What’s the Difference Between AIP Core, AIP Modified, Paleo and Whole30?

Whether you’re working through a new diagnosis or just trying to feel a little more like yourself again, these dietary approaches — AIP Core (the original Autoimmune Protocol), AIP Modified, Paleo and Whole30 — have something powerful in common: they’re all designed to help reduce inflammation, support gut healing and bring your body back into balance.

They’ve helped people with Hashimoto’s, PCOS, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (and more) to reduce flares and reclaim a sense of control in their health journey. The magic? These diets give your body a break from potentially irritating and inflammatory foods, so it can finally take a breath and start to reset.

But how are they actually different? Let’s walk through what they have in common first—then I’ll break down where they part ways.

What AIP, AIP Modified, Paleo and Whole30 have in common

All four approaches advise cutting out:

• Gluten
• Grains
• Dairy
• Soy and Peanuts
• Processed sugar
• Processed food chemicals and ingredients
• Processed vegetable oils
• Alcohol

These foods are considered common culprits when it comes to inflammation, gut disruption, and autoimmune triggers and are thought to potentially disrupt how our bodies naturally function best. By removing them, the idea is that you give your body a chance to reduce immune responses and start repairing or functioning optimally. There’s also a strong emphasis on adding highly-nutritive foods like bone broth, organ meats, fermented foods and healthy fats.

Where they differ

Now it gets interesting. The list of additional restricted foods shifts from here, depending on which program you choose.

AIP Core

This is the original AutoImmune Protocol (AIP) and is the most restrictive to start. You’ll eliminate not just gluten, grains, dairy, soy and peanuts, anything chemical or processed (including sugar) and alcohol, but also eggs, nuts, seeds (and seed spices), as well as beans and nightshades, which include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers (including spices like chiles and paprika), eggplant and more.

The goal is to give your body the most “quiet” to start healing. But here’s the key: restriction isn’t meant to last forever. This is an elimination diet. After a period of quiet and reset, you reintroduce foods one by one to see what works for your body.

AIP Modified

This is a more flexible version of AIP that was introduced in January 2024. AIP Modified similarly eliminates gluten, dairy, soy and peanuts, eggs, nuts, nightshades and anything chemical or processed (including sugar) as well as alcohol. However, AIP Modified does allow some pseudo-grains that don’t contain gluten, like buckwheat, rice, quinoa and others. It also makes an allowance for beans (just not soy or peanuts), as well as seeds and seed spices. And ghee is allowed, which is butter with the milk fats removed.

It’s thought that these newly allowed foods have less impact on inflammation. In my personal experience, it may feel like a less restrictive starting point, but you might want to consider working with a practitioner who can help identify whether these foods could be causing symptoms or reactions. And like AIP Core – the original AutoImmune Protocol – after a period of healing, the goal is to reintroduce foods slowly to see what your body accepts and which it does not, or might accept again over time.

Paleo

Paleo takes a slightly different angle: it’s not an elimination diet but a consistent framework. You remove these foods from your diet long-term, focusing on eating like our ancestors to optimize how your body functions over time. Paleo eliminates gluten, grains, dairy, soy and peanuts, anything chemical or processed (including sugar) and alcohol, but allows eggs, nuts and seeds, as well as nightshades, just not white potatoes.

Paleo is less about a cycle of eliminations and reintroductions, and more about maintaining a clean, whole-food diet without common gut irritants.

WHOLE30

Whole30 is another elimination diet, but as the name implies, it’s aims to be a thirty-day body reset. After thirty days, you’re encouraged to reintroduce off-limit foods one-by-one to gauge any negative or inflammatory reactions. Whole30 also eliminates gluten, grains, dairy, soy and peanuts, anything chemical or processed (including sugar) and alcohol, but like Paleo, also allows eggs, nuts and seeds, and nightshades. White potatoes are even on the table for this plan, as long as they’re not fried.

Whole30 is known to be restrictive in how you approach meals. It discourages snacking, and eliminates any sort of baking. So everything from pancakes to muffins and cookies are off-limits, even if they’re made with compliant ingredients. As well, Whole30 also restricts all sugar, including natural sugars like honey and maple syrup, which are allowed on other protocols.

PLANT-BASED WHOLE30

Plant-Based Whole30 is an elimination diet that follows the same principles as Whole30. It was introduced in February 2022 as an option for those following a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle to also follow the same anti-inflammatory program. As such, the program allows plant sources of protein, largely from legumes like beans and soy. In turn, it eliminates eggs because they’re an animal product.

It’s different for everyone

Here’s the most important thing to remember: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. AIP Core, AIP Modified, Paleo and Whole30 are tools – starting points to help you tune into what your body needs and what helps you feel your best.

That’s why I created Adapted Kitchen: to give you real-life recipes no matter which version of the protocol you’re following. You’ll find comfort food classics, meal-prep-friendly bowls, and lots of recipe inspiration to make the journey feel doable (and delicious).

I’m not a doctor, nutritionist or certified AIP practitioner. I’m simply sharing what’s worked for me in the kitchen after years of living with autoimmune disease and my understanding of how these programs fit together. If you’re navigating dietary changes or looking for personalized guidance, I always recommend consulting with a qualified healthcare provider or nutritionist.