radish, rapeseed (canola), rocket, swede, turnip, watercress

BRAZIL NUT

brazil nut

BUCKWHEAT

buckwheat, rhubarb, sorrel

CAPER

capers

CARROT

anise, caraway, carrot, celeriac, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, lovage, parsley, parsnip

CASHEW

cashew nut, mango, pistachio nut

CITRUS

clementine, grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, orange, satsuma, tangerine

CONIFER

juniper berry, pine nut

CRUSTACEAN

crab, crayfish, crawfish, lobster, prawn, shrimp

CYPERACEA

tiger nut

DEER

elk, moose, venison

DILLENIA

kiwi fruit

FLAX

linseed (flaxseed)

FRESHWATER FISH

bass (freshwater), catfish, croaker, perch, pike, salmon (freshwater), trout, whitefish

FUNGUS

yeast, mushroom, truffle

GOOSEBERRY

black currant, red currant, gooseberry

GRAPE

cream of tartar, currant, grape, raisin, sultana

GRASS

bamboo shoots, barley, cane sugar, corn (maize), kamut, lemon grass, malt, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, spelt, wheat, wild rice

GINGER

cardamom, ginger, turmeric

HONEYSUCKLE

elderberry

IRIS

saffron

LAUREL

avocado, bay leaf, cinnamon

LILY

aloe vera, asparagus, chive, garlic, leek, onion, sarsaparilla, shallot

MADDER

coffee

MALLOW

okra, hibiscus

MAPLE

maple syrup

MELON

all melons including cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon
all squashes
courgette, cucumber, gherkin, marrow, papaya, pawpaw, pumpkin

MINT

basil, bergamot, yyssop, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme

MULLUSC

abalone, clam, cockle, mussel, octopus, oyster, periwinkle, scallop, snail, squid

MORACEA

hempseed

MORNING GLORY

sweet potato

MULBERRY

breadfruit, fig, hop, mulberry

MYRTLE

allspice, clove, guava

NIGHTSHADE

aubergine, cayenne, chilli, paprika, pepper, potato, tobacco, tomato

NUTMEG

mace, nutmeg

OLIVE

black olive, green olive

ORCHID

vanilla

PALM

coconut, date, sago

PASSIFLORACEA

passion fruit

PEA

alfalfa
all beans, including adzuki, black, butter, broad, cannellini, flageolet, french (green), haricot, kidney bean, lentil, lima, mung, pinto, runner, soya (including edemame)
all lentils, including green, puy, red
all peas, including black-eyed pea, chickpea (garbanzo), mangetout, split-green pea, split-yellow pea, sugar snap

CAROB

fenugreek, guar Gum, liquorice, peanut (groundnut)

PEDALIUM

sesame seed

PEPPER

black pepper, white pepper

PINEAPPLE

pineapple

POMEGRANATE

pomegranate

POPPY

poppy seed

POULTRY

chicken, duck, eggs, goose, grouse, partridge, pheasant, pigeon, quail, turkey

PROTEA

macadamia nut

ROSE

almond, apple, apricot, blackberry, boysenberry, cherry, crab apple, damson, dewberry, loganberry, loquat, nectarine, peach, pear, pectin, plum, prune, quince, raspberry, rose hip, sloe, strawberry

SALTWATER FISH

anchovy, bass (saltwater), cod, drum, eel, flounder, grouper, haddock, hake, halibut, herring, mackerel, mahi mahi, mullet, pilchard, salmon (saltwater), sardine, sea bream, snapper, sole, swordfish, turbot, tuna, whiting