Your Gut-Friendly Kickstarter Grocery List:
Non-starchy vegetables:
Are high in nutrients and gut-healthy fiber, which helps support overall digestion.*
The bioactive compound in cruciferous vegetables, sulforaphane (a well-studied compound in broccoli), has been found to lower inflammatory markers, support liver functioning, improve natural detoxification processes, and improve digestion.
Goal: Fill ½ your plate with one, two or more of these goodies at meals!
- Amaranth or Chinese Spinach
- Artichokes/artichoke hearts
- Asparagus
- Bamboo shoots
- Beans (green, fllet, italian, yard-long)
- Bean sprouts
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green, bok choy, chinese, napa, red, savoy)
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Daikon radish
- Eggplant
- Greens, bitter (collard, kale, mustard, swiss chard, turnip)
- Greens, salad (arugula, chicory, endive escarole, lettuce, mache, romaine, raddicchio, spinach, watercress)
- Hearts of palm
- Jicama
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Mushrooms (all)
- Okra
- Onions (white, yellow, green, red)
- Pea pods/sugar snap peas
- Peppers (all)
- Radishes
- Squash (yellow summer, zucchini)
- Tomato
- Turnips
- Water chestnuts
Herbs & spices
Certain herbs and spices provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, support a healthy gut, and promote abdominal comfort.*
- Dandelion tea
- DGL licorice root tea
- Ginger
- Marshmallow root tea
- Peppermint
- Turmeric
Probiotic foods
One of the best ways to get the most natural form of probiotics is to increase the number of probiotic-rich foods in your diet.
What actually are Probiotics? Probiotics are live bacteria or yeast that live in your body and naturally occur in some foods. Consuming them is a good way to maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut.* When purchasing foods rich in probiotics, you want to look for “minimally processed versions without added sweeteners or preservatives.”
Probiotic-Rich Foods:
- Almond yogurt
- Coconut kefir
- Coconut yogurt
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Kvass
- Water kefir
Healthy fats & protein
Omega-3’s play a major role in gut health! Research shows that the anti-inflammatory properties in EPA and DHA fats can alter the gut microbiome for the better by producing more short-chain fatty acids (similar to the role prebiotics play in the gut) a massive WIN? Dietary fats and protein promote satiety (feeling satisfied), which helps maintain a healthy blood sugar balance.
Healthy Fat Plant Sources:
- Avocados
- Avocado oil
- Coconut meat
- Coconut oil
- Grass-fed ghee
- Macadamia nut oil
- Olives
- Olive oil
- Almonds
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseeds
- Macadamia nuts
- Walnuts
Healthy Fats Meat and fish sources:
- Anchovies
- Grass-fed beef
- Mackerel
- Organic bone broth
- Pasture-raised eggs
- Wild-caught salmon
- Organic chicken (not a major source of healthy fats but an option for protein)
Starchy vegetables
Starchy vegetables are rich in gut-healthy fiber, along with other nutrients like calcium, iron, and B vitamins.
Starchy Vegetables (aim for about ¼ of your plate)
- Beets
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Pumpkin
- Squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Turnips
- Yams
Gut-optimizing supplements:
We could all use a little extra support to maintain optimal gut health, which is where supplementation can come in handy.*
L-Glutamine
Marshmallow root
Gut Specific Fish Oil – Use Patient code: “Terrainhealth”
