Healthy Gut Diet Plan

Discover a complete Healthy Gut Diet Plan with nutritious, gluten-free recipes to help support  healthy gut bacteria, improve your digestion, and help you feel great! Simple, tasty, and great for meal prep, these recipes are sure to become staples in your diet. Keep reading to pick out your favorites, and find the best tips to improve your gut health for good! 

Disclosure: Lindsay Cotter is a certified nutrition specialist and does not have a medical degree. The information in this post comes from reliable medical resources but should not be taken as medical advice. We recommend that you consult with your doctor before starting any new eating program or making changes to your diet.

Meals for Good Gut Health

If you’ve been around a while, you’ll already know that I’m all about utilizing wholesome, nourishing foods to help improve my health. If you’re new here, well, now you know, too! I’ve always been passionate about health and wellness, but I would say I only truly began to dial in my focus on nourishing foods when I became ill with a parasite back in 2006. A parasite I caught while working at an orphanage in Africa.  

To say the least, it harmed my gut health and my digestive system was in serious need of a reboot, but I wouldn’t have changed that experience for the world! So, I focused on healing my gut by reducing inflammation and rebuilding my gut lining to reduce symptoms of and prevent leaky gut. 

However, the tricky thing about gut health is that it looks different for everyone. Of course, it’s important for those with allergies and intolerances to follow gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and low-carb diets based on their individual needs. However, determining the best approach is not always easy. 

What’s healthy for one person’s gut may not be healthy for another’s, even if only temporarily. For example, if you have bad gut flora, consuming raw veggies or cultured foods can cause you to feel ill and create bloat due to an inability to digest it. Yet, for others, consuming these foods can help reduce bloat and regulate digestion. 

There are tons of factors that can negatively impact your gut health, including these 7 common unhealthy gut triggers. As a result, understanding how to treat your symptoms and consume healthy foods for your individual needs can be confusing. 

Luckily, through years of trial and error, I’ve learned what foods cause flare-ups and how to create delicious meals to help manage my symptoms. The easiest and most widely used method to identify triggers is to implement a low FODMAP diet. 

So, whether you’re experiencing gut distress and are looking to eliminate problem foods, simply want to improve your digestion, or are somewhere in between, I’m giving you a complete gut-healthy diet plan to help you get started along with my best gut-friendly tips and tricks to help you optimize your health with recipes you’ll love! 

Prebiotics and Probiotics

Crucial to gut health and digestion, prebiotics are a type of indigestible fiber that comes from carbs and other natural foods high in prebiotics such as garlic, onions, whole oats, bananas, and apples. 

They help feed the good bacteria in our gut and prevent the development of fungus and other not-so-beneficial bacteria types. Plus, they’re pretty tasty when consumed in recipes like those listed in the gut health meal plan below! If you suffer from bloating, constipation, or similar symptoms, the recipes in this plan might help. 

Probiotics are the good bacteria fed by prebiotics in your gut. They are crucial to maintaining a healthy immune system and regular digestion. 

Unfortunately, they aren’t often included in the average diet, at least not enough. The good news is that there are lots of probiotic-rich foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, tempeh, and more that you can easily include in your diet with the help of the recipes below! 

Collagen 

Collagen is a key component in the health of your bones, skin, and muscle. However, did you also know that it can also be used to improve your gut health? 

Consuming collagen as part of a balanced diet can help build and maintain healthy digestive tissue throughout the digestive tract. As a result, it can help protect against the development of leaky gut and IBS while also reducing bloat, nausea, gas, and cramps.

Healthy Gut Diet Plan 

Below is a list of recipes that are designed to help improve digestion, support a generally healthy gut, and taste great! Feel free to mix and match your favorites. Or, include them all as part of a gut health diet! 

Breakfasts

Swap out sugary breakfast cereals and frozen breakfasts with nutrient-rich recipes that are simple yet delicious. 

Detox Green Smoothie – Rich in prebiotics and probiotics, this Detoxifying Green Smoothie is made with kiwi and celery to naturally detox the body and reduce inflammation. Paired with kiwis, fresh orange juice, and ginger, it’s sweet, refreshing, and tangy so you can start your day on the right foot!

Probiotic-Rich Coconut Milk with fresh fruit – Who said healthy meals had to be complicated? This yogurt bowl is quick, effective, and delicious! Add a scoop of collagen and you’ll have so many gut-boosting benefits you’ll feel great all day. 

Blueberry Low FODMAP Muffins – Great to prepare in advance and packed with antioxidants and fiber, these gluten-free muffins are the perfect way to get yourself going for the day. 

Paleo Egg Wraps with Low FODMAP Filling or Low FODMAP Salsa – Similar to a breakfast burrito but without all the carbs and heavy ingredients, these breakfast wraps can be filled with a variety of items for a high-protein meal full of flavor and gut-boosting benefits. 

Buckwheat Granola – Snack on this granola on its own, with your favorite non-dairy milk, or served over yogurt. In servings of up to ½ cup, it’s crunchy, filling, and low FODMAP-friendly, too. 

Lunches

Whether you’re looking for a light lunch snack, a cozy soup, or a refreshing salad, we’ve got you covered with items that will keep your gut happy. 

Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes – Artichokes are full of prebiotic fibers and nutrients, making them a great addition to your gut health diet plan. Serve them on their own or with a side of aioli and your favorite protein.  

Creamy Artichoke Pea Soup – Rich in prebiotics and nutrients, this soup is a great way to feel warm and nourished from the inside out.  

Asparagus Fries – Fries you can feel good about? Sign us up! This asparagus recipe is rich in prebiotics! Crisp on the outside, tender in the center, and full of health benefits in every bite. 

Apple Kimchi Salad or Healthy Broccoli Salad – Say goodbye to boring salads with the sweet and savory flavors and crisp crunch of these healthy gut diet plan meals. Quick to make, rich in probiotics, they’ll curb your hunger and keep you satisfied until dinner.  

Dinners

Whether you’re cooking for yourself or feeding the whole family, these gluten-free dinner recipes are sure to please! 

Baked Salmon and Asparagus – A powerhouse combination of protein, omega fatty acids, and prebiotics, this meal bakes on a single pan in under an hour. Dinner doesn’t get better than that!   

Superfood Baked Salmon – One of our most popular recipes, this dish features salmon, Brussels sprouts, and blueberries for a meal that’s sweet, savory, and good for you, too. Plus, it’s full of prebiotic fiber and is pretty darn tasty! 

Chicken Sliders with Gluten-Free Rolls – Not your average sliders, this recipe uses simple ingredients and a creamy Greek yogurt dressing to create a bold, savory filling. Served on sweet, fluffy, gluten-free rolls, it’s always a crowd-pleasing meal. 

Shredded Chicken or No Mayo Chicken Salad – Opt for shredded chicken if you’re in the mood for something simple. Or, spice it up with our mayo-free chicken salad for a boost of nutrients, probiotics, and protein ! 

Air Fryer Fish with Quinoa – You probably already know how good fish is for you with its high protein content and healthy fats. But pair it with quinoa, and you add plant-based protein, fiber, and nutrients for a quick meal that will leave you feeling great.  

Ingredient Essentials for Recipes to Improve Gut Health

Ready to get started with your own gut health meal plan? Download the printable below, (or PDF HERE), and head to your local grocery store to stock up on all the ingredients you’ll need to get started making gut-healthy recipes!