Madeleine Hull
The human gut contains trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which make up the gut microbiome. The microbiome is responsible for producing chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, regulating metabolism and mood, and supporting overall health. The microbiome diet is a three-phase program designed to improve the health of the gut microbiome by focusing on eating probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods, increasing microbiome diversity, and avoiding processed and packaged foods. The first phase of the diet lasts for 21 days and involves removing disruptive foods, bacteria, and toxins, as well as repairing and replacing them with plant-based foods and supplements. The second phase introduces more flexibility, and the third phase is a long-term maintenance diet. The microbiome diet is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and individual results may vary. It is always recommended to consult a healthcare professional before starting any new diet or supplement regimen.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Phases | 3 |
| Phase 1 duration | 21 days |
| Phase 1 focus | Removing disruptive food, bacteria, pathogens, and toxins; repair gut lining; populate gut with prebiotics and probiotics |
| Phase 1 foods to avoid | Processed and fried foods, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, trans and hydrogenated fats, starchy fruits and vegetables, deli meats, peanuts, soy, legumes (except chickpeas and lentils), high-mercury fish, dried fruit, fruit juices, grains containing gluten, eggs, dairy, yeast, toxins, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, certain medications |
| Phase 1 foods to eat | Prebiotic foods (Jerusalem artichoke, onions, garlic, artichokes, kimchi, sauerkraut), probiotic foods (yogurt, pickles, kimchi, kefir), plant-based foods, wild fish, grass-fed meat |
| Phase 1 supplements | Antimicrobials, acids and enzymes, apple cider vinegar, gut lining supplements (zinc, vitamin D, glutamine, marshmallow, quercetin, slippery elm), probiotics |
| Phase 2 duration | 28 days |
| Phase 2 focus | More flexibility; continue to avoid gut-damaging foods from phase 1 |
| Phase 2 foods to eat | Dairy, free-range eggs, gluten-free grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables (mangoes, melons, peaches, pears, sweet potatoes, yams) |
| Phase 3 | Maintenance phase; continue avoiding foods that damage gut flora and the gut lining |
| Creator | Dr. Raphael Kellman, MD |
| Benefits | Improve microbiome and overall health, reduce the risk of numerous health conditions, achieve permanent weight loss |
| Other recommendations | Get enough rest and regular exercise |
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What You'll Learn
- Eat more vegetables, especially leafy greens, and fibre-rich plant foods
- Consume prebiotic foods like onions, garlic, and artichokes
- Incorporate probiotics like yoghurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut
- Avoid processed and packaged foods, sugar, and refined grains
- Get enough sleep and exercise to support your gut health
Eat more vegetables, especially leafy greens, and fibre-rich plant foods
Vegetables, especially leafy greens, are loaded with fibres that are essential for a healthy gut microbiome. Fibre is indigestible by humans, but it is fermented in the colon by the gut microbiota. This process modulates the structure and diversity of the microbiome. A high-fibre diet has been found to dramatically alter the microbial community structure, and studies have shown a significant correlation between the intake of whole grains and vegetables and the changes in the gut microbiome.
Fibre-rich plant foods that should be included in the diet are artichokes, onions, and garlic, which may produce short-chain fatty acids that support gut barrier integrity and function and may help modulate lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as the inflammatory response and immune system. In addition, fibre-rich foods such as whole grains, raw potatoes, maize, green bananas, legumes, and gluten-free grains are excellent sources of prebiotic fibres that support the growth of healthy intestinal bacteria.
It is also important to note that the microbiome diet recommends limiting portion sizes of certain foods, such as nuts and avocados, as they are rich in nutrients but also high in fat. Instead, focus on increasing your intake of leafy green vegetables, which provide a diverse range of fibres that promote a healthy gut microbiome.
Additionally, the microbiome diet encourages the consumption of probiotic-rich foods, such as fermented foods like yogurt, pickles, kimchi, and kefir, which are excellent sources of live cultures and healthy bacteria. These foods work synergistically with fibre-rich plant foods to promote a healthy and diverse gut microbiome, which has been linked to reducing the risk of various health conditions.
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Consume prebiotic foods like onions, garlic, and artichokes
The microbiome diet is a three-phase program aimed at supporting gut health. The first phase lasts 21 days and focuses on the 4 Rs: removing foods that may interfere with a healthy microbiome, repairing your gut with plant foods and supplements, replacing digestive enzymes with certain herbs and spices, and reinoculating your gut with prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods.
Prebiotics are types of fiber that feed the good bacteria in your gut, leading to several health benefits. Prebiotic-rich foods include onions, garlic, and artichokes.
Onions are rich in prebiotics, antioxidants, and flavonoids. They contain inulin and FOS, which can strengthen your gut health and help your immune system. You can add onions to cooked dishes like soups, stews, and main courses or eat them raw in salads.
Garlic also has the best health benefits when eaten raw, but you can still benefit from incorporating it into your cooking. Garlic is among the high-fiber, prebiotic-packed foods that experts recommend for supporting a healthy gut microbiome.
Artichokes, specifically Jerusalem artichokes, are not related to globe artichokes but are a vegetable with an edible tuber that comes from a type of sunflower. Its tuber, also known as a sunchoke, is a knobby root vegetable resembling ginger that tastes like a sweet, nutty potato. Artichokes are another food that may produce short-chain fatty acids that support gut barrier integrity and function and may help modulate lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as the inflammatory response and immune system.
If you're just starting to increase your fiber intake, remember to do so slowly and drink plenty of water to help your body adjust to these healthy changes.
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Incorporate probiotics like yoghurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut
The Microbiome Diet is a three-phase program aimed at supporting gut health. The diet focuses on eating foods that may help maintain a healthy microbiome, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber-rich foods. It also includes foods that are low in processed sugars and refined grains.
Probiotics are chock-full of live bacteria that help ensure your gut is populated by mostly beneficial microbes. Incorporating probiotics like yoghurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut into your diet can be a great way to ensure you're getting enough live cultures to keep your gut healthy and happy.
Yogurt is a great source of probiotics, and the good news is that it's readily available and affordable. You can buy tubs of plain yogurt, or even make your own at home. The natural sugars in yogurt help feed the probiotics, which in turn produce beneficial metabolites for you to consume. However, it's important to note that the good bacteria found in yogurt can expire before the yogurt's 'best by' date if it's not stored correctly.
Kimchi and sauerkraut are also excellent sources of probiotics and can be easily incorporated into your daily diet. Both are made from fermented cabbage, with kimchi made from Wombok cabbage (Chinese Cabbage) and flavoured with ginger, garlic, Chinese radish, apple, onion, spring onions and chilli. You can make your own kimchi and sauerkraut at home, which is budget-friendly but does take time. These foods are packed with beneficial bacteria that encourage good gut flora and provide a diverse range of good bacteria.
In addition to these foods, there are other fermented food options that are great sources of probiotics, including pickles, kefir, kombucha, miso, and tempeh. These foods contain a variety of microbes that exhibit health-promoting properties and can support the health of your gut microbiota.
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Avoid processed and packaged foods, sugar, and refined grains
The Microbiome Diet is a three-phase program aimed at supporting gut health. The first phase is the strictest and focuses on removing foods that may interfere with a healthy microbiome. This includes processed and packaged foods, sugar, and refined grains.
Processed foods are often loaded with salt, sugar, unhealthy oils, preservatives, and additives like artificial flavors or colors. These ingredients can negatively impact gut health and disrupt the balance of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, which includes bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Therefore, it is important to avoid processed meats like deli meats, which are typically high in salt and fats.
Packaged foods, such as crackers, chips, and microwaveable meals, also fall under this category and should be limited or avoided. Sugar, specifically refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup, should be avoided as they can feed the bad bacteria and yeast in the gut, leading to increased inflammation and a suppressed immune system. Additionally, sugar is often hidden in unexpected foods like smoothies, nut butters, protein bars, and salad dressings, so it is important to read labels and be mindful of sugar intake.
Refined grains are also best avoided as they can break down into sugar in the blood, providing fuel for the undesirable bacteria in the gut. Gluten-containing grains, in particular, should be eliminated, at least temporarily, if one is suffering from serious dysbiosis, candida, or a leaky gut. This includes grains like wheat, rye, and barley, which are commonly found in processed and packaged foods.
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Get enough sleep and exercise to support your gut health
While the exact workings of the relationship between sleep, exercise, and gut health are still being studied, there is evidence that they are interconnected.
Sleep
Getting enough good-quality sleep is important for maintaining gut health. Sleep and gut health are connected through the brain-gut-microbiome axis, and the gut microbiome can influence sleep quality. Research has shown that a lack of sleep can increase inflammation in the body and negatively impact gut health. Sleep deprivation can also lead to poor dietary choices, as it can cause an increase in appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods that can harm your gut.
Exercise
Exercise is another factor that can influence your gut health. Research has shown that exercise can modify gut microbiota and positively impact gut physiology. Cardiorespiratory fitness, in particular, has been correlated with increased gut microbial diversity. Exercise can also reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer by increasing antioxidant levels and improving the immune system.
Therefore, getting enough sleep and exercising are important components of supporting your gut health, in addition to dietary changes.
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Frequently asked questions
The microbiome diet is a three-phase program aimed at supporting gut health. It was created by Dr. Raphael Kellman, a physician of Integrative and Functional Medicine. The diet focuses on eating foods that may help maintain a healthy microbiome, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber-rich foods.
Phase 1, also known as the elimination diet, lasts for 21 days and focuses on the 4 Rs: removing foods that may interfere with a healthy microbiome, repairing the gut with plant foods and supplements, replacing stomach acids and digestive enzymes, and reinoculating the gut with healthy bacteria. Phase 2 is a period of more flexibility, lasting for 28 days. In this phase, you can start to introduce a wider range of foods, including gluten-free grains, legumes, dairy, and eggs. Phase 3 is the maintenance phase, with no recommended length as you're encouraged to follow it until you lose your desired amount of weight.
The microbiome diet recommends eating more probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber-rich plant foods. It also includes foods that are low in processed sugars and refined grains. Foods to avoid include processed and fried foods, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, trans and hydrogenated fats, starchy fruits and vegetables, deli meats, peanuts, soy, high-mercury fish, dried fruit, fruit juices, grains containing gluten, eggs, and dairy.
