GAPS Diet Explained: Definition, Benefits, Risks, and More - GoodRx (2024)

Some healthcare providers recommend the GAPS diet as an alternative treatment for certain disease symptoms. This controversial diet has even been reported to reverse autism in some cases. The diet instructs you to first remove all foods and drinks that might be irritating the gut lining.

After your gut health improves, you slowly add certain foods back into your diet to progress to the least restrictive stage. We’ll explain exactly what foods are included in the GAPS diet and what the research says about its possible health benefits.

What is the GAPS diet?

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride — a neurosurgeon — developed the GAPS diet to treat people with various medical and behavioral conditions. The diet gained traction from celebrity endorsem*nts and anecdotal reports of reversals in disease symptoms. This includes her own son, who she claims was healed from autism using the GAPS protocol.

The GAPS diet mainly includes strict food/beverage instructions. It also recommends certain supplements, “detoxification” protocols, and lifestyle changes.

Some of the supplements recommended are:

• Essential fatty acids

• Probiotics

• Digestive enzymes

• Cod liver oil

Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends people avoid chemicals — like in personal care products, plastic containers, and detergents — as much as possible. She further advises staying away from electromagnetic radiation, which is emitted from smartphones and WiFi devices. There are various other “detoxification” methods suggested, but the most important part of the protocol is dietary changes.

What conditions is the GAPS diet used for?

The GAPS diet is supposed to help any and all conditions which might be caused by inflammation. This could be inflammation in the brain or the body.

According to their website, the GAPS diet is said to help conditions including:

• Developmental disorders, like autism, ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), and learning disabilities

• Autoimmune conditions, like Hashimoto thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, diabetes, and Crohn’s disease

• Skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis

• Psychiatric conditions, like depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)

• Digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, and colitis

Does the GAPS diet actually work?

There is no solid evidence that proves the GAPS diet can treat or prevent any of the above conditions. And given it is so restrictive and individualized, it is hard to design a good study to research its effectiveness.

But, there is some research that has looked at the connection between gut health and autism. One small study of 15 children with autism showed that avoiding gluten (found in wheat) and casein (found in dairy) anecdotally improved symptoms in several of the children. However, the study was too small to tell whether or not this was a significant difference.

Other research has suggested that gut bacteria can influence the brain and body. In another study, 18 participants with autism received a fecal transplant to change their gut microbiome. They saw an improvement in digestive and autism-related symptoms for 2 years after getting the fecal transplant.

So it’s possible that dietary changes to improve gut bacteria might improve certain autism symptoms. But there is no definitive research showing that autism or any other disability can be prevented or treated by diet alone.

What foods do you eat on the GAPS diet?

Not everyone does the GAPS diet the same way. Some people may go straight into the full GAPS diet. Others start with an introductory diet, which intends to improve gut health before moving on to the full diet plan.

Introductory diet

This part of the diet is the most restrictive. Meals would consist of:

• Meat and fish stock

• Herbal teas

• Small amounts of fermented beverages

• Coconut oil

• Raw unfiltered local honey

• Organ meats

• Cooked non-starchy vegetables

• Animal fats

After digestive symptoms improve and a person can tolerate all the introductory diet foods, they move onto the full GAPS diet. Foods are gradually added back in as tolerated.

Full GAPS diet

This is the main meal plan associated with the GAPS diet. It is less restrictive than the introductory diet. People are instructed to follow this diet for a long time, usually 1 to 2 years. But, some people are instructed to follow this diet for life, depending on the medical condition they are trying to treat.

Along with the above foods, this part of the meal plan incorporates:

• Meat

• Eggs

• Fish

• Fresh fruits and vegetables

• Nuts

• Coconut oil

• Olive oil

List of foods to avoid on the GAPS diet

Not all foods are reintroduced on the GAPS plan. Strict followers avoid:

• Grains

• Added sugars

• Refined carbohydrates

• Processed foods

These foods are felt to be particularly problematic because they cause “leaky gut” and inflammation in the body.

What are the benefits of the GAPS diet?

Even though there is no clear evidence that the GAPS diet treats certain conditions, it may still have some health benefits. The dietary changes associated with the GAPS diet protocol may help:

• Lower diabetes risk: People who stop eating refined carbohydrates and processed foods have a lower risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

• Improve gut health: Your digestive system needs good bacteria to function smoothly. The GAPS diet includes foods that help boost this kind of healthy bacteria.

• Lower chemical exposure: The GAPS diet recommends avoiding artificial sweeteners, pesticides, and preservatives. Researchers are still trying to understand how these chemicals may be harmful to your body.

• Limit alcohol consumption: The GAPS diet mostly gets rid of alcohol. Although moderate alcohol consumption may be beneficial to health, heavy alcohol use is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S.

What are the risks of the GAPS diet?

One of the major risks to the GAPS diet is how restrictive it is. Some of the ways it can be harmful include:

• Time and stress: People whose children have disabilities or medical conditions are already under a higher amount of stress than other families. The added stress of having to prepare special foods might not be manageable long term.

• Social isolation: It may be hard to find meals compatible with the diet. That might lead to spending less time with friends or family, since eating together is a common way to socialize. Because social isolation is a huge risk factor for health, people following the GAPS diet might have to think more creatively about other ways to socialize so they don’t become isolated.

• Malnutrition: The restrictive nature of the GAPS diet also makes malnutrition a real concern. Many people have food aversions and sensitivities — especially kids with autism or other behavioral conditions. If their only choices are GAPS-approved foods, they may not eat enough. This could lead to malnutrition if they don’t eat enough calories or nutrients.

• Food poisoning: The GAPS diet incorporates raw and unpasteurized dairy products. Pasteurization kills bacteria that can cause serious illness. It also recommends raw eggs, which can also lead to serious bacterial infections.

• Lower fiber intake: The heavy emphasis on fats and protein might lead to lower fiber intake. Fiber is important for many reasons. It can improve digestive health and lower your risk of obesity. Eating too much meat at the expense of fiber-rich foods could also raise your risk of colorectal cancer.

• Disordered eating: The GAPS diet has a long list of rules to follow. And in some people, it could lead to disordered eating or orthorexia, an unhealthy focus on eating only “healthy” foods. When people become so focused on their diet that they forget about other important parts of life, their mental health can suffer.