GAPS Diet Guide for Beginners (Simple Steps to Start Today)
You may have heard other people discussing the GAPS Diet from other parents in support groups, gut health social media platforms, or YouTube/TikTok videos. The GAPS Diet may appear extreme; however, it does hold hope as well. A diet intended to heal both your gut and brain?
If you or your child has been experiencing difficulties over an extended period of time, the idea of a healing diet for your gut and brain can be very intriguing.
Simply stated, the GAPS Diet is an approach to calm an inflamed gut by consuming soothing foods and eliminating items which trigger irritation in the gut. As of 2025, many physicians and parents are now making the connection between gut health and mood, focus and behaviors.
As a parent of a child who lives with Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, or if you experience chronic digestive issues, food sensitivities, or Brain Fog yourself, you may find this information interesting. In this article, you will learn what the GAPS Diet is, what foods you can consume, a sample GAPS Diet Meal Plan, Easy GAPS Diet Recipes, and additional information regarding the GAPS Diet and Babies.kids.
What Is the GAPS Diet and How Does It Work?
The GAPs Diet, which stands for Gut And Psychology Syndrome, suggests that there is an intimate relationship between your gut and brain. If your gut is inflamed, or out of balance (e.g., overgrowth of “bad” bacteria), you may experience anxiety, mood swings, attention problems, or behavioral changes.
According to the GAPs approach, most of these problems occur due to a compromised gut lining and/or an imbalance of good vs bad bacteria within the gut. As a result of a weak gut lining, small amounts of undigested food particles and toxic substances are absorbed into your blood stream. This prompts your immune system to react and remain “on high alert.” This continued response to perceived threats in your environment ultimately affects your mood and brain function.
The GAPs diet is designed to help stabilize the gut. It accomplishes this by removing foods that are difficult to digest and those that contribute to the proliferation of “bad” gut bugs. Simultaneously, it provides a wide variety of soft, warm nutrient-dense foods including broths, cooked meats, and low-carbohydrate vegetables.
In addition, the diet incorporates fermented foods such as homemade yogurt and sauerkraut to promote healthy gut flora. Many individuals report feeling less anxious, experiencing fewer gastrointestinal issues, and observing positive behavioral changes in their children. However, others do not notice significant improvements and/or believe that the GAPs diet is overly restrictive.
At present, scientific evidence supporting the GAPs diet is limited and primarily anecdotal. While there are numerous family accounts of success, few research studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this diet. Consequently, you should be both cautious and skeptical regarding claims of the GAPs diet, and recognize that each individual’s results will vary.
Simple explanation of the GAPS diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome)
Think about your gut as a garden. In the garden, you have to have good soil for the plants to grow well. If the soil is dry and has lots of weeds in it, it’s hard for the plants to do well. The soil is where the roots of the plants grow. Your brain grows from the same soil as your gut, so if the soil is weak, your brain won’t be able to be its best either.
The GAPS diet works by trying to:
- Remove the “weeds” (food that help bad bacteria grow or hurts your gut)
- Feed and water the soil (broths, fats, easy to digest foods)
- Help grow new “flowers” (the good bacteria in food that ferments)
It uses the idea that if you eat foods that don’t cause your gut irritation and instead eat soft and warm foods that don’t hurt your stomach, then your gut should be calm and safe. Then hopefully your brain and the rest of your body can calm down also.
Who usually tries the GAPS diet and why
If you, or a child you know, have experienced chronic stomach pains, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea; if you’ve had long term reactions to foods; if you are experiencing eczema or other skin conditions; or if you are suffering from anxiety or depression; ADHD/attention issues; or autism or behavior issues, you may want to explore the GAPS diet as an option.
There are many parents who will try the GAPS diet as they are feeling frustrated with “just wait and see” and they desperately want something else to do. It’s likely you’ve felt like these parents and you’ve been hoping for more options in this situation.
GAPS is a very restrictive diet and can be difficult to adhere to. There isn’t much research supporting GAPS. Many individuals experience improved symptoms when using GAPS while some experience worsening symptoms or burnout. That being said, GAPS is definitely not for everyone and that is completely okay.
Key stages of the GAPS diet (intro and full diet)
The GAPS Diet includes two phases (stages) that are quite distinct from each other.
- GAPS Intro Diet
This is the most restrictive phase; it includes:
Stocks made at home with meat/fish/bones/and/or broth
Cooked (well cooked), boiled (non starchy) vegetable
A small amount of fermented juices (like sauerkraut juice)
In this phase, new food items are gradually added to the list, starting with the egg yolk, ghee, yogurt etc., and you watch for reaction in the body.
2. Full GAPS Diet
After the body appears to be less inflamed, you can include a variety of foods including:
Meats and fish
Eggs
Vegetables that are non-starchy
Fruits (some varieties)
Fermented foods
Nut/seed if they are well-tolerated by the body.
It is common for many people to remain on the Full GAPS Diet for approximately one-two years and after this time frame gradually reintroduce other food varieties.
There is no one-size-fits-all way to follow the GAPS Diet. You have to pay attention to how your body reacts to different foods during this journey.
GAPS Diet Food List, Sample Meal Plan, and Easy Recipes
Gaps diet — Where it gets real and practical. Now that we know what to avoid, let’s look at the foods you will be eating for the rest of your life.
GAPS diet food list: what you can eat and what to avoid
A basic view of a common gaps diet food list is below. Please note that there are many variables between phases of the diet and individuals; therefore please follow the individualized plan developed with your practitioner.
Common allowed foods during most of the phases (if tolerated):
- Meat and fish on the bone: chicken, beef, lamb, whole fish
- Homemade bone broth and meat stock
- Eggs: usually from pasture-raised hens if possible
- Non-starchy vegetables: carrots, onions, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, greens
- Some fruits: apples, berries, bananas, citrus in small amounts
- Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchi (without sugar), yogurt, kefir
- Healthy fats: ghee, butter if tolerated, animal fats, some cold-pressed oils like olive oil
- Certain nuts and seeds: soaked or ground, if your gut can handle them
Foods usually avoided:
- Sugar and sweet treats: candy, cakes, cookies
- Processed foods: chips, soda, packaged snacks
- Grains: wheat, rice, oats, corn
- Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, corn
- Most beans and soy products
- Most store-bought dairy: especially low-fat and flavored products
Your personal GAPS diet food list may change as your body heals. You watch how you feel, track symptoms, and adjust along the way.
Simple one day GAPS diet meal plan you can copy
You can use this 1-day GAPS Diet Meal Plan as a gentle starting point.
Breakfast
Eggs Scrambled with ghee; Zucchini & Spinach Sautéed; Mug of Warm Bone Broth
Mid-Morning Snack
Stewed Apple w/Cinnamon; No Sugar; Herbal Tea or Water
Lunch
Bone Broth Chicken Soup; Soft Carrots; Soft Celery; Soft Onion; Shredded Chicken; A Spoonful of Sauerkraut (if Tolerated)
Mid-Afternoon Snack
1/2 Avocado w/Sea Salt; A Few Berries (If Allowed in Your Phase)
Dinner
Baked Salmon or Chicken Thighs; Steamed Broccoli & Carrots w/Olive Oil or Butter; Small Serving Homemade Yogurt (If Tolerated)
Listen to your body and drink water throughout the day and/or sip broth when hungry or tired. Adjust portion sizes according to your needs.Drink water through the day and sip broth if you feel hungry or tired. Listen to your body. You can adjust portions up or down based on your needs.
Easy GAPS diet recipes that fit into busy life
You can use this 1-day GAPS Diet Meal Plan as a gentle starting point.
Breakfast
Eggs Scrambled with ghee; Zucchini & Spinach Sautéed; Mug of Warm Bone Broth
Mid-Morning Snack
Stewed Apple w/Cinnamon; No Sugar; Herbal Tea or Water
Lunch
Bone Broth Chicken Soup; Soft Carrots; Soft Celery; Soft Onion; Shredded Chicken; A Spoonful of Sauerkraut (if Tolerated)
Mid-Afternoon Snack
1/2 Avocado w/Sea Salt; A Few Berries (If Allowed in Your Phase)
Dinner
Baked Salmon or Chicken Thighs; Steamed Broccoli & Carrots w/Olive Oil or Butter; Small Serving Homemade Yogurt (If Tolerated)
Listen to your body and drink water throughout the day and/or sip broth when hungry or tired. Adjust portion sizes according to your needs.
Is the GAPS Diet Safe for You or Your Baby?
You are concerned with safety. Especially when considering the GAPS Diet for infants or children. Your concerns are valid. The GAPS Diet eliminates many whole food groups and is very limiting.
While some adults may find this way of eating acceptable with careful planning and adequate support, other adults may experience low energy, or unexplained weight loss, which can be frightening. Certain health conditions require a higher level of consideration in regards to nutritional intake.
Therefore, consult with your doctor, or registered dietitian, who has an understanding of restrictive diets, prior to starting the GAPS Diet, especially if you fall into one of the following categories:
- Are pregnant or breast-feeding
- Have a chronic illness
- Are underweight, or have a history of an eating disorder
- Care for an infant, or young child
Important safety tips before you start the GAPS diet
Before you completely switch to this new way of eating (GAPS Diet), be aware of the following things:
1) Planning will be important because the GAPS Diet is very limited in terms of foods that you may eat.
2) If the balance of meals is not correct, you could miss out on some key nutrients such as fiber, some vitamins, or carbohydrates.
3) Be alert for possible warning signs: low energy; dizziness; rapid weight loss; changes in mood; or feeling “off.”
4) Also, you do not have to go all-in at once; take small steps toward this new way of eating. For example, instead of going right into a full-on “intro” phase of the GAPS Diet overnight, you could start by:
Adding broth just one time per day
Reducing your intake of sugar and/or reducing how often you snack on highly processed foods
Preparation of simple meals using only whole food at your own home
Your body may react more positively to a gradual introduction to a new way of eating than to an abrupt shift.
GAPS diet for babies and kids: what parents should know
Many parents read about how the GAPS diet helped children (with eczema, constipation, autism, or behavior) and when you’re exhausted and worried, it is easy to believe those stories will help your child too.
On the other hand, babies and kids have huge nutritional needs for development; their brains, bones, and muscles are all growing right now. Eliminating grain products, eliminating most dairy, and removing many carb products from your child’s diet could potentially create a risk for malnutrition if you don’t have an experienced guide.
If you are thinking about using the GAPS diet on your baby or child, please consult:
- Your pediatrician
- A pediatric dietitian or registered dietitian with experience working with children with autism and digestive disorders
There may be times when a gentler way to begin would work best, such as:
- Eliminating a couple of known problem foods
- Eliminating excess sugars and packaged/ultra-processed snack foods
- Increasing the amount of whole foods (fruits, vegetables, healthy fats)
- In small amounts adding simple broth and/or small amounts of fermented foods
It is okay to protect your child’s nutrition and your mental well-being by choosing not to completely adhere to the full and very restrictive GAPS diet.
Key Takeaways
* The GAPS Diet is based upon the concept that if you heal the gut first, the rest of your body will eventually begin to calm down and recover from whatever other problem or issue may be going on.
* Remove all known offenders such as processed foods; refined sugars; high starch foods and many types of grains. Center meals around basic, wholesome foods.
* The most typical foods included in the GAPS Diet are meats (such as beef stock) and bone broths, good fats (such as coconut oil), steamed vegetables, eggs, and fermented foods (which help to repair the damaged gut lining).
* Most diets follow this type of approach: strict and slow (gentle) phases; then gradually add new foods as your digestive system and symptoms improve.
* A large number of individuals have used the GAPS Diet for support for issues including, but not limited to, abdominal pain; skin conditions; mood changes; and brain fogginess, and have reported success in treating these issues where others had failed to produce results.
* There is no quick fix with the GAPS Diet, as it requires a great deal of time, effort, patience, and support. To be successful, take your time, listen to your body, and work with a qualified professional who is knowledgeable about your medical history.
Conclusion
The GAPS Diet is an extreme diet that is based primarily on the gut (the “Gut”) via removal of fiber-rich / nutrient-poor food and consuming broths, meat, low-carbohydrate non-starchy vegetables, fats/oils and fermented foods. People generally follow this diet to help alleviate symptoms of several health problems including; digestive disorders, skin disorders, anxiety, ADHD, Autism and more. Although many individuals experience relief from their symptoms while utilizing the GAPS Diet, many others are left feeling exhausted due to the restrictive nature of the diet.
Before you begin the GAPS Diet, especially the GAPS Diet for Infants/Babies and Children, it would be wise to consult a physician/dietitian to assure your children’s nutritional needs are being met so they will have enough energy to grow, think clearly and develop mentally.
You may decide to do everything required of the GAPS Diet but you could begin by doing just one small action every day that is positive for your health (for example adding homemade broth to your meal or limiting your consumption of processed snack foods). All acts of self-care count and can lead to a calm mind/stomach.
