Gut Health Detoxification

SIBO Cleanse Diet | What Diet to Follow While Cleansing SIBO

SIBO Cleanse Diet | What Diet to Follow While Cleansing SIBO

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a digestive condition that occurs when pathogenic bacteria take over the small intestine, replacing healthy bacteria and creating imbalances in the gut microbiome. 

 

The small intestine is the longest section of the digestive tract and is where digested food is absorbed into the bloodstream. If pathogenic bacteria are present in the small intestine then your nutrients will not be properly or fully absorbed. This can lead to lower digestion rate and nutrient malabsorption. Over time, this can lead to many other problems like low iron or a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

 

This can severely impact gut health and lead to numerous digestive disorders. When digestion is impaired, food is not properly digested. The body then gets less nutrition from food. Poorly digested foods cause immune and inflammatory responses in the digestive tract. This interferes with the normal function of the body. As a result, multiple symptoms develop and many health issues can follow.

 

In order to get rid of SIBO and restore intestinal balance, it is essential to follow a proper SIBO diet alongside a SIBO Cleanse Protocol. This article will focus on what diet we recommend while following our 90-day SIBO Cleanse Protocol. If you would like to learn more about SIBO, read our blog “What is the difference between Candida and SIBO.

 

First, a Few Notes on Getting Rid of SIBO

 

It is recommended to seek medical advice if you have severe SIBO symptoms. To learn more about SIBO symptoms, read this blog. 

 

Like most forms of illness, the best way to treat SIBO and to prevent recurring infections is to address the underlying cause. The foods you eat play a critical role in maintaining the balance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in your gut. A diet high in refined sugars, processed foods, and pasteurized dairy products can encourage SIBO and other "bad" microorganisms to grow in the body.

 

What is the SIBO Diet?

 

The SIBO diet is a gradual elimination diet that is meant to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine.

 

In some cases, eliminating only sugars can ease symptoms. However, most health experts also suggest incorporating a diet low in FODMAPs, which are difficult-to-digest carbs that are fermented by gut bacteria in the colon. When carbs can’t break down, they sit in your gut and can cause symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating. In addition, if there is bacterial overgrowth, the small intestine bacteria begin to ferment the carbs too early, which can lead to further digestive issues.

 

The SIBO diet focuses more on what not to eat than on exactly what to eat, though there are certain foods that are recommended too. This diet especially recommends eliminating high sugar and high FODMAP foods in order to prevent fermentation in the gut and the proliferation of intestinal bacteria.

 

The SIBO diet is the diet we recommend sticking to while following our 90-day SIBO cleanse protocol.  

 

How Do You Follow the SIBO Diet?

 

To follow the SIBO Cleanse Diet, the most important thing to do is to adhere to these principles intended to help reduce the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria:

 

Avoid Added Sugars

 

Table sugar on a spoon on a wooden table

 

One of the most important things to do when following a SIBO diet is to avoid all added sugars. Pathogenic bacteria feed on sugars, and so, you will want to keep your sugar consumption at a minimum when doing a SIBO cleanse. 

 

Added sugars are in many foods, and we often consume them without realizing it. Because of this, it is essential that you read the labels on foods and check the ingredients for added sugar. Some common foods that often have added sugar include:

 

  • soda
  • energy drinks
  • sports drinks
  • sauces
  • condiments
  • salad dressings
  • fruit juices
  • teas
  • cereals
  • yeast bread
  • candy
  • grain-based desserts
  • dairy desserts
  • syrups
  • toppings
  • packaged and processed foods

 

If you are on a SIBO diet, it is best to focus on whole foods in their natural form and avoid added sugars. We recommend limiting your sugar intake to the morning when you can eat a small amount of low glycemic fruit. Once the bacterial infection is gone, fruit can be a very healthy part of a nutritious diet. However, it is recommended to limit fruit intake on the SIBO Cleanse Diet to prevent feeding the pathogenic bacteria in the small intestine. 

 

What about Fructose? Additional Notes on Sugars

 

When bacteria digests and feeds off these sugars, they produce gas that can cause mild to severe abdominal stress and bloating. Reducing or eliminating these foods from your diet (short-term) may be the only way to avoid and help eliminate these issues completely.

 

Here are some general tips for foods to avoid:

 

  • Avoid non-digestible carbohydrates - sugary cereal, baked goods, cookies, crackers
  • No yogurt with any flavors, plain only
  • No gum, alcohol sugars, halls, candies or mints of any kind
  • No fruit juice. Veggie juice is ok.
  • Avoid artificial sweeteners and sugars like splenda, nutrasweet, aspartame or white sugar
  • No maple syrup, corn syrup, agave, molasses, honey

 

Completely remove theses high-glycemic fruits while you are on your SIBO cleanse for 90 days:

 

  • Bananas
  • Mangos
  • Grapes
  • Figs
  • Watermelon
  • Papaya
  • Pears
  • Dates

 

Enjoy these low-glycemic fruits in moderation while you are on the SIBO cleanse:

 

  • Raspberries
  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries
  • Strawberries
  • Cherries
  • Apricots
  • Grapefruit
  • Oranges
  • Lemon
  • Limes
  • Avocados

 

We recommend eating before a protein because protein requires some time to digest, which simple sugars can make more difficult. In the morning you are in a fasted state, which is ideal for consuming simple sugars.

 

Avoid High-FODMAP Foods

 

High fodmap foods in bowls on a counter

 

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that do not absorb well in the small intestine. People commonly experience digestive distress after eating foods high in FODMAPs. When following the SIBO diet it is recommended to avoid high FODMAP foods and to focus on eating low FODMAP foods. 

 

High FODMAP foods to avoid include:

 

  • high-fructose corn syrup
  • agave nectar
  • honey
  • soda and soft drinks
  • garlic
  • onions
  • asparagus
  • butternut squash
  • cauliflower
  • artichokes
  • beans
  • peas
  • barley
  • rye
  • grains
  • apples
  • dried fruits
  • sausage
  • flavored yogurt
  • ice cream
  • sweetened cereals

 

While the list of foods you should avoid can be restrictive, there are still a number of foods you can enjoy while on this temporary diet. A SIBO diet should focus on foods high in fiber and low in sugar. Some of the acceptable foods for a low FODMAP diet include:

 

  • spaghetti squash and summer squashes
  • leafy greens
  • carrots
  • rice or gluten-free noodles
  • olives
  • pumpkin
  • quinoa
  • seeds
  • some fruits (blueberries, grapes, oranges, and strawberries)
  • well sourced meat
  • fish
  • eggs
  • crackers, gluten-free

 

There are many other low FODMAP foods, of course. If you are unsure of whether a food is high or low FODMAP, simply do a quick internet search of the name of the food and ask if it is a low or high FODMAP food. If it is a low FODMAP food, it is acceptable on the SIBO diet (assuming it does not fall into any of the other categories of foods recommended to avoid that are mentioned in this article).

 

Foods to Avoid on the SIBO Diet

 

Processed foods on a market shelf

 

The following foods are the worst foods for SIBO because they either contribute to poor gut health, or they feed the bacteria that have already overgrown in the gut:

 

  • Foods that are high in sugar, especially processed sugar
  • Processed foods
  • Foods with added chemicals or preservatives like BHT, Red 40, etc.
  • Foods that contain industrial vegetable or seed oils like canola oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, etc.
  • Alcohol, especially beer and wine
  • Foods high in yeast (bread, nutritional yeast)
  • Grains
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Honey
  • Soda and soft drinks
  • Beans & Legumes
  • Hummus
  • Garlic
  • Onions & Leeks
  • Brassicas (cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli)
  • Artichokes

 

Avoid Prebiotic Foods

 

prebiotic foods on a table

 

While on the SIBO diet, it is recommended to avoid foods that contain a lot of prebiotics. Prebiotics are indigestible carbs that feed bacteria. Usually, it is beneficial to include prebiotic foods in the diet as they help beneficial bacteria grow and colonize the gut. However, prebiotics are some of the worst foods for SIBO as they can be used by these bacteria to continue to grow.

 

When you’re dealing with a SIBO infection it is recommended to avoid prebiotics short-term as you get rid of the bacterial overgrowth. Later on, after the infection is cleared, reintroducing prebiotics in the diet is a good way to encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria and to improve your gut health.

 

Examples of prebiotic foods include:

  • Oats
  • Apples
  • Garlic
  • Onions
  • Artichokes
  • Shallots
  • Leeks
  • Squash
  • Bananas
  • Dandelion greens
  • Asparagus
  • Chicory root
  • Barley
  • Flaxseeds
  • Wheat bran
  • Seaweed
  • Burdock root
  • Jicama root
  • Cacao
  • Legumes
  • Beans
  • Peas
  • Nectarines
  • Peaches
  • Cabbage
  • Potatoes

 

 

Avoid Probiotics

 

probiotic foods on a table

 

Taking probiotics during a SIBO cleanse is a complicated subject, and you need to understand a lot about all the different strains of probiotics to fully comprehend it. However, the simple message you need to know here is that all types of bacteria ferment. It's a completely natural thing. Every kind of bacteria produces gas. 

 

If you are someone who already has a hard time with excess gas in the small intestine, this will only continue (and possibly even worsen) if you were to add probiotics too early in the cleanse. Now this is not a hard fast rule, as some people could benefit greatly from taking the right kind of probiotics. But for the most part, people with SIBO either stay the same or get even worse if they don't do their research & understand which type of probiotics to take. 

 

For now, we are leaving the probiotics out of this SIBO cleanse protocol and we highly recommend you take them afterward, for 3-6months, to further advance your gut health and healing.

 

Avoid Gluten

 gluten free written on a table in dough

 

Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley, and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. It is well-known as an allergen for those with Celiac disease. Still, increasing evidence shows that gluten affects the health of more than just people with Celiac disease.

 

New research shows that gluten triggers the production of zonulin. This pro-inflammatory protein can be tough on the gut. While following our SIBO Cleanse Diet, try to avoid gluten. If you need to include bread, opt for freshly made sourdough bread, which is fermented and easier to digest. If possible, eliminate gluten entirely during this 90 day protocol.

 

Avoid Snacking

 

Woman enjoying a snack bar on a workout

 

Snacking is an integral part of many people's lives, but if you suffer from SIBO, you will need to avoid snacking altogether. This includes all of the sugary and sweet snacks you may crave like candies, muffins, bread, chips etc. When following this 90-day protocol, it is recommended to avoid snacking in between meals to give your digestive system time to fully and properly digest all your food before any other food comes in. If you must have a snack, eat a small amount of low-glycemic fruit.

 

Avoid Alcohol

 Beer and wine on a table

 

Alcohol may be one of the most commonly used intoxicants. Still, it also has many adverse health effects, including harming your gut health.

 

If a long-term SIBO overgrowth has damaged your gut, drinking alcohol can make your gut health even worse and can cause SIBO to come back in the future.

 

While on the SIBO diet, we recommend that you cut back your alcohol consumption or, even better, eliminate it completely during this 90-day program. Make sure to avoid beer and wine while doing this protocol especially, as they contain fermented sugars that can feed bacteria.

 

 

Avoid All Dairy Products with Lactose

 

While following this diet, it is recommended to avoid all dairy products with lactose. It is okay to eat lactose-free dairy foods like:

 

  • Ghee 
  • Unprocessed aged cheeses like parmesan
  • Lactose-free yogurt
  • Lactose-free milk

 

 

Eat Low-Starch Vegetables

 

Zucchinis on a table

 

While vegetables are an essential food group for any healthy diet, try to minimize starchy vegetables while following this diet. 

 

Examples of high starch vegetables to reduce during this diet include:

 

  • white potatoes
  • yams
  • sweet potatoes
  • corn
  • peas
  • beans

 

Focus on eating nutrient-dense vegetables that have lower calories. Here are some examples of low starch vegetables to include in your diet during this cleanse:

 

  • spinach
  • kale
  • cherry tomatoes
  • bell peppers
  • carrots
  • beets
  • zucchini
  • cucumber

 

When shopping for these vegetables, buy organic and cook them with good oils!

 

Some Notes on Fats & Oils

 

Coconut Oil in a Bowl

 

Bad oils can make any healthy meal into an inflammatory nightmare.

 

Oils can go rancid very easily, so you need to buy fresh and take care with your storage. Bottles should be dark in color to protect the quality of the oil and the lid of the bottle sealed tightly during use. Heat light and oxygen can damage oil. Sniff your oil regularly to tell if it has gone rancid. Your oils should smell clean and fresh. If your oil smells off it probably is. Your nose will know. Store all your oils in a cool dark place. Beside or above the stove is not ideal. Pantry is best.

 

Oils with high smoke points (better for cooking):

  • Ghee butter (grass-fed)
  • Olive oil (extra light)
  • Coconut oil (expeller pressed)
  • Beef tallow
  • Duck fat

 

Oils with low smoking points (preferred for garnishing cooked foods):

  • Coconut oil (extra virgin)
  • Olive oil (extra virgin)
  • Butter (grass-fed)

 

Avoid these oils completely:

 

  • Canola oil
  • Corn oil
  • Soybean oil
  • Safflower oil

 

For more information about healthy cooking oils, read this blog.

 

Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet

 

Be sure to eat foods rich in vitamins, macronutrients, and minerals. The goal of the SIBO cleanse is to repair the intestinal lining, ease inflammation, get rid of the bacterial overgrowth, and eat a diet rich in essential nutrients that your body has not been absorbing.

 

During our SIBO cleanse protocol keep a good supply of foods at hand in your home. Try to shop at least 1-2 times each week to stock up. We recommend shopping once a week at your local farmers market for produce and once a week at your local grocery story.

 

It may seem like a lot for you at first but once you get the hang of it you will begin to enjoy buying yourself fresh organic produce every week. We also recommended doing a kitchen fridge clean-out every week and discarding any old or half eaten food. Your fridge should be completely free of any bacteria forming items during the cleanse. As you follow the SIBO cleanse, reflect on your dietary choices and commit to making food choices that improve your quality of health.

 

Some ways you can do this include:

  • Eat whole foods and foods in their natural form whenever possible
  • Eat more fresh produce (fruits and vegetables)
  • Buy organic whenever possible
  • Shop at your local butcher
  • Shop at your local farmers

 

Strive to buy local and in-season foods when possible, as they are generally fresher and more nutritious. Learn about the foods you eat and focus on foods that are rich in nutrients

 

Make sure you eat foods rich in vitamins, micronutrients, and minerals. Aim to have these foods every day of this protocol. These nutrient-dense foods will help to nourish your body. Eating a diet rich in vegetables, low-sugar fruits, healthy proteins and fats is essential for reducing inflammation and restoring gut health. 

 

Aside from cutting back on sugar, much of the SIBO cleanse focuses on reducing inflammation, and improving digestion and absorption of nutrients. Therefore, it is essential to eat less of the foods that lead to inflammation and more that reduce inflammation and promote healing. 

 

Here are some essential nutrients to include in your diet with a list of foods that contain each nutrient:

 

Vitamin A

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin A Include: 

 

  • Organic Red Bell Pepper
  • Organic Carrots
  • Organic Kale
  • Organic Spinach
  • Cod Liver Oil (Sourcing is essential with Cod Liver Oil, we recommend Rosita Brand)
  • Pasture-Raised Eggs
  • Ruminant Animal Organ Meats

 

B Vitamins

 

Healthy Food Sources of B Vitamins include: 

 

  • Bee Pollen
  • Stabilized Rice Bran
  • Grass-Fed Beef Liver
  • Organic Chlorella
  • Organic Spirulina
  • Organic Parsley
  • Organic Kelp
  • Grass-Fed Beef
  • Grass-Fed Lamb
  • Pasture-Raised Chicken
  • Wild-Caught Fish
  • Ruminant Animal Organ Meats

 

B12 

 

Healthy Food Sources of B12 include: 

 

  • Ruminant Animal Organ Meats
  • Grass-Fed Beef
  • Wild Caught Fish (be careful with heavy metals)
  • Pasture-Raised Eggs 

 

Vegan sources of B12 are typically found in fermented foods, which are recommended to be avoided during this protocol. Therefore, it is recommended for vegans to supplement with a good quality B vitamin complex or B12 supplement.

 

Vitamin C

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin C Include: 

 

  • Organic Citrus Fruits
  • Organic Rose Hips
  • Organic Kakadu Plum
  • Organic Guavas
  • Organic Guava Leaves
  • Organic Bell Peppers
  • Organic Acerola Cherries 

 

Vitamin D

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin D include: 

 

  • Cod Liver Oil
  • Wild Caught Salmon
  • Grass-Fed Beef Liver
  • Wild Caught Tuna
  • Pasture-Raised Egg Yolks

 

We recommend making sure you are not deficient in any essential vitamins, nutrients, or minerals and making sure you are getting ample sunlight before taking vitamin D supplements. If you opt for a vitamin D supplement, make sure it is a D + K2 Complex. The vitamin K2 is important for the bioavailability of Vitamin D.

 

Vitamin E

 

Healthy Sources of Vitamin E Include: 

 

  • Wheat Germ Oil
  • Cod Liver Oil
  • Pasture-Raised Eggs
  • Organic Pine Nuts
  • Wild Caught Salmon
  • Organic Brazil Nuts
  • Organic Red Bell Pepper
  • Organic Avocado
  • Organic Spinach
  • Organic Sunflower Seeds

 

Vitamin K2

 

Healthy Food Sources of Vitamin K2 include: 

 

  • Organic Kale
  • Organic Mustard Greens
  • Organic Swiss chard
  • Organic Spinach
  • Grass-Fed Beef Liver
  • Organic Kiwi
  • Organic Avocado
  • Organic Beet Greens
  • Organic Parsley

 

 

Eat Foods That Improve Gut Health

 

Bone broth on a table

 

Aside from cutting back on sugar and high FODMAP foods, much of the SIBO diet focuses on reducing inflammation and improving gut health. Therefore, it is essential to eat less of the foods that lead to inflammation and more of the foods that reduce inflammation and promote healing. 

 

Eating a diet rich in vegetables, low-sugar fruits, healthy proteins and healthy fats is essential for reducing inflammation and restoring gut health. These are among the best foods to eat for SIBO infections.

 

Here are some gut nourishing foods to include in your diet daily:

 

  • Organic Low Glycemic Fruits (See Above)
  • Organic Celery Juice
  • Well Sourced Bone broth
  • Coconut Oil
  • Ginger

 

Drink Mineral Rich Water

 

spring water

 

Drinking sufficient quantities of water and staying hydrated are essential to your health. It's also crucial for helping your body eliminate SIBO. Your body needs water to function, and when you don't get enough water, it can impair your health.

 

We recommend drinking reverse osmosis filtered water that contains the trace minerals in our fulvic acid & trace ocean minerals product. These minerals are added to the water after being filtered. If you can get spring water from a pure natural spring or can obtain it from your  local market, this is another great option for high-quality drinking water. .

 

Aim to drink 3-5 liters of water per day during this cleanse protocol. 

 

Supplement with Magnesium Daily

 

magnesium bath flakes

 

Magnesium is an essential mineral needed for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body. The average person is extremely deficient in magnesium. If you are often stressed-out, your magnesium burn rate is likely very high. We recommend diluting magnesium malate into your drinking water a few times a day. Dr. Mercola makes good magnesium malate; find it here.

 

Additionally, having a magnesium bath 3 nights a week will have a great impact on your overall health. Magnesium flakes are a naturally occurring, highly concentrated form of magnesium chloride, originating from deep below the underground sea bed. Soaking in magnesium flakes has the ability to regulate muscle and nerve function, reduce muscle cramping, aid in recovery and aid the detoxification process.

 

Space Out Your Meals to Allow For Proper Digestion

 

 Aim to space out your meals to allow for about three hours between each meal. Spacing out your meals allows the full digestive process to take place. Try not to snack every time you are hungry and instead make herbal tea or drink mineral-rich water. Your hunger could also be coming from dehydration or from your body cleansing itself.

 

Balance Blood Sugar

 

Blood sugar is a complex subject, but here are a few essential tips. Eat protein, fat, and carbohydrates with each meal. Eat lower glycemic vegetables, and only have your fruit on an empty stomach in the morning. If you suffer from blood sugar imbalance issues, consider taking a bitter melon extract supplement or a Ceylon cinnamon supplement.

 

Focus on Digestion

 

graphic showing digestive tract

 

Digestion is a process that breaks food down to a size that is small enough for it to be absorbed in the small intestine. This process is complex and takes hours, depending on what you have eaten. Therefore, focusing on digestive health is extremely important for improving gut health long term. 

 

Here are some tips to improve digestion:

 

  • eat slowly and mindfully
  • eat fruit on an empty stomach only (usually in the morning in a fasted state)
  • avoid sugar other than fructose 
  • take digestive bitters a few minutes before a meal

 

Most important of all, chew your food thoroughly. This simple act can improve your health drastically. Remember digestion starts in your mouth. Chewing your food really well will prevent larger particles of food from going down into the stomach for digestion. 

 

Chewing & the saliva in your mouth help to break down large particles of food into smaller particles. This drastically reduces the stress on the esophagus and thereby helps the stomach metabolize your food before heading down into the small intestine. 

 

It is all a chain reaction starting in your mouth. Chewing your food properly can help smooth digestion and nutrient absorption. When your food is not chewed properly large particles enter the digestive tract causing digestive problems such as gas, bloating, constipation, food reactions, headaches, low energy and food fermenting in your gut. 

 

When you chew your food more digestive enzymes are produced and this also helps to break down food farther to assist digestion. This is also the reason we recommend taking digestive enzymes during this 90 day SIBO cleanse to additionally support the digestion, assimilation and absorption of all your food.

 

Additional Tips & Guidelines to Support SIBO Cleansing

 

  • Drink one cup of bone broth with each meal
  • Use coconut oil or ghee for cooking
  • Introduce probiotic foods - slowly and after the cleanse
  • Allow for 4-5 hours minimum between meals
  • Don't eat right before bed
  • No snacking
  • Eat smaller meals more often - ideally 4 meals a day 4 hours apart
  • No overeating - overeating is one of the worst things for SIBO 
  • Try to eat less leftovers - and more fresh food
  • Wash your hands before you eat to reduce bacteria exposure.

 

Summarizing Your Good Foods List

 

In summary, here is a list of foods that have been mentioned in this article as good foods to eat to get rid of SIBO infection.  Later in this article, we will use this food list to build out your hypothetical SIBO diet meal plan. 

 

Here are good foods and herbs to eat on the SIBO Cleanse Diet:

 

  • Organic Low Glycemic Fruits (See Above)
  • Organic Celery Juice
  • Well Sourced Bone broth
  • Coconut Oil
  • Ginger
  • Asparagus
  • Wheat Germ Oil
  • Cod Liver Oil
  • Pasture-Raised Eggs
  • Organic Pine Nuts
  • Wild Caught Salmon
  • Organic Brazil Nuts
  • Organic Red Bell Pepper
  • Organic Avocado
  • Organic Spinach
  • Organic Sunflower Seeds
  • Organic Citrus Fruits
  • Organic Rose Hips
  • Organic Kakadu Plum
  • Organic Guavas
  • Organic Guava Leaves
  • Organic Bell Peppers
  • Bee Pollen
  • Organic Acerola Cherries
  • Grass-Fed Beef Liver
  • Organic Chlorella
  • Organic Spirulina
  • Organic Kale
  • Organic Parsley
  • Organic Kelp
  • Grass-Fed Beef
  • Grass-Fed Lamb
  • Pasture-Raised Chicken
  • Wild-Caught Fish
  • Ruminant Animal Organ Meats
  • Organic Spaghetti Squash
  • Organic Summer Squashes
  • Organic Leafy Greens
  • Organic Carrots
  • Rice
  • Gluten-Free Noodles
  • Organic Olives
  • Organic Pumpkin
  • Organic Quinoa
  • Organic Seeds
  • Organic Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Organic Avocado Oil
  • Organic Coconut Oil
  • Organic Sesame Oil
  • Grapeseed Oil
  • Ghee
  • Organic Spinach
  • Organic Kale
  • Organic Cherry Tomatoes
  • Organic Beets
  • Organic Zucchini
  • Organic Cucumber
  • Organic Lemons
  • Organic Limes
  • Organic Cherries
  • Organic Blackberries
  • Organic Avocados

 

Foods to Avoid While Cleansing SIBO

 

Once again, in summary, here are the foods we recommend avoiding while following the 90 day SIBO Cleanse Diet.

 

  • Foods that are high in sugar, especially processed sugar
  • Processed foods
  • Foods with added chemicals or preservatives like BHT, Red 40, etc.
  • Foods that contain industrial vegetable or seed oils like canola oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, etc.
  • Alcohol, especially beer and wine
  • Foods high in yeast (bread, nutritional yeast)
  • Grains
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Honey
  • Fermented foods
  • Soda and soft drinks
  • Beans & Legumes
  • Hummus
  • Garlic
  • Onions & Leeks
  • Brassicas (cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli)
  • Artichokes

 

Meal Plan Examples

 

The SIBO diet can seem overwhelming at first. However, this change in food choices is the ideal SIBO diet, as it removes sugar and difficult to digest carbs that lead to fermentation and bacterial proliferation, and also includes foods that eliminate SIBO.

 

We wanted to provide you with  a few meal plan examples to make the diet a little simpler to apply:

 

SIBO Diet Breakfast Meal Plan:

 

  • Sourdough bread with smashed avocado and poached eggs
  • Oatmeal with Ceylon Cinnamon, coconut flakes, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds
  •  Frittata with tomato, black olives and fresh arugula
  • Green smoothie with spinach, spirulina, kiwi, cucumber, plant based protein powder & coconut milk

 

SIBO Diet Lunch Meal Plan:

 

  • Dandelion greens salad with baked chickpeas, sunflower seeds, quinoa, stone ground mustard, and lemon dressing. Add pasture-raised scrambled eggs on top.
  • Lunch bowl with grass-fed beef, white rice, dandelion greens, cherry tomatoes, and red bell pepper, topped with grass-fed butter.
  • Warm Salmon Salad with cucumbers, avocado, cherry tomato & citrus vinaigrette

  • Quinoa chicken salad with cucumber, leafy green, sprouts & carrots and beets

  • Asian noodle salad with carrot, sunflowers seeds, bell peppers and chives

 

SIBO Diet Dinner Meal Plan:

 

  • Brown rice and vegetable stir fry with broccoli, kale, carrot, pineapple, ginger, and wild-caught salmon
  • Steamed vegetables and coconut curry soup with a side of wild halibut over brown rice.
  • Vegetarian green bean & butternut Squash Curry Soup with quinoa

  • Turkey chili with sweet potatoes, tomatoes, corn, cilantro & fresh lime

  • Zucchini noodle pasta with pesto sauce, tomatoes, zucchini & parmesan, topped with grilled chicken

  • Roasted red bell peppers with ground beef, olives tomatoes & fresh herbs

 

 

SIBO Cleanse Tonic

 

The herbs in this product include:

 

 

Taking these herbs along with a SIBO Cleanse Diet may help you get rid of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. It is important to include herbs and foods that eliminate SIBO along with removing sugar and high FODMAP foods from the diet. Taking a comprehensive approach like this will ensure the best SIBO cleanse. To read more about our full SIBO Cleanse protocol, read our protocol here.

 

Summary

 

Thank you for reading our SIBO Cleanse Protocol diet guide. Dietary changes are foundational for improving gut health during your cleanse and beyond into the future. 

 

Be patient with yourself and your body during this protocol, and always give yourself some leniency around our recommendations. It takes time to adopt new habits and to take full responsibility for our health. We want to encourage you to always be kind to yourself as you go through these changes and not to beat yourself up if you don’t do it perfectly. 

 

Healing from a place of self-love, self-forgiveness and self-compassion will always be more effective than trying to heal from a place of self-judgment, self-hatred, or self-blame. 

 

It is important to have a good understanding of SIBO, and to know the proper protocol for recovering from this condition. But we understand that it is not always as easy to apply this information, as changing our dietary and lifestyle habits can be challenging. 

 

Just remember why you’ve decided to follow this protocol. Keep your health goals in mind and do your best each day to reach them. The more you stick to it, the easier it will become. 

 

Over time, this diet will change your palate to crave more bitter foods and less sugary sweet foods. As the health of your gut microbiome returns, you’ll begin to see relief from your symptoms and experience a newfound sense of health and vitality. 

 

Enjoy the process, take it one day at a time, and reach out to us if you have any questions. We are here to support you on your health journey!

 

 

 

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546634/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7386065/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6884350/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4030608/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24891990/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7748159/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966170/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31947991/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6682904/

 

Products mentioned in this post

Fulvic Acid & Trace Ocean Minerals

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Butyric Acid

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SIBO Cleanse Tonic

SIBO Cleanse Tonic

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