Gut Healthy Foods Healthy Meal Plan

Eating gut healthy foods is an important step in keeping your body nutritionally balanced while providing overall gut health! This gluten free, healthy meal plan will help explain which foods are best for your gut, plus give you ideas! Low FODMAP foods and recipe options included for each meal. Grocery list, PDF of recipes, plus informational graphics included! 

This gut healthy foods meal plan is sponsored by my friends at Fody Foods. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to keep creating deliciously healthy, gluten free recipes for you!

Your GUT HEALTH matters! Today we’re talk about gut health in a meal plan form! This plan is for those looking to improve gut health, maintain gut health, or are in need of some guidance in relation to IBS or other digestive disorders, hence the low fodmap diet tips!

Please note, I am not a physician, so for those looking for more guidance due to IBS or SIBO, please seek out medical advice or email me! I am happy to give references to some of my favorite gut health specialist/RD’s!

How to improve gut health

Improving and/or maintaining gut health and immunity requires that we eat nutritionally wholesome, REAL food! Specifically, eating a variety of gut healthy foods will help:

Gut Healthy Foods

The best gut healthy diet includes a variety of foods – one specific food can help a little, but incorporating several will give you better overall results.

Probiotic and Prebiotic Foods

Fermented foods such as kimchi and yogurt help to feed good bacteria and continue to supply good gut flora. Other probiotic and prebiotic foods include:

• Orange Probiotic Immunity Boosting Smoothies
• Detoxifying Green Smoothie for Healthy Digestion

Healthy Fats

Eat a variety of healthy fats, including MCT oil, avocado oil, and foods such as salmon, that are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. Here are some of my favorites:

• Vegan Iced Bulletproof Coffee Latte
• 10-Minute Pan Seared Salmon with Avocado Gremolata

Resistant Starch

It’s important to feed the good bacteria to keep it growing; that’s why we eat resistant starch for gut health. Gut healthy foods that are good sources of resistant starch include:

• Gluten Free Rolled Oats
• Cooked (and cooled) rice
• Green bananas
• Legumes

Collagen

Collagen is important for strengthening the gut lining. One delicious source of collagen is in bone broth. Gut healthy foods that are great sources of collagen include:

• Paleo Fajita Steak Soup (Instant Pot and Stove Top Option)

Anti-inflammatory Herbs and Spices

Even herbs and spices are gut healthy foods. They reduce inflammation and they’re delicious, too!

• Ginger
• Basil
• Mint
• Cinnamon
• Curry (Turmeric)

Now, that being said, not all gut healthy foods are good for those with certain digestive disorders (i.e IBS, fructose malabsorption, etc.). Another way to help reduce IBS and IBS symptoms is with low FODMAP foods.

What is a Low FODMAP diet?

FODMAPs are a type of sugar found in specific foods, naturally or as additives. They include fructose (in fruits and vegetables), fructans (ie fructose found in certain vegetables and grains), lactose (dairy), galactans, (beans and legumes), and polyols (artificial sweeteners).

These foods are not necessarily unhealthy products. Some of them contain fructans, inulin, and galactooligosaccharides (GOS), which are healthy prebiotics that help stimulate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Many of them are otherwise good for you, but in certain people, eating or drinking them causes gastrointestinal symptoms. Especially those with suffering from IBS.

Low FODMAP foods vs High FODMAP foods

Examples of LOW FODMAP FOODS include:

• Fruit: grapes, bananas, citrus fruit, berries
• Grains and starch: Whole grain gluten-free bread, sourdough, quinoa, rice, and gluten-free oats
• Vegetables: Peppers, carrots, cucumber, leafy greens, sprouts, green beans, tomato, zucchini, herbs, potatoes
• Low fructose: maple syrup, cane sugar
• Low lactose: low fat dairy products and cheeses

Examples of HIGH FODMAP FOODS include:

• High Fructose: Honey, Agave Nectar, Sorbitol, Xylitol
• High Oligosaccharides and Polyols: Stone fruit  (apples, pears, peaches, pears, plums)
• High Fructans (Wheat and Vegetables): artichokes, peas, asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, garlic, leeks/onions. barley, rye, and wheat
• High Lactose foods:  Skim milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk. Soft cheese, cottage cheese, fat free yogurts, ice cream
• High Galactans: beans/legumes

My personal story with low fodmap diet.

I’m not sure many of you know, but in 2006 I contracted a parasite while working in Africa. That parasite wrecked my gut for a good 10 years and I struggled to find answers to healing, which led me to a gluten free diet and my whole healing journey! But even during this “healing time,” I still struggled with severe fat malabsorption. Which means I couldn’t digest much food and I would get very nauseous every day. That, on top of daily stress, was not a good thing.  My good friend (a nutritionist/doctor who specializes in low fodmap diet) guided me through a low fodmap diet. This diet, along with supplements, help me regain weight that was lost. How so? Because I was finally absorbing my food!

Fast forward another 6 years later, plus colon surgery,  I finally understand about my body and my digestion. Does that mean it’s perfect? Nope. I still struggle with IBS-D at times but I know WHAT to do and how to change my food and environment when those symptoms occur. I take everything day by day by day my friends.

This is where FODY FOODS comes in and can help! Fody Foods are FODMAP-safe, pre-made gut healthy foods you can use in place of high FODMAP recipes and/or ingredients.

A little info about Fody:

Fody puts IBS friendly foods on the (FOD)MAP!

Fody believes that success begins with your gut. That’s why they have dedicated themselves to creating a world of delicious, gut friendly, low FODMAP foods so we can all smile inside and out. They are the proud, leading low FODMAP food company helping IBS sufferers eat life to the fullest with their variety of products such as Pasta Sauces, Condiments, Snacks, Kitchen Staples, Salad Dressings and Sauces & Marinades. They are here to remove the stress and anxiety of IBS, and bring back the joy in eating. They want you to live free of IBS symptoms and eat convenient, delicious foods you love, at any time of the day. 

You can find Fody’s products online at fodyfoods.com or in a variety of grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market, HEB, Natural Grocers, and more. Check out their store locator on their website…they might be closer than you think!

Gut Healthy Meal Plan

(Low Fodmap Recipe Options Included)

PRINTABLE PDF of all the GOOD GUT RECIPES HERE! GROCERY LIST BELOW.

BREAKFAST –

• Prebiotic/probiotic rich  – Matcha Green Tea Overnight Oatmeal or power bowls
• Anti-inflammatory/digestive support – Detox Green (Kiwi and Celery) Smoothie
• Low Fodmap – Low Fodmap Blueberry Muffins and/or Fody Foods  Blueberry Almond Snack bars

LUNCH –

• Resistant Starch – Watermelon Coconut Rice Salad (cold) with tuna or salmon (bonus of healthy fats)
• Protein rich bone broth/collagen – African Zanzibar Tomato Carrot Soup with bone broth. This is great to serve as a gazpacho as well!
• Anti-inflammatory – Curried  Chicken Salad – bonus probiotics if you use low lactose yogurt versus mayo)
• Low Fodmap – Strawberry Spinach Salad with Granola Croutons with Fody Foods Almond Quinoa Snack Bar crushed on top as the “croutons.” Also pairs well with Fody Foods Maple Dijion salad dressing.  Avocado is medium fodmap, so be mindful of how much you are using in this salad, or omit.

DINNER –

• Prebiotic/probiotic – Steak Kimchi Apple Salad
• Anti-inflammatory  Asian Zucchini Noodle Flu Buster Soup – add the protein of your choice.
• Low Fodmap Shrimp Tacos – To make it low fodmap friendly, omit garlic and onion. Instead use Fody Foods onion infused olive oil in place of regular oil to give it that garlic taste! Also replace regular salsa with Fody Foods medium salsa and/or taco sauce. Pair shrimp tacos with quinoa or serve in gluten free rice flour tortillas.

BONUS HEALTHY GUT FOODS! 

PREBIOTIC SNACKS/ DIGESTION BOOSTING DRINKS/ ACTIVATED (SOAKED) NUT BASED CONDIMENTS

• Prebiotic/probiotic – Homemade Sauerkraut
• Anti-inflammatory – Turmeric Detox ACV Drink
• Low Fodmap – ACTIVATED Cashew Cream Sauce –  1/4 c serving or less.
  • Important NOTE –> Dried roasted cashews are high in FODMAPs, but the process of activation makes it suitable for low FODMAP. For this recipe, soak the cashews in purified water overnight, then dry.  (source). Blend with water or rice milk to create a softer creamy texture and cream sauce that’s great sweet or savory. This is a great condiment to use in place of commercial dairy/cream. I love using it with zoodles or in quinoa pasta dishes. It’s dairy free and vegan. To give it a savory garlic or onion cream sauce taste, omit minced garlic and use FODY FOODS garlic infused oil in place of oil and Fody Fody seasoning of choice. Bonus gut health points –> Soaking (activating) nuts/seeds/grain allows for better nutrient (especially mineral) absorption.

Alright, now that I have OVERLOADED you with meal plan, it’s time to get organized! Below you will see a pinnable grocery list or you can download it here!