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Have a Bloated Gut? Best Foods, Supplements and Recipes

By Jill Levy

December 7, 2023

What gut type do you have? Take our Gut Type Quiz to find out.

Tapping into the tenets of ancient Chinese herbalism, we created five different gut types impacting all of us. Once you know your individual gut type, then you can learn about the best foods, supplements and recipes that fit best … along with the foods that you should avoid.

So take the quiz, and if you’re designated a “Bloated Gut” type, then this article is for you! Plus, if you are prone to bloating in general after eating, you’ll also find much of the below information invaluable and you'll learn how to reduce bloating.

What Is a Bloated Gut?

A fiery gut that deals with occasional post-meal gas, bloating and indigestion.

• Feelings emotionally charged and jittery is common

• Fiery personality (some call it “high-strung”)

• Often need to prop up pillows at bedtime after eating late-night spicy foods

Foods to Include

• Fresh organic fruits and vegetables are rich in enzymes and antioxidants and easy to digest. Vegetables and fruits — both cooked and raw — should be the mainstay of this diet.

• Bitter vegetables and herbs — including romaine lettuce, kale, arugula, radishes, dandelion, watercress, collard greens, citrus peel, plums, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, parsley, ginger and turmeric — are helpful foods.

• High-fiber foods help digestion so consider adding sprouted flax, chia, artichokes, figs, raspberries, mung beans and other high-fiber foods into your diet.

• Root vegetables — including sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, ginger and garlic — settle well in the stomach.

• Organic wild meat — including grass-fed beef, lamb, venison, chicken, duck, turkey, wild game, organ liver and wild-caught fish — soothes a bloated gut. Also, beef liver, real bone broth or our Bone Broth Protein is greatly beneficial.

• Organic goat milk yogurt and kefir soothe the stomach and help promote healthy bacteria.

• Cabbage juice and sauerkraut help balance gastric acid.

Recommended Supplements

• SBO Probiotics Gut Restore — take 2 capsules in the a.m.

• Digestive enzymes offer support for a healthy gut microflora and healthy digestive function. Take 3 caps with meals.

• HCL with pepsin (the acid that your stomach produces) — take with meals that contain protein and start off with one capsule.

• Manuka honey — take 1–3 teaspoons daily.

• Apple cider vinegar promotes the increase of digestive enzymes. Take one tablespoon in water before meals.

• Others can include L-glutamine, ginger, DGL licorice and slippery elm.

Foods to Avoid

Here are foods that can contribute to a bloated gut:

• Fried foods and too many processed oils are hard to digest and can either speed up or slow down digestion, leading to diarrhea or constipation as well as bloating, gas and more. Some of the worst include canola, soybean and cottonseed oil.

• Grains are lower in enzymes and high in phytic acid, which makes it difficult for the body to digest. Also, gluten found in most grains can also cause inflammation and make bloated gut worse.

• Large meals and overeating are one of the biggest culprits of bloated gut. Eat until you’re about 70 percent full and then stop eating. If you need more calories, you are better off eating more small meals throughout the day.

• Spicy foods like hot peppers can worsen bloated gut symptoms, including diarrhea, loose stools and more.

• Conventional dairy products are missing critical enzymes, so they make your pancreas work harder to digest them. Conventional dairy also contains hormones, antibiotics, omega-6 fats and medications, all of which can affect your gut.

• Caffeine can also overstimulate digestion, leading to diarrhea and upset stomach.

• Acidic foods including citrus, tomatoes, cheese, dark chocolate and alcohol.

8 Bloated Gut Recipes

Piña Colada Smoothie

Total Time: 5 min

Serves: 1–2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk

• ½ cup frozen pineapple

• ½ banana

• 1 scoop Multi Collagen Protein unflavored or vanilla

• 3 tablespoons sprouted chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon raw honey

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients.

2. Purée on high until smooth.

Turmeric Tea

Total Time: 5 min

Serves: 1–2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 cup water

• 1 tablespoon ghee

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 tablespoon raw honey

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk and water. Warm through, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the ghee and turmeric. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.

3. After it cools a bit, add the honey.

Flourless Pancakes

Total Time: 15 min

Serves: 1–2

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

• 3 eggs

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• coconut oil

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt. Mix well.

2. Heat a skillet coated with the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Drop the batter into the skillet to form pancakes.

3. Cook until bubbles form on surface, flip and cook through.

Sweet Potato Soup

Total Time: 20 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ghee

• 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour

• 1½ cups bone broth (or 1½ scoops of Bone Broth Protein mixed with 1½ cups water)

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1½ cups cooked peeled sweet potatoes

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 cup goat’s milk kefir

• sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the ghee. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.

2. Stir in the broth. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.

3. Stir in the maple syrup, sweet potatoes and spices. Return to a simmer.

4. Transfer the soup to a blender and, working in batches if necessary, purée until smooth.

5. Return the soup to the pan over medium heat. Stir in the kefir and season with the salt to taste. Heat through.

Slow Cooker Kale Chicken Soup

Total Time: 6 hrs 30 min

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped

• 6 cups chicken bone broth (or 6 scoops Bone Broth Protein mixed with 6 cups water)

• 3 handfuls of chopped kale

• 1 onion, chopped

• sea salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, combine the chicken, broth, kale and onion. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6–8 hours.

2. Stir in the parsley and vinegar. Cook another 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Lamb Burgers

Total Time: 30 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground lamb

• ½ onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

• sea salt, to taste

• coconut oil

• fresh or cooked spinach

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the lamb, onion, lemon juice and herbs. Season with the salt. Mix until the seasonings are evenly dispersed through the meat. Form into 4 patties.

2. In a skillet greased with coconut oil over medium-high heat, cook the patties, turning once, until no longer pink, 8–12 minutes.

3. Serve over a bed of spinach.

Salmon Stir-Fry

Total Time: 30 min

Serves: 2­–3

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 cup chopped bell pepper

• ¼ cup coconut aminos

• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

• 1 pound wild-caught Alaskan salmon, skinned and cut into chunks

• 1½ cups mushrooms, chopped

• 1 head broccoli, chopped and blanched

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced

• fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon sprouted chia seeds

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, coconut aminos and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and bell peppers are softened.

2. Stir in the salmon and coat with the onion mixture. Add the mushrooms, broccoli, garlic, ginger and chia seeds. Cook, stirring, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce

Total Time: 6 hrs 15 min

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients:

• 10 large green apples, peeled, cored and chopped

• ½ cup water

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• stevia, to taste

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients, sweetening with the stevia to taste (such as two droppers full of liquid stevia). Cook on low for 6–8 hours.

2. Mix the applesauce well and mash any clumps of the apples to reach the desired consistency.