GAPS diet superfoods

GAPS Diet Superfoods

Wondering how to heal faster on the GAPS diet?  Or perhaps you have hit a plateau where your healing has slowed in progress?  This post will tell you how to heal faster with GAPS diet superfoods!

Some of these foods are essential to the GAPS diet, but many people on GAPS simply aren’t consuming enough of them.  Other foods are not essential to GAPS, but they can provide powerful healing and nutrition.

If your healing has slowed or stopped- take a look at these GAPS diet superfoods and try adding them- one at a time- to your diet (or increasing your consumption to the recommended amount if you aren’t eating enough).

Here’s our list of the 10 (+ 1 bonus surprise at the end!) most therapeutic GAPS diet superfoods that can help you heal faster.  We also tell why the food is therapeutic and how much to consume.

Superfood #1- Meat Stock or Bone Broth

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • If you have been in the GAPS world, you have heard this before! Would it be better if we said glucosamine and chondroitin?  Or collagen? Or the amino acids glycine, glutathione, and cystine?
    • Meat stock and bone broth are the original whole food sources for these super nutrients that one can spend a fortune buying in highly processed supplemental form.
    • The gelatin, amino acids, minerals, and fat in stock are the primary building blocks that the body actually uses to heal and seal the gut lining.
    • Properly salted stocks and broths contain electrolytes and trace minerals, which is a superior way to hydrate than plain water.
  • Who needs it: Everyone on GAPS needs therapeutic amounts of meat stock or bone broth.  Without meat stock and home-fermented foods, it’s not really GAPS!
  • How much to consume:
    • For a therapeutic dose of meat stock, adults on GAPS need 5 cups per day initially (this corresponds to 1 and 1/4 quart-sized mason jars).
    • You may be able to taper down to 3 cups per day once substantial healing has taken place.
    • Kids need 3 cups per day.
    • 1/2 cup per day is recommended for infants.
  • How to Incorporate:
    • Use meat stock in the first 30-60 days on GAPS, then see if you tolerate bone broth.  Bone broth contains higher levels of amino acids, histamine, and glutamine.  This will cause symptoms for some people, so it is best to start with meat stock and slowly work into drinking bone broth.
    • One cup is only 8oz, so a large mug might actually be 1.5 -2 cups of stock. I find the easiest way is to eat soup for 1-2 meals per day.  A large bowl of soup will also deliver 1.5-2 cups of stock. You can also have a cup of warm stock on the side of your meal, or in the morning upon waking, or as a night cap (the glycine helps with sleep).
    • In the morning, warm a large thermos with all the stock you want to consume (aside from soup) for the day.  Sip throughout the day and make it your goal to empty the thermos.
    • For more ideas on how to get more meat stock in, see this article. For more on bone broth vs meat stock on GAPS (plus recipes!), see this article.

Superfood #2- Gelatinous/Cartilaginous Meats/Poultry Skin

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • The meat near the bones and joints of the animals contains the highest levels of the same components of meat stock that are so healing for the gut.
    • These meats are also less likely to cause constipation, as compared to lean muscle meats.
  • Who needs it: Again, pretty much everyone on GAPS needs the healing amino acids in these foods to heal the lining of the gut.
  • How much to consume:
    • As much as you can!
    • Make meat stock from skin-on, bone-in cuts, such as whole chicken, ribs, shanks, wings,  etc.
    • After making meat stock, throw none of the meat/skin/soft tissue away.
  • How to Incorporate:
    • One trick I have used is to slice chicken skin into egg noodle-sized pieces and pretend it’s chicken noodle soup (it’s worth a try, lol!)
    • If eating it “as is” is difficult, you can blend it with a bit of stock to make a creamy gravy and add it to soups or eat it over vegetables.
    • Creamed or pureed soups will take blended skin, cartilage, fat, and organ meats very well, increasing the flavor and smooth texture of the soup without the “yuck” factor.
  • Soup Recipes you can add pureed gelatinous meats, skin, and organs to:

Superfood #3- Organ Meats

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • Each organ has a different nutrient profile, but all have more nutrition than just muscle meats.
    • The tongue, mostly muscle, has higher levels of monounsaturated fats than other muscle meats.
    • The heart has Coenzyme Q.
    • Tripe, or intestine, has lots of collagen and again, gives your body the building blocks to re-make your own damaged gut.
    • The liver is probably the most nutrient-dense food on the planet, with tons of fat-soluble vitamins, commonly depleted minerals, as well as other beneficial substances like choline.  Amazingly, the liver even contains MORE vitamin C than apples.  Find out more about the liver here: https://chriskresser.com/natures-most-nutritious-superfood/
  • Who needs it:
    • Pretty much everyone needs to rebuild their nutrient stores, and organ meats are the way to do it.
    • People with compromised gut health or chronic illness really need more nutrition to heal and should consume organ meats regularly.
  • How much to consume:
    • For people on full GAPS who have reduced or resolved many symptoms, one common sense way to assess your organ meat consumption is to buy whole animals and make sure your family is consuming them nose to tail.
    • For those members of the family that are still weak, ill, or have other symptoms, give more of the organ meats, especially liver, and perhaps other targeted support (i.e., heart for those with heart issues, tripe for people suffering from gut problems, thyroid for thyroid problems, etc.).
    • In general, aim to eat 4-6 oz of organ meats 1-2 times per week, varying the type of organ meat.
  • How to Incorporate: 
    • Buy a whole, grass-fed cow (and a couple of chest freezers), and split it with other families interested in high-quality meat.  Same with chickens, lamb, pork, etc.
    • Grind the liver or other organs and add to meatballs, meatloaf, sausages, or thick soups and chilies.
    • Some organs make a great dish on their own- for example, heart and tongue make great fajitas or taco meat, bone marrow makes a delicious custard (and is also great mixed with cauliflower mash), and everyone has heard of tripe soup or menudo.
    • OR, go to Ancestral Supplements and buy targeted organ support for your particular issues.
  • Organ Meat Recipes to Try:

Superfood #4- Pastured Egg Yolks

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • Egg yolks, especially uncooked, are very easy to digest and very nutrient-dense.  They are a rich source of B vitamins, vitamins A, D, and K2, folic acid, choline, and biotin.
    • Often, people with an egg intolerance can tolerate the yolk only.
    • Try duck eggs if chicken eggs are not tolerated. Many people tolerate one when the other causes symptoms.
    • Another reason some can’t tolerate eggs is the quality.  If the chicken is eating GMO corn and soy, this will cause some people to react to the egg.  So, at the least, buy eggs produced by chickens eating non-GMO feed. Pastured eggs have much higher amounts of key vitamins (such as D, E, and A, see this article) as well as healthy fats.  One could also assume they have fewer toxins since they are eating less chicken feed (which has fluoride) and higher levels of other nutrients we haven’t quantified yet since the hens are living as they were designed.
  • Who needs it: Everyone who can tolerate egg yolks!  Again, GAPS people are especially in need of easy-to-digest nutrition.
  • How much to consume: In the yellow book Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Dr. Natasha recommends GAPS kids eat 2-6 eggs/egg yolks per day and adults 4-8 eggs/egg yolks per day.
  • How to Incorporate:
    • Adding egg yolks to soups is an easy way to incorporate eggs.
    • You can also add raw eggs or yolks to smoothies or fresh pressed juices (it’s good, not weird like it sounds!).
    • Cooked egg yolks are a bit harder to digest and may lose some nutrient value, but they are still a wonderful source of nutrition!
  • Recipes:

Superfood #5- Animal Fats

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • To quote Dr. Natasha, animal fats, such as tallow, chicken schmaltz, lard, ghee, and duck fat, provide “all the right nutrients for restoring immunity, gut and nervous system.
    • In fact, the more fresh animal fats your patient consumes, the quicker you will see recovery.”
    • Why? Because the brain is about 60% fat, cell membranes are made of fats; organelles are made of fats, as are hormones and neurotransmitters.  So, pretty much every process in the body depends on fats, but especially the mental/nervous system, immune system, and hormone health.
    • Vegetable oils are toxic and not the right type of fat to make these structures in the body.
    • For more on fats, see this article.
  • Who needs it:
    • Everyone.
    • GAPS people need more fats than those with uncompromised digestive systems.
    • Those with gall bladder or pancreas issues should work with a GAPS practitioner for a plan on incorporating fats.
  • How much to consume:
    • Dr. Natasha says, “make sure GAPS people get plenty of them!”
    • If you are eating nose to tail, skin on, and drinking the fat from the stocks, you will be getting lots of animal fats.
    • Make sure you cook with animal fats, ghee, or coconut oil, and add cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil to salads and soups.
    • Top everything with GAPS 24-hr sour cream.
    • Take Cod Liver Oil.
  • How to Incorporate:
    • Add ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil to soups, salads, teas, and lattes (use coconut milk or cream in your latte).
    • Do not skim fat from your stocks but drink it along with the stock (adding cinnamon or turmeric can help absorb some of the fat and mix it in with the stock).
    • Add plenty of animal fat to baked goods and top with more butter or ghee.
    • Eat GAPS ice cream (see below).
  • Recipes:

Superfood #6- Probiotic Vegetables and Brines

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood: 
    • Homebrewed probiotic foods and tonics are the least expensive way to get probiotics, and in tests, they contained much higher colonizing bacterial counts than commercial supplements.
    • They feed the good flora in your intestine and kill pathogens, thereby assisting the immune system in fighting infection.
    • Though many say that probiotics do not colonize the gut, not all experts agree.  In this article, Professor Eugene Chang at the University of Chicago specializes in gastroenterology.  He says that bacteria native to our food are “surprisingly resilient, and colonize the gut along with species already in our microbiome.”
    • Beneficial microbes not only kill pathogenic microbes, but they also assist in the conversion and absorption of vitamins, protect the gut lining, keep the gut’s cells and junctions healthy, and much more.  They are essential for our health.
  • Who needs it:
    • To quote Dr. Natasha, “fermented foods are not optional.”
    • These foods are especially important for GAPS people, people who need immune support, or anyone who has used antibiotics, pharmaceuticals (even anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or Tylenol) or been exposed to other toxins that damage the microbiome (these days, probably everyone.)
    • Probiotic foods were a normal part of the diet of our ancestors.
  • How much to consume:
    • Eat probiotic foods or brines with every meal.
    • At a minimum, make a point to drink 1-2 oz of beet kvass and 1-2 oz of sauerkraut brine (make fermented vegetables with fewer veggies and more brine, or use the brine from the recipe as-is) with every meal.  The beet kvass helps with bile flow and fat digestion, and the sauerkraut brine helps with stomach acid and protein digestion.
    • Also, eat 1-4 tsp of fermented vegetables with each meal.
    • Drink water between meals, not with meals, as it dilutes stomach juices needed for digestion.
  • How to Incorporate:
    • Aside from the kvass and sauerkraut brine, most probiotic foods make good condiments to meals.
    • Fermented vegetables are great on salads or as a bright side to rich meats.
    • You can make fermented hot sauces, pickles, fruit kvasses, and all kinds of veggies.
    • Experimenting with different veggie combinations makes it fun.
  • Recipes:

Superfood #7- Fresh Pressed Juices

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • Fresh pressed juices (not pasteurized) contain live enzymes, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals in greater quantities than what you could eat because you can get many veggies and fruits into one glass of juice.
    • The fiber is removed, so they are easy on the gut.
    • They stimulate stomach acid and help cleanse the liver, gall bladder, and kidneys.
    • They are also detoxifying, removing heavy metals and more from the body.
  • Who needs it: Starting in stage 4, GAPS people should consume fresh juice every day.
  • How much to consume: Work up to 2 glasses per day.
  • How to Incorporate:
    • Drink juices on an empty stomach, in the morning, or between meals.
    • Add GAPS sour cream and/or egg yolk to balance any blood sugar issues.
  • Recipes:

Superfood #8- Ginger, Garlic, and Turmeric

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • Both ginger and turmeric have been extensively studied and are useful for many ailments.
    • They contain powerful anti-inflammatory substances which help with chronic pain, IBS, and any other condition where inflammation creates discomfort.
    • Some research has indicated that turmeric may be as effective as aspirin or ibuprofen!
    • Fresh ginger has antiviral properties and has been shown to block the growth of several pathogens.
    • Ginger also helps with nausea and stimulates digestive function.
    • Garlic feeds good microbes and kills pathogenic microbes.
    • Fermented garlic cloves are a potent remedy for candida and are even effective against MRSA.
    • All are supportive of the immune system and digestive system.
  • Who needs it: Most GAPS people who don’t have a sensitivity to these herbs would benefit.
  • How much to consume:
    • Ginger has been shown to be most effective for adults when the dose is 1,500 to 2,000 mg daily in supplement form.
    • To use turmeric for pain relief, take 500 mg twice daily. See this article for more and for references to studies.
    • If using fermented garlic for candida, start with a small bite and work up to a dose that gives you improvement.  It will cause a die-off of pathogens, so if you experience symptoms, back down to a smaller dose and work up slowly.
  • How to Incorporate: 
    • Drink tea made from fresh ginger and add turmeric root with a dash of black pepper (black pepper greatly increases absorption of the beneficial substance in turmeric) and honey throughout the day to stimulate digestion and get anti-inflammatory and anti-viral benefits.
    • Add fresh ginger root and turmeric root to your fresh pressed juices.
    • Grate or crush all of them into your meat stocks and soups.
    • Add lots of garlic to soups and sautees.
    • Add it to your fermented vegetables and beet kvass. The garlic flavor mellows while fermenting and is more palatable to eat.
  • Recipes

Superfood #9- Dairy Kefir and Yogurt

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • Though many GAPS people have a hard time digesting dairy, using the Dairy Introduction Protocol to work up to tolerating GAPS Kefir/Sour Cream and GAPS Yogurt is well worth the trouble.
    • Fermented dairy provides the GAPS gut with many benefits, including bacteria specific to helping the gut digest dairy once more.
    • The lactic acid in fermented dairy is soothing for the gut lining and helps firm up stools in case of diarrhea.
    • GAPS Kefir/Sour Cream has a wonderful fatty acid profile for the gut, stimulates bile flow, and is nourishing for the adrenal glands.
    • A combination of homemade milk kefir from kefir grains and homemade yogurt is especially effective at balancing the microbiome and is a good adjunct treatment for PANDAS and other chronic strep issues.
    • Though there may be some benefits to store-bought kefir, there are many more (in number and different species) living colonizing microbes in homebrewed kefir.
    • Kefir is especially helpful in controlling pathogenic yeasts such as candida.
  • Who needs it: All GAPS people who tolerate dairy should consume kefir and yogurt.
  • How much to consume:
    • With kefir, a little goes a long way.
    • Start small because this powerful food can cause die-off reactions in small amounts due to the high live microbe count and different strains.
    • Some people have to dilute the kefir in water and take only a toothpick amount of that. Just keep working up to the amount just below what causes symptoms.
    • Work up to a glass of kefir per day.
    • Yogurt is less potent but provides a different group of bacteria, so it’s important to consume both.
    • With yogurt, work up from a small amount, perhaps 1/4 tsp if you are sensitive, to 1/2 cup or more per day.
  • How to Incorporate: 
    • Sour cream and yogurt are delicious with soups, taco salad, or with fruit and honey.
    • You can also use them to make smoothies and sauces.
    • Yogurt and kefir are great with meals or as a, snack or breakfast.
    • They also make good ingredients for baked goods, soups, smoothies, sauces, popsicles, and even ice cream.
  • Recipes:

Superfood #10- Sea Vegetables

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • Seaweed and sea vegetables provide minerals that have either been depleted from our soil or aren’t available from land animals and vegetables.  Not only do they provide a spectrum of trace minerals that are beneficial or even essential for many cellular processes, but they are also one of the only substantial sources of iodine.
    • Major sources of iodine are seafood, dairy products, and iodized salt.  Eggs are another minor source (superfood #4!).
    • Dairy only has iodine in it because it is used in manufacturing to disinfect during processing and storage!  So if you are buying raw milk from a farmer, you may not be getting any in your dairy.  And only natural, unrefined salt is recommended on the GAPS diet.
    • For people eating plenty of fish and fish stock, iodine stores may be sufficient, but many people on GAPS do not eat enough fish to supply needed iodine.
    • Also, iodine deficiency is epidemic in populations where seafood is not a staple.
    • To top it off, we deal with environmental toxins that interfere with the function of the iodine in our bodies, such as fluorides, bromides, and chlorine, among others.
  • Who needs it:
    • GAPS people whose digestive systems are functioning “fairly well,” to quote Dr. Natasha, can have sea vegetables.
    • Dr. Natasha has recommended it for people with low blood pressure, children who bite their nails, people who swim in chlorinated pools, women during pregnancy, people with mineral deficiencies, and to chelate toxic metals.
  • How much to consume:
    • Recommended Daily Values of iodine are: Children 1-8 years old- 90 mcg, Children 9-13 yo- 120 mcg, 14 and up yo- 150 mcg, Pregnant women- 220 mcg, lactating women- 290 mcg.
    • There is a lot of debate on how much is an ideal level of iodine, and some practitioners believe we need more. However, most also agree that too much iodine can actually harm the thyroid and cause Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
    • So, work with a practitioner if you think you need more than the RDA or are supplementing iodine.
    • For healthy people with no thyroid issues, getting the RDA of iodine through sea vegetables is a conservative approach and likely very safe since the upper tolerable intake limits on iodine are close to 1,000 mcg (Iodine Fact Sheet cited below).
    • There is also evidence that the body excretes more iodine when stores are sufficient when consuming kelp, indicating that a food-based supplement may allow the body to regulate iodine stores and that varying amounts of iodine are absorbed from seaweed depending perhaps on how much is needed (see study cited below).
  • How to Incorporate:
    • Buying a seaweed supplement in capsule form from a reputable and clean source that shows the estimated amount of iodine in the dose, then taking the appropriate RDA is one way to go.
    • In our family, we buy a blend of sea vegetables from Maine Coast, then add it to fermented vegetables before fermenting soups, salads, and cups of stock.
    • Heat can reduce the iodine amount, so add it to the table after cooking.
    • Different sea vegetables have different amounts of iodine, so check the label of your preferred source for dosing.
  • Sources:

Superfood Bonus! #11- Bee Pollen

  • Why it’s a GAPS diet superfood:
    • Bee pollen is considered a “goldmine of nutrition.”
    • According to this PMC article,  “Bee pollen is a potential source of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E, pro-vitamin A, vitamin D, and water-soluble vitamins such as vitamins B1, B2, B6, and C, also a source of acids like biotin, rutin, pantothenic, nicotinic, inositol, and folic. Bio-elements include macro-elements like sodium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as micro-elements as zinc, copper, manganese, iron, and selenium []. These metabolites contribute to the therapeutic potentials of bee pollen.”
    • It has been shown to help control blood sugar, help increase fertility, prevent obesity, combat liver disorders, protect against heart damage, and prevent atherosclerosis (hardening and inflammation of the arteries).
    • Studies indicate it can significantly reduce fluorine toxicity, help build healthy bones, and regulate ovarian function.
    • Amazingly, it increases the length of intestinal villi (read HELPS HEAL YOUR GUT!!!), which increases the ability to absorb nutrients.
    • It also had several beneficial effects on the immune systems of rats and was helpful in cognitive function.  WOW!
  • Who needs it:
    • Dr. Natasha has recommended pollen for cataracts, nail-biting, detoxing from swimming pools, and during pregnancy.
    • It may also be helpful for those with histamine intolerance or allergies to pollen.
    • It may be helpful for those with gout as it lowers uric acid.
    • It may also be helpful with liver congestion, diabetes, or cardiovascular concerns, according to studies.
    • People with infertility or hormone imbalance may want to try it.
  • How much to consume:
    • Dosage recommendations vary, from 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per day, up to 3 Tbs!
    • Give 1/2 of the dose to children  6-12 and 1/3 of the dose to children 2-6.
    • Be aware that pollen has caused allergic reactions, especially in people with allergies to weed pollens. So, do the skin sensitivity test first (find directions in this article). Introduce it carefully and start with just a grain or two.  Listen to your body to find the right dosage for you.
    • Consult a healthcare practitioner if you have weed pollen allergies or are allergic to bee stings or honey.
  • How to Incorporate:
    • Use as a topping with butter, ghee, or honey on bread and muffins.
    • Add to salad dressings, juices, and smoothies.
    • Use as a topping on yogurts and salads.
    • Heating reduces some of the nutritional benefits.
  • Sources:

 

GAPS Diet Superfoods- Conclusion

Those are the 10 +1 superfoods that will speed up your healing on the GAPS diet.  Have you tried any of these foods?  What was your experience? Share in the comments!

 

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