Tastemade defines diets based on a recipe's ingredients, preparation steps, and nutritional info. Some diet definitions are subjective, and nutritional info from Edamam is only an estimate, so please double-check that a recipe meets your specific dietary criteria.
In your Taste Profile you can also specify if you're strict or flexible when following each diet:
Strict: You follow this diet 100% of the time. Every recipe in your personalized recommendations and meal plans will match these diets.
Flexible: You follow this diet most of the time. About 2/3 of the recipes in your personalized recommendations and meal plans will match these diets, but it will vary.
Diet Definitions
Clean: Uses primarily whole or minimally processed ingredients; avoids artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and trans fats; keeps refined sugars/flours to small amounts; uses minimally refined cooking fats; and has a short, recognizable ingredient list a home cook could buy.
Dairy Free: Made without milk from mammals or its derivatives (e.g., cheese, butter, yogurt, cream, whey, casein). Eggs are not considered dairy.
Gluten Free: Made without wheat, barley, rye, or their derivatives (e.g., malt, spelt, farro). Oats and soy sauce are only ok if certified gluten-free.
Healthy: Prioritizes whole, nutrient-dense ingredients; delivers moderate calories per serving; provides meaningful protein and/or fiber; uses mostly unsaturated fats; keeps added sugar and saturated fat low; and limits sodium (some added salt is ok)—while avoiding trans fats and highly processed meats. Nutritional targets include:
- < 700 calories per serving AND
- < 30 grams of fat per serving AND
- < 60 grams of net carbs per serving
- Note that you can't select both Healthy and Keto because the two diets are incompatible.
High Protein: Includes recipes with:
- >= 40% of calories coming from protein OR
- >= 20 grams of protein per serving OR
- >= 10 grams of protein per serving AND (Dish Type = Snack OR Dish Type = Side OR Dish Type = Appetizer)
Keto: Includes recipes with:
- <= 10% of calories coming from net carbs AND >= 70% of calories coming from fat AND <= 20% of calories coming from protein
- Note that you can't select both Keto and Low Fat or Healthy because the diets are incompatible
Low Calorie: Includes recipes with:
- <= 500 calories per serving AND Dish Type = Main OR
- <= 200 calories per serving AND (Dish Type = Snack OR Dish Type = Side OR Dish Type = Appetizer)
Low Carb: Includes recipes with:
- <= 15% of calories coming from net carbs OR
- <= 30 grams of net carbs per serving AND Dish Type = Main OR
- <= 10 grams of net carbs per serving AND (Dish Type = Snack OR Dish Type = Side OR Dish Type = Appetizer)
Low Fat: Includes recipes with:
- <= 30% of calories coming from fat OR
- <= 3 grams of fat per serving
- Note that you can't select both Low Fat and Keto because the two diets are incompatible
Nut Free: Made without tree nuts (like almonds, walnuts, and cashews) or peanuts. This also includes ingredients made from them, such as nut butters, flours, and oils. Seeds (like sesame or sunflower seeds), coconuts, and nutmeg are acceptable.
Paleo: Made with primarily unprocessed whole foods that could be hunted or gathered, including meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. It must exclude all grains (like wheat, rice, corn), legumes (like beans, lentils, peanuts, soy), dairy products, refined sugars, and highly processed foods.
Pescatarian: Recipes where the only source of meat is fish (like salmon, tuna, or cod) or shellfish (like shrimp, lobster, crab, or clams), or recipes with no meat at all. It cannot include other meats (like beef or pork) or poultry (like chicken or turkey) or their byproducts (like animal-based broths, gelatin, and lard). Dairy and eggs are acceptable.
Seafood Free: Made entirely without fish (like salmon, tuna, or cod), shellfish (like shrimp, lobster, crab, or clams), and their byproducts (like fish sauce, anchovy paste, and oyster sauce). Other meats (like beef, pork, chicken, or turkey) are acceptable, as is seaweed/kelp.
Vegan: Made without any animal products whatsoever. This includes no meat, poultry, fish, dairy or its derivatives (like whey or casein), eggs, honey, or other animal byproducts like gelatin and lard. Plant-based alternatives are acceptable.
Vegetarian: Made without meat, poultry, fish, or their direct byproducts like animal-based broths, gelatin, and lard. Dairy and eggs are acceptable.