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14 Gut Healthy Recipes, Including Best Ingredients

By Ethan Boldt

February 19, 2024

In our effort to boost gut health, it’s essential to examine one’s diet and perhaps make some changes. In particular, you want to improve the ratio of “good guy” bacteria (also called probiotics) to the “bad guy” microbes living in your gastrointestinal tract.

To increase this good bacteria in your gut naturally, you must eat more of the best foods that foster the growth of friendly bacteria — feeding probiotics in the gut. In addition, these foods can support a healthy gut lining, nutrient absorption and even healthy elimination.

How does the gut lining maintain its integrity over time? Well, there can be many factors to consider, such as avoiding a poor diet (such as one low in fiber and high in sugar and ultra-processed foods), smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, certain medications, managing stress and more.

It’s also important to support the so-called “gut-brain connection.” This connection is believed to play a role in many vital processes, including digestion, metabolism, immune system function, stress response, mood regulation and even cognitive function.

See the best ingredients for the gut below along with 14 gut healthy recipes, including for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and dessert!

Of course, you should always consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen, including certain foods, beverages and/or dietary supplements.

Healthy Gut Ingredients

Probiotic foods are fermented (or cultured) foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kimchi, miso and kombucha. They naturally introduce a diverse amount of healthy bacteria into your gut.

Prebiotic foods like raw onions, under-ripe bananas, apples with skin, uncooked greens like baby kale, steel-cut oats and legumes. Prebiotic foods are high in fiber and contain certain types of carbohydrates that the body cannot fully digest; these fibers help healthy microbes in the gut to reproduce, flourish and thrive.

Vegetables are full of antioxidants, fiber and other nutrients that can help fight against free radicals and boost digestive health, and help to keep connective tissues in the gut in good shape. Think dark leafy greens, beets, cruciferous vegetables and squashes.

Some fruits are particularly high in polyphenols, beneficial plant compounds naturally that help increase the number of healthy gut bacteria. Candidates included cooked pears and apples, berries, citrus fruits and pomegranates.

Bone broth is made up of amino acids including proline, arginine and glycine that help to generally support healthy connective tissues throughout the body, including those in the gut. You can work bone broth into many recipes.

Along with bone broth, you also want sources of amino acids to support a healthy gut lining and fuel many other bodily processes. Think grass-fed/pasture-raised/antibiotic-free meat, cage-free eggs and wild-caught fish.

Don’t want animal-based protein foods? Then go with plant-based protein sources to support the growth of good bacteria in the gut. Examples include beans and lentils, edamame, tempeh and fermented tofu.

Sprouted whole grains contain beta glucan, a type of fiber that generally helps feed healthy gut microbes. Candidates include sprouted grain bread like Ezekiel, sprouted oats and sprouted rice.

14 Gut Healthy Recipes

BREAKFAST

1. Piña Colada Smoothie

Coconut is a medium chain fatty acid that’s easily digested and converted to energy instead of being stored as fat. Pineapple is rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, manganese, thiamine and vitamin B6. Chia seeds and raw honey add more gut friendly nutrients to the mix in this piña colada smoothie.

2. Gut Supporting Green Smoothie

This green smoothie will help soothe the gut with multiple ingredients that aid digestive health, including kale, spinach, bananas, ginger, chia sees, honey and collagen powder.

3. Bone Broth Paleo Pancakes

Pancakes are a favorite breakfast for most of us, but often they are too low in protein and high in starchy carbs to make them a truly healthy, energizing breakfast. These Paleo pancakes also feature Bone Broth Protein that supports gut health and a healthy gut microbiome.

LUNCH

4. Quinoa Bowl with Miso Tahini Dressing

This quinoa bowl is loaded with plant-based protein and flavor, in part courtesy of a sublime miso tahini dressing. It features so many gut healthy ingredients like quinoa, black bean, beet sauerkraut and miso — the latter two are loaded with probiotics.

5. Bone Broth Chicken Noodle Soup

Relying on Bone Broth Protein Pure as the stock base, this chicken noodle soup is great for your gut and supports your immune system.

6. Tofu Sauerkraut Sandwich

Fermented tofu is a win-win for plant-based eaters, as it’s high in protein and probiotics. Couple it with sauerkraut and goat cheese on Ezekiel bread, and it’s as gut friendly as a sandwich can be.

Simply slice the tofu into a half-inch slice and sauté or grill it with some avocado oil. Add some salt and pepper, along with some hot sauce, to give it flavor. Add to toasted Ezekiel bread and some sauerkraut. Yum!

SNACK

7. Kale Quinoa Cakes with Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

These quinoa cakes serve as a great snack or even appetizer. Make them ahead of time to have as your snack for the week. Gut friendly ingredients include quinoa, kale, yogurt and Bone Broth Protein Chicken Soup powder.

8. Protein Fig Bars

These almond fig bars can power you through a workout or finish a long workday. They’re a balanced macronutrient bar, with 15 grams of carbs, 10 grams of protein and 12 grams of fat. They also use flax meal, Bone Broth Protein and raw honey — all great for the gut.

DINNER

9. Meatball Soup

One of the most nourishing, one-dish meals is the meatball soup. With this variety featuring Bone Broth Protein and bison (or ground beef), it's also good for the gut, rich in protein yet relatively low in carbs.

10. Miso Soup

Made from fermented soybeans, miso is loaded with probiotic benefits. And making the best miso soup recipe from scratch means you can avoid the additives and excess sodium that too often are included in restaurant versions.

Ingredients can include bone broth, mushroom, ginger and miso — all good for the gut. Simply heat up four cups broth over medium heat with two cups of mushrooms, one chopped onion, two cloves of minced garlic, two teaspoons of grated ginger, two cups of collard greens and two tablespoons of coconut aminos. Cook for five minutes and ladle into two bowls.

In small bowl, add a little hot water to two tablespoons of mellow white miso. Whisk until smooth and then stir in equal amounts into each bowl.

11. Greek Yogurt Chicken

The most common choice in Greek cuisine for this type of marinade is chicken and can include any kind of chicken meat, including bone-in or boneless chicken breast or thighs, or also chicken legs. It uses probiotic-rich Greek yogurt and apple cider vinegar.

DESSERT

12. Blueberry Lemon Chia Seed Pudding

With blueberries, vanilla-flavored Bone Broth Protein and Greek yogurt, this lemon chia seed pudding is a dessert that is ideal for the gut. It’s also high in protein.

13. Almond Butter Energy Balls

Just want a small dessert to finish off a great meal? Then try these gut friendly almond butter energy balls with Bone Broth Protein, gluten-free oats and raw honey — all great for your gut.

14. Lemon Tart

Finally, want a fancier finish to your evening meal that’s also good for your gut? Try this healthy version of a lemon tart that uses almond flour, eggs and Multi Collagen Protein Lemon Ginger Gut Restore.