Gut-Healing Diets for IBS and SIBO: Which One Is Right for You?
Figuring out what to eat when your gut is in chaos is genuinely overwhelming. There are so many dietary approaches out there, each with their own list of rules, restrictions, and promises, and it can be hard to know where to even start.
The good news? Most gut-healing diets share the same core principles. Once you understand those, the rest starts to make a lot more sense.
What Do Gut-Healing Diets Actually Have in Common?
Before diving into specific dietary approaches, it helps to understand the principles that underpin all of them. Because despite their differences, effective gut-healing diets tend to follow the same logic:
They are targeted & short-term
These are not diets you follow for life. They are therapeutic interventions, typically lasting between 2 to 6 months, and sometimes up to 12 months in more complex cases. The goal is to reduce inflammation, support healing, and then transition back to a broader, more varied diet. Staying on a restrictive gut-healing diet long-term can actually backfire by reducing the diversity of your gut microbiome.
They are anti-inflammatory
Most gut issues involve some level of inflammation, and effective diets reflect that by prioritizing anti-inflammatory foods. Think omega-3 rich options like fatty fish, antioxidant-rich berries and leafy greens, and healing spices like turmeric and ginger.
They are personalized
There is no single gut-healing diet that works for everyone. Your symptoms, food sensitivities, and underlying root cause all matter. What helps one person can make another worse, which is why food sensitivity testing and elimination protocols are often part of the process.
They address overgrowth (when present)
If SIBO or another gut infection is at the root of your symptoms, the diet needs to account for that. This usually means restricting fermentable carbohydrates such as fodmaps that feed the overgrowth of bacteria, essentially trying to starve the problem while supporting recovery.
They prioritize nutrient density
Restriction without nutrition is not healing. Good gut-healing diets still focus on providing adequate macro and micronutrients, and as much variety as possible within the allowed foods.
The Most Common Gut-Healing Diets for IBS and SIBO
Here's a breakdown of the most popular gut-healing diets. Keep in mind that the foods mentioned under each are not a complete list. The goal here is to give you a clear enough picture to understand how each approach works.
1. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
The SCD was originally developed by Dr. Sidney Haas in the 1920’s, as treatment for celiac disease and inflammatory bowel conditions. It’s now widely used for both IBS and SIBO. The core idea is to eliminate various carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed and can feed harmful bacteria and yeast in the gut, while focusing on easily digestible foods that allow the intestinal lining to recover.
❌ What you cut out: Grains and cereals, refined sugars, most starches, most processed foods, legumes (with some exceptions), and many dairy products.
✅ What you can eat: Unprocessed meats, poultry, fish, eggs, most fresh fruits and non-starchy vegetables, certain fermented dairy like yogurt and kefir, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and limited natural sweeteners.
How long: Primarily short-term, around 3 to 6 months, with potential extensions for more severe cases.
2. The GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome)
The GAPS diet builds on the SCD with an added focus on the gut-brain connection. It's one of the more restrictive approaches out there, but it's designed for cases where gut dysfunction is affecting neurological or mental health symptoms, such as brain fog, anxiety and depression, alongside digestive problems. This diet is done in multiple stages.
❌ What you cut out: Everything excluded on SCD, plus starchy vegetables, most beans and legumes, lactose, and alcohol.
✅ What you can eat: Similar to SCD but with a strong emphasis on bone broth and fermented foods as foundational healing tools.
How long: Primarily short-term, though the transition phases can take longer depending on individual response.
3. The Low FODMAP Diet
The Low FODMAP diet is probably the most well-researched dietary intervention for IBS. FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and can trigger gas, bloating, cramping, and altered bowel habits in sensitive individuals.
The diet works in two phases: a strict elimination period followed by a structured reintroduction phase to identify your personal triggers.
❌ What you cut out: High-FODMAP fruits, wheat, rye, barley, most dairy, onions, garlic, beans, lentils, various vegetables, and certain sweeteners like fructose and sorbitol.
✅ What you can eat: Low-FODMAP fruits and vegetables, gluten-free grains, lactose-free alternatives, and many other foods in appropriate portions.
How long: The elimination phase is short, typically 4 to 8 weeks, followed by careful reintroduction. This diet is not designed for long-term restriction.
One important note: the Low FODMAP diet manages symptoms but does not address the root cause. If you find yourself relying on it indefinitely, it is worth investigating what is actually driving your sensitivity.
4. SIBO-Specific Diets (SIBO Specific Food Guide and Bi-Phasic Diet)
These protocols were designed specifically for SIBO and combine elements of both SCD and Low FODMAP to create a more targeted approach. They tend to be highly restrictive, particularly in the early phases, with the goal of reducing the bacterial load in the small intestine while supporting gut healing.
❌ What you cut out: A combination of high-FODMAP foods and SCD-restricted foods, with variation depending on which phase of the protocol you are in.
✅ What you can eat: Carefully selected low-FODMAP and SCD-compliant foods, with an emphasis on easily digestible proteins and fats.
How long: Short-term, with a phased reintroduction approach. Working with a practitioner is strongly recommended here given the level of restriction involved.
You can get the SIBO Bi-Phasic Diet here.
5. The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)
The AIP diet is designed for individuals dealing with autoimmune conditions alongside gut dysfunction, particularly leaky gut. It is one of the most restrictive approaches on this list, eliminating a wide range of potentially inflammatory foods before gradually reintroducing them to identify personal triggers.
❌ What you cut out: All grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes), coffee, and all processed foods.
✅ What you can eat: Meat, poultry, fish, most fruits and non-nightshade vegetables, healthy fats, some sweeteners in moderation, and fermented foods.
How long: Variable. Some people follow the elimination phase for 30 to 90 days before beginning reintroduction, others longer depending on their condition and response.
6. Modified Paleo Diet
For those who do not have an autoimmune component but still benefit from a cleaner, less inflammatory approach, a modified Paleo diet offers a less restrictive alternative. It cuts the most common digestive irritants without the full elimination required by AIP. This is one of my favourite places to start.
❌ What you cut out: Processed foods, most grains, legumes, and dairy.
✅ What you can eat: Meat, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds (ideally sprouted), and healthy fats.
How long: This can be used short-term as a healing protocol, or maintained longer-term as a sustainable dietary pattern, depending on individual needs and tolerance.
A Note on Food Sensitivities
Regardless of which dietary approach you follow, individual food sensitivities can complicate the picture. Two people following the same protocol can have very different experiences based on their personal triggers. Testing can be a helpful tool here, though it is worth discussing the options with your practitioner, as not all food sensitivity tests are created equal.
What About the Carnivore Diet?
This one comes up a lot, and I already have a full article on the Carnivore Diet for SIBO. Some people with IBS or SIBO report significant symptom relief on a carnivore diet, and on the surface it makes sense since you are eliminating all FODMAPs and fermentable fibers. But symptom relief is not the same as healing.
The carnivore diet is severely lacking in the fiber, polyphenols, and plant diversity that a healthy microbiome depends on. Long-term, it risks reducing microbial diversity significantly, which can create new problems even after the original ones improve. It is not something I typically recommend as a therapeutic gut-healing strategy, even if it offers temporary relief.
Healing Is About More Than Diet Alone
Diet is a powerful tool and lever, but it is rarely the whole answer. Rest, sleep quality, stress management, targeted supplementation, and addressing the underlying root cause of your gut issues all play a role in how well and how quickly you recover.
If you have been managing your symptoms with diet for a long time without really getting better, that is a sign it is worth digging deeper. Persistent IBS and SIBO symptoms usually point to an underlying infection, overgrowth, or imbalance that diet alone cannot fully resolve.
If you are ready to stop managing and start healing, book a free discovery call with me to find out how I can help.