GAPS Diet Food List – Full List with All Categories

GAPS Diet Food List – Overview

Unquestionably, there is an elaborate connection between your gut microbiome and general wellbeing.

Moreover, advanced research shows that the gut, made up of billions of microorganisms, has a massive effect on disease and wellbeing.

As a result, the GAPS diet is a strict elimination regimen that requires users to discard

  1. Grains
  2. Pasteurized dairy products
  3. Refined carbs
  4. Starchy vegetables

It’s advocated as a natural remedy for people with conditions that affect the brain, such as ADHD and autism.

However, it’s a contentious treatment that nutritional experts, physicians, and scientists have widely criticized for its restrictive routine.

In this article, we will look at the foods you can and can’t take in the course of your GAPS diet, supplements of this diet, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of this restrictive regimen.

Which Foods Can You Take On The GAPS Diet?

Fermented Foods

GAPS Diet Food List

GAPS Diet Food List – Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are recommended for the GAPS regimen as a source of beneficial bacteria. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s book comprises recipes for fermented probiotic beverages such as kefir and yogurt, fermented vegetables, and sauerkraut.

Fruits

Practically all foods are allowed; bananas are the only kind of fruit that comes with a caveat are bananas because they should be very ripe; if they have brown spots on them, the better.

Some of the fruits you can take include Apples, apricots, avocados, coconut, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, mangoes, papaya, prunes, tangerines, tomatoes, and ugly fruit.

Meats, Fish and Poultry

The GAPS diet allows all kinds of animal protein. However, you’ll need to prepare and serve these animal meats with allowed sauces and spices, meaning you’ll be preparing and eating your meals at home for the most part.

Some of the allowed animal meats include Beef, chicken, duck, lamb, mutton, turkey, pork, rabbit, veal, etc.

Natural Fats and Oils

GAPS Diet Food List – Natural Fats and Oils

The GAPS diet also stipulates that you consume natural fats with all meals. Some of the fats and oils you can take include butter, coconut oil, ghee, lard, and tallow.

Non-Starchy Vegetables

The GAPS diet allows some vegetables and refuses others. Non-starchy vegetables are recommended; in fact, you’re encouraged to ferment them using cultures and recipes that are ‘GAPS approved.’

Some of the recommended vegetables include asparagus broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, onions, and Swiss chard.

Which Foods Can’t You Take On The GAPS Diet?

Alcohol and Processed Foods

Except for a couple specifically labeled GAPS-approved, all processed foods contain ingredients not ideal for this strict regimen. What’s more, you’re not allowed to take alcoholic beverages such as beer, liqueurs, whiskey, wine, and spirits.

Dairy Products

Only fermented dairy products are allowed in the GAPS diet. According to Dr. Campbell-McBride’s hypothesis, Cow milk especially can aggravate and damage the gut lining the same way as grains do.

However, fermented versions of dairy products don’t have this effect. As a result, they are allowed; the only unfermented dairy product that’s allowed is butter.

Grains

GAPS Diet Food List

Grains

These comprise various staples in most people’s diets, including barley, corn, crackers, oats, rice, quinoa, wheat, and all other conventional baked goods. Dr. Campbell-McBride believes these foods aggravate the gut lining and eventually damage it.

Starchy Vegetables

GAPS Diet Food List

GAPS Diet Food List – Starchy Vegetables

Vegetables not allowed on this diet are starchy; some of them include parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams. In addition, legumes are also not allowed on the GAPS diet.

Sugar and Added Sugars

Sugar is considered harmful to the intestinal lining. The ban on artificial and natural sweeteners as well as ingredients such as aspartame, maple syrup, and molasses means you will have to stay away from any kind of food with added artificial or natural sugars.

GAPS Diet Supplements

The diet’s founder, Dr. Campbell-McBride, states that the most crucial aspect of the GAPS regimen is the diet. However, this regimen also recommends several supplements such as

Cod Liver Oil and Essential Fatty Acids

People on the GAPS diet are advised to consume daily supplements of cod liver oil and fish oil to ensure they get enough.

In addition, the diet also advises you to take a small portion of cold-pressed nut and seed oil mix with a 1:2 proportion of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

Digestive Enzymes

Dr. Campbell-McBride claims persons with GAPS conditions have low stomach acid production.

To correct this, she recommends that users of the GAPS diet have a supplement of Betaine HCL infused with Pepsin before each meal.

This supplement is a manufactured version of HCL (hydrochloric) acid, which is one of the main acids generated by your gut.

On the other hand, Pepsin is an enzyme also produced in the gut that works to break down and digest proteins.

Probiotic Supplements

These are included in your diet to help reinstate the balance of useful bacteria in your gut. Its recommended that you pick a probiotic with strains from various bacteria such as Bacillus Subtilis, Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli, etc.

Pros and Cons of the GAPS Diet

Pros

Healthy Home-Cooked Meals

The GAPS diet recommends home-cooked meals prepared with fish, fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, and poultry.

No restaurant foods are allowed on this diet, which means that this diet will be healthier compared to the typical American diet.

Treatment of Symptoms

Some proponents of the GAPS diet claim that it can help correct symptoms of ADHD, autism, and other mental health conditions. Dr. Campbell-McBride has a list of physicians she has trained on the diet, although there is limited proof to verify its efficacy.

Cons

Limited Proof

Like other dietary therapies for ADHD and autism, the GAPS diet doesn’t have any rigorous medical research to back it up.

So, unfortunately, there is little scientific information to prove Dr. Campbell-McBride’s recommendations can help improve symptoms of ADHD and autism.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Some medical experts warn that cutting out a lot of healthy foods from your diets, such as legumes and whole grains, can cause nutritional deficiencies.

Restrictive

Due to its restrictive nature, the GAPS diet is very difficult to follow. You’ll have to prepare all your meals from scratch; therefore, you can’t take any convenience foods such as broth.

This means you spend a lot of time cooking which your routine may or may not allow.

Final Thought

The GAPS diet aims to decrease inflammation, heal the gut, and treat specific neurological conditions.

As a result, this diet discards grains, refined carbs, and starchy vegetables and swaps them for nutrient-dense foods which are easy to break down.

Foods to Eat On The GAPS DietFoods to limit on the GAPS Diet
Fermented Foods: Fermented probiotic beverages such as kefir and yogurt, fermented vegetables, and sauerkraut.Alcohol and Processed Foods: Beer, liqueurs, whiskey, wine, and spirits.
Fruits: Apples, apricots, avocados, coconut, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, mangoes, papaya, prunes, tangerines, tomatoes, and ugly fruit.Dairy Products: Cow Milk, Goat Milk etc.
Meats, Fish and Poultry: Beef, chicken, duck, lamb, mutton, turkey, pork, rabbit, veal, etcGrains: Barley, corn, crackers, oats, rice, quinoa, wheat, and all other conventional baked goods
Natural Fats and Oils: Butter, coconut oil, ghee, lard, and tallow.Starchy Vegetables: Parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.
Non-Starchy Vegetables: asparagus broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, onions, and Swiss chard.Sugar and Added Sugars: Aspartame, maple syrup, and molasses
Beverages to Take on a Military Diet
Coffee
Tea
Water

See Also

No Sugar Diet Food List

Blood Type A Food List

Keto Food List for Beginners

Intermittent Fasting Food List

Optavia Diet Food List

BRAT Diet Food List

List of Keto Vegetables

Dukan Diet Plan

Flexitarian Meal Plan