How It Works

Our approach to classifying foods across dietary frameworks

Overview

AllowedOn classifies foods against the published guidelines of 25 dietary frameworks. Each food receives one of three classifications per diet: Allowed, Not Allowed, or Limited. These classifications are generated at build time using a deterministic, rule-based system — not manual opinion or user-submitted votes.

How Classifications Are Determined

Each dietary framework has a documented set of rules that define which food categories, ingredients, and nutritional profiles are permitted, restricted, or prohibited. AllowedOn maps these rules to individual foods through a structured evaluation process:

  1. Identify the diet's core criteria. Every dietary framework has published principles — for example, Keto restricts net carbohydrates, Vegan excludes animal-derived ingredients, and AIP eliminates grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshades.
  2. Categorize each food. Foods are placed into categories (such as Dairy, Grains, Vegetables, Meat & Poultry) based on their primary composition.
  3. Apply the diet's rules to the food's category and composition. If a food falls into a category that the diet restricts or prohibits, it is classified accordingly. If it falls into a permitted category and does not contain restricted components, it is classified as Allowed.
  4. Handle edge cases. Foods that are conditionally compatible — depending on brand, preparation, portion size, or ingredient variation — are classified as Limited, with an explanation of the conditions.

Data Sources

Classifications are based on publicly available dietary guidelines, including:

  • Published diet program rules and official food lists (e.g., the Whole30 program rules, AIP elimination protocol)
  • Widely recognized nutritional criteria for each dietary framework (e.g., net carbohydrate thresholds for Keto, sodium limits for DASH)
  • Standard food composition data for categorizing foods by their primary ingredients and nutritional profile
  • Established religious dietary laws for frameworks like Kosher and Halal

AllowedOn does not conduct original laboratory analysis or clinical research. Classifications reflect how a food is generally understood to align with a diet's published criteria — not a measurement of the food's specific nutritional content in a particular brand or batch.

What "Limited" Means

A classification of Limited indicates that a food's compatibility depends on specific conditions. Common reasons a food may be Limited include:

  • Different brands or formulations contain different ingredients (e.g., some sauces contain added sugar, others do not)
  • The food is acceptable in small quantities but not in large amounts
  • Preparation method matters (e.g., raw vs. cooked, cured vs. uncured)
  • Cross-contamination risk exists in manufacturing (common for gluten-free evaluations)
  • The food sits on the boundary of the diet's criteria and expert interpretations differ

Limitations

AllowedOn is a reference tool, and its classifications have inherent limitations that users should understand:

  • Product formulations vary. A food classified as Allowed in its standard form may not be Allowed in all commercial versions. Flavored, sweetened, or processed varieties often contain additional ingredients that change the classification.
  • Guidelines are interpreted, not copied. Some dietary frameworks do not publish an exhaustive food list. In these cases, classifications are based on applying the diet's stated principles to the food's known composition. Reasonable people may interpret edge cases differently.
  • Individual needs differ. A food classified as Allowed on a diet may still be inappropriate for a specific person due to allergies, intolerances, medical conditions, or other individual factors.
  • Guidelines evolve. Dietary frameworks may update their rules over time. AllowedOn aims to reflect current guidelines but cannot guarantee real-time accuracy.
  • This is not medical advice. AllowedOn is an informational reference. It is not a substitute for guidance from a qualified healthcare provider, registered dietitian, or physician.

Corrections and Updates

We review classifications for consistency across the site and welcome feedback from readers. If you believe a classification is incorrect, please contact us with:

  • The specific food and diet in question
  • The classification you believe is correct
  • A source or reasoning to support the correction

We evaluate all correction requests against the relevant dietary guidelines and update classifications when warranted.

Editorial Independence

AllowedOn operates independently. Classifications are not influenced by advertisers, sponsors, or food manufacturers. The site does not accept payment for favorable classifications or placement. Advertising on this site (if present) is served through third-party ad networks and is not related to the editorial content or classifications.