A Guide to Hypoallergenic Foods
AllergiesFood Allergies

A List of Hypoallergenic Foods

A List of Hypoallergenic Foods
Everyday Health
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Updated on February 25, 2026
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While any individual can experience an allergic reaction to any food, some foods are significantly less likely to provoke such responses in the body.

While not entirely allergy-proof, these hypoallergenic foods are often recommended by healthcare providers as part of an elimination diet to help determine whether any of the foods a person is eating are causing an allergic reaction. Hypoallergenic foods can’t prevent allergies from other foods, but people with active allergies may find them less likely to cause a reaction.

Eating a hypoallergenic diet can be challenging at times, since common foods like wheat, eggs, milk, and soy all have allergens in them. However, with some planning, you can find a variety of hypoallergenic foods that are both delicious and nutritious.

Fruit

While there’s a bounty of fruit varieties out there, it’s possible to develop an allergy to any of them. That said, some fruits tend to be safer than others.

For instance, there are few allergy incidents reported for berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries. Almost all other fruit classes carry a higher allergy risk.

Vegetables

Like fruits, some people may have allergies to specific vegetables. For instance, vegetables like celery, corn, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms are more likely to cause allergic reactions than other produce.

Alternatively, you may be less likely to experience allergies with leafy greens, like spinach and kale; certain tubers, like sweet potatoes; and some cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

Meat

It’s well known that fish and shellfish are common allergens, so foods like shrimp or lobster may not be the best idea if you’re looking for hypoallergenic meats.

Meanwhile, allergic reactions to poultry, such as chicken, turkey, and duck, are far less common. The same goes for mammal meats, including beef, lamb, pork, and goat. However, a meat allergy can develop at any time in one’s life. It can affect an individual’s ability to digest various types of meat.

Grains

Wheat is certainly not hypoallergenic, nor are other gluten-containing grains like barley and rye. Oats can sometimes trigger an allergic reaction as well.

A number of other grain options are less likely to cause allergy-related issues, with the likelihood varying in different parts of the world. That said, millet and sorghum appear to be particularly safe grain options when it comes to avoiding allergies.

Legumes

Peanuts and soybeans are the legumes that have the highest risk of allergies.

 While far less common, chickpeas, lentils, and peas are reported to cause allergic reactions in some people as well.

 Meanwhile, there are other types of legumes that may be even less allergenic, including black beans and lima beans.

The Takeaway

  • Healthcare providers use hypoallergenic foods in elimination diets to identify triggers and help individuals with active allergies lower their risk of a reaction.
  • Safer, low-risk options across various food groups include certain berries, leafy greens, poultry, mammal meats, and specific grains, like millet and sorghum.
  • While common allergens like wheat, dairy, shellfish, and peanuts should be avoided if you know you’re allergic to them, nutritious produce, like sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and black beans, are less likely to provoke immune responses in those who experience food allergies.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Krikeerati T et al. Revisiting Fruit Allergy: Prevalence across the Globe, Diagnosis, and Current Management. Foods. November 10, 2023.
  2. Vegetables. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.
  3. Food Allergies: The “Big 9”. U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.
  4. Meat Allergy. American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. May 8, 2019.
  5. Wheat Allergy. Mayo Clinic. September 19, 2025.
  6. Fritz RP et al. Sorghum- and Millet-Induced Anaphylaxis: A Case Report. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. July 2024.
  7. Legumes. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.
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Tara Collingwood, RDN

Medical Reviewer

Tara Collingwood, RDN, is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, an American College of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer, and a media spokesperson. As a sports dietitian, she has worked with the U.S. Tennis Association, the Orlando Magic, World Wrestling Entertainment, runDisney, the University of Central Florida, and numerous professional and amateur athletes. Collingwood is the author of Pregnancy Cooking and Nutrition for Dummies and a coauthor of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies.

She appears regularly on national and local TV, and speaks around the world to business teams on how to manage energy physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. She previously served as a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Collingwood double-majored in dietetics as well as nutrition, fitness, and health at Purdue University and earned a master's degree in health promotion from Purdue University. 

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Kent Ninomiya, JD

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Kent Ninomiya is a lawyer, journalist, and internet entrepreneur who founded Ninomiya Law, PLLC, specializing in internet and social media law. His broadcasting career included serving as primary news anchor at major television stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Minneapolis, and San Diego.

Ninomiya has written over 2,000 articles online, authored several ebooks, and edited numerous websites on social media and consumer issues. He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law.

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