Easy SIBO Recipes to Promote a Healthy Gut

There is an incredible amount of confusing content online pitching the “best diets to combat SIBO.”

This is particularly true for anyone trying to plan a menu during the kill phase and going through the transition to the healing stage of treatment.

To eliminate this confusion, below are four effective SIBO diets, as well as example recipes to make it easy to get started.

Low FODMAP Diet

The Low FODMAP diet — developed by researchers and clinicians at Monash University — eliminates several types of sugars and fibers including added sweeteners, high fructose fruits, dairy, wheat, legumes, honey, and particular vegetables.

It is believed that these sugars and fibers are not digested well by certain people, which creates excessive gas and other IBS symptoms. Removing these foods from your diet aims to provide relief from IBS symptoms — including gas and bloating — while giving your gut and intestinal lining time to heal.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients

• 1lb skinless, boneless chicken, cubed
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• ¼ cup low FODMAP ketchup
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 3 green scallion stalks
  

Instructions

Salmon and Lemon Cakes

Ingredients

• 140g smoked salmon, trimmed
• 2 large potatoes, baking
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ lemon zest and juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp parsley, finely chopped  
• 2 tbsp gluten-free flour with 1 tsp black pepper
• Oil for frying
  

Instructions

Citrus Sea Bass Over Salad

Ingredients

• 2 large oranges
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 x 300g whole sea bass, gutted and scaled (to be grilled on the barbecue)
  

For the salad

• 2 small oranges, segmented
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bags watercress
• 2 tbsp small capers
• Handful pitted green olives, chopped
  

Instructions

Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

The SCD — originally developed in the 1920s by pediatrician Dr. Sidney Haas and further developed by Elaine Gottschall — is used effectively for IBS and also IBD. It starts off with a pretty strict elimination regime, but gradually evolves into a more lenient diet as your digestive tract begins to heal.

The SCD eliminates starchy vegetables, grains, some beans, lactose, and all sweeteners except for stevia and honey. This diet also emphasizes cooked foods and reduced fiber in the initial stages.

Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 2 lbs stewing beef, cubed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 6 medium carrots, peeled, sliced
• 4 cups water
  

Instructions

Tuna and Asparagus Salad          

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus spears
• SCD croutons
• 1 red chili pepper, chopped
• 10 butter lettuce leaves
• 8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 can tuna in water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp SCD Balsamic vinegar
• Parmesan cheese, grated
  

Instructions

Pecan Tart

Ingredients

• 2 cups pecans
• 7 eggs, separated
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Zest of one lemon
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup honey
• Mixed fresh berries
  

Instructions

The SIBO Specific Food Guide

This diet combines features of the Low FODMAP and SCD diets. The SIBO Specific Food Guide eliminates a wider range of fermentable carbohydrates, compared to any other SIBO diet.

Foods to avoid include starchy vegetables, dairy, legumes, grains, and most sugars. This diet is suitable if you have a serious case of SIBO and have not yet found relief with either of the diets above.

Cumin Sesame Nibbles

Ingredients

• 3 zucchinis
• 4 tbsp sesame oil with garlic
• ¼ lemon
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
  

Instructions

SIBO Shepherd’s Pie

Pie Filling

• ¾ lb turkey thighs
• 2 tbsp garlic oil
• 1 large carrot
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
  

Pie topping

• 1 kabocha squash
• ¼ cup macadamia milk
• ½ tsp salt
  

Instructions

Rosemary Seed Bread

Ingredients

• 5 medium eggs
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 2 cups almond flour
• 5 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ cup sunflower and pumpkin seed, mixed
• ½ tsp rosemary
  

Instructions

SIBO Bi-Phasic Diet

As the name suggests, this diet has two distinct phases.

• The first phase, which lasts between 4 and 6 weeks, is the Reduce and Repair stage. It eliminates legumes, grains, sugar, dairy, certain vegetables, processed and canned foods, fermented foods, and alcohol.
• The second stage, which lasts an additional 4 and 6 weeks, is the Remove and Restore stage. This stage allows for some of the removed foods to be re-introduced.
  

Special Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup chicken, shredded
• Your favorite SIBO salad dressing
• A handful of blueberries and raspberries
• Mixed nuts or seeds
• Mint or basil to flavor
  

Instructions

Asian Veggie Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork, ground
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 cups broccoli, steamed
• 1 bunch scallion greens, chopped
• ¼ cup ginger root, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 8 oz pack mixed carrot and cabbage  
• 8 oz can of water chestnuts
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp garlic oil
  

Instructions

Garlic, Herb and Almond Crackers

Ingredients

• 1¾ cups almond flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup mixed rosemary, sage, and thyme, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp melted ghee
  

Instructions

Learn more about the SIBO diet here.

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