Many people will be doing the Clever Guts and 5:2 diet to lose weight before the party season, and to benefit from the general health improvements it brings.
These include a happier, healthier gut; a reduction in blood sugars, and an overall sense of greater well-being.
But what if you have specific gut and related problems that might be due to food sensitivity or intolerance?
If, in other words, you are suffering from one of the relatively common gut ailments such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, bloating, or abdominal cramps? Well, a variation of the diet we’ve been talking about all week could be exactly what you’re looking for.
A variation of the diet we have published all week could help if you have a specific gut problem caused by food sensitivity or intolerance. Pictured are the Black Bean Beet Burgers, the recipe for which is below
Changing your diet, and so your microbiome, to help sort out specific gut issues is a longer-term strategy — but chances are you have been struggling with these for a long time already.
A little more time spent changing your diet is a small price to pay to lessen, or even eradicate, symptoms that can make life a misery.
What we’re talking about is essentially rebooting your microbiome. Think of it like restarting your computer; it means taking your gut back to basics, trying to correct any problems with your microbiome.
Unfortunately, though, when it comes to the gut, it’s not quite as straightforward as switching it off and on again.
The process usually takes about four weeks and involves removing specific foods from your diet, then reintroducing them, along with prebiotics and probiotics, to boost good gut bacteria.
Do note that this isn’t an alternative to seeking medical help.
Talk to a health professional if you are underweight, have significant medical problems, are suffering from unexplained weight loss or change in your bowel habit, bleeding, are frail or unwell, or suspect you have a food allergy.
Remember, food allergy symptoms occur within minutes of being in contact with the food and may include a rash, breathing difficulties, itching, or swelling. They are rare and very different from food intolerances, symptoms of which occur hours after eating.
One of the best things you can do for yourself before making any drastic changes is to keep a detailed food diary, where you write down every single thing you eat, and the time and nature of any symptoms that you might have afterward.
You should be able to work out if your symptoms are of dietary origin, and what foods (if any) are upsetting your gut.
Your diary can be as simple as a grid in a notebook divided into five columns, headed:
- Time;
- Food and Drink Consumed (for noting exactly what and how much you eat)
- Symptoms (such as bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, sickness, diarrhea, brain fog, irritability, headache)
- Symptom Time & Duration (when you got the symptoms and how long for)
- Other Factors (Stress, lack of sleep, exercise, illness, medicines, etc).
Go to cleverguts.com/reboot-your-biome to print out this diary. Or you could try an app that helps you log your food and symptoms and then tries to link the two by identifying which foods might be causing which symptoms, such as Cara for iPhone and Android.
Try to keep your food diary for at least three days before you start the diet. It could be helpful to keep it up throughout.
The reboot is meant to help gently repair and nourish the gut.
That means avoiding some of the foods most frequently associated with digestive discomfort — dairy, gluten, and some high-fiber pulses and vegetables that are not digested well by some people and end up fermenting further down the bowel, causing wind, pain, and bloating.
During this process, you’ll also be avoiding most fermented foods, too.
So, you could try cutting out:
- Gluten and refined grains.
- Dairy products, particularly milk.
- Pulses — beans, lentils, chickpeas — as the lectin in these can cause bloating (though these can be reintroduced after two weeks in vegetarians to maintain protein intake).
- Very fibrous vegetables contain lots of insoluble fiber, such as kale stalks or stringy beans.
- Alcohol and puddings (sorry!)
Instead, you should include plenty of:
- Non-fibrous, plant-based foods, enough to fill more than half your plate, aiming for at least seven portions of veg and fruit a day, mainly made up of veg. Make them colorful, too — beetroot, carrots, broccoli, butternut squash, courgettes, and aubergines.
- Good-quality proteins, to aid repair of the gut lining — aim for at least 45-60g a day of free-range chicken, salmon, eggs, or pulses, such as lentils. (There’s about 30g of protein in a single chicken breast, 20g in a salmon steak, 13g in an egg, and 9g in a 100g serving of lentils.)
- Bitter leaf and citrus salads boost digestion before a meal.
- Non-dairy fats such as olive oil or coconut oil, as well as avocados, nuts, and seeds.
After four weeks of this relatively restricted diet, you can start to reintroduce the foods that you have been excluding.
Try one food at a time, over three days.
Eat a normal portion of the suspected food and if symptoms return over the next few days, withdraw that food. Allow a few days’ recoveries before reintroducing another food. Use your food diary to monitor your response.
In the case of dairy products, you should try full-fat live yogurt first, as this is usually best tolerated, then cheese and butter and milk last all. If you have excluded all gluten, start with grains that contain relatively little gluten, such as rye or spelled.
Sourdough bread is easier to digest, as the fermentation process breaks down much of the gluten. Then you can move on to a small amount of wheat, again over a few days.
Although the foods we suggest you exclude are the most common culprits, it’s possible that your digestive issues might be a result of other sensitivities or intolerances. A couple of other groups of foods that some people have issues with include FODMAPs and nightshade vegetables, so here’s a quick explanation of both…
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. It’s the acronym for a group of poorly absorbed carbohydrates found in certain fruits and vegetables including garlic, onions, broad beans, and bananas.
In some people with gut problems such as IBS, these foods get fermented in the bowel, causing wind, bloating, and distension. They can also draw extra fluid into the bowel causing diarrhea.
Although many FODMAP foods are good for a healthy bowel and help feed the microbiome, they may need to be reduced or avoided in IBS if you’re trying to reboot your biome.
Nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, bell peppers, aubergines, and potatoes — they are all the edible parts of flowering plants that belong to the Solanaceae family, and are technically classified as a fruit.
Some people have found they feel better when they reduce their consumption of these foods or remove them completely on the basis that they may contribute to inflammation and a leaky gut.
If excluding gluten, dairy, pulses and fibrous vegetables haven’t helped your gut issues, it’s possible that excluding either FODMAPs or nightshade vegetables might. Do it in the same way, excluding either one group or the other for a few weeks, and keeping a food diary as you gradually reintroduce them.
However, don’t avoid either FODMAPs or nightshade vegetables unless you have reason to believe they are at fault.
And if you are systematically removing them, it is best to get professional support. These foods are an excellent source of nutrients and fiber and are staple foods that have been eaten around the world for millennia.
Tum-friendly foods to boost digestion
Creamy Pineapple Smoothie
Pineapple is one of the surprise ingredients of the Clever Guts Diet. Not only is it rich in fiber, but it also contains an enzyme called bromelain which helps digestion, particularly of protein, and is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Serves 2 (460 calories per serving)
- 325g fresh pineapple, skin removed, chopped
- 50g cashew nuts
- 50g sunflower seeds
- 200ml kefir or buttermilk (or non-dairy equivalent)
- 125ml almond milk
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until you have a fairly smooth mixture. Serve immediately.
Bircher Muesli
Serves 4 (660 calories)
- 400g rolled oats
- 50g cashew nuts
- 25g sesame seeds
- 25g pumpkin seeds
- 25g desiccated coconut
- 25g dried cranberries
- 400ml almond milk (or dairy)
- 150ml kefir (or non-dairy equivalent)
- 150g berries of your choice
Put the oats in a bowl or glass jar together with the cashew nuts, sesame and pumpkin seeds, desiccated coconut, and dried cranberries. Stir in the milk and store it in the fridge, covered, overnight.
(Soaking muesli helps to break down the cell walls in the seeds, nuts, and fruits, making them easier to digest.) Immediately before serving, stir in the kefir and scatter the fresh berries on top.
Smoked Mackerel Pate
Mouth-watering, quick to make, and full of essential omega 3 fats.
Serves 4 (160 calories)
- 150g smoked mackerel fillets, skinned
- 3 tbsp full-fat live Greek-style yoghurt (or non-dairy equivalent)
- 1 tsp creamed horseradish
- Juice of 1 lemon
Flake the fish into a dish, add the remaining ingredients, and mix everything together well. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve on crackers or as a dip.
Green Banana And Pepper Stir Fry
This is a great side dish with lots of crunches and a slightly fruity flavor. When gently fried, green, unripe bananas taste more like sweet potatoes. They are more gut-friendly than potatoes, however, as the starch they contain is resistant — i.e. not rapidly converted to sugar.
Serves 4 (170 calories)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green bananas, sliced
- A handful of fresh coriander leaves, torn
Heat the olive oil in a wok or frying pan and saute the onion for 2 minutes.
Add the peppers and cumin seeds and stir-fry for 8-10 minutes, until the peppers soften and the onion starts to caramelize. Add the banana and cook for 3-4 minutes. Serve with the coriander and black pepper.
Beetroot And Yoghurt Dip
This vibrant purple dip provides a hint of North African flavor and is delicious as an accompaniment to a salad or shared as a colorful side dish.
Serves 4 as a side dish (200 calories)
- 400g beetroot, scrubbed and quartered
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 150g full-fat live Greek-style yoghurt (or non-dairy equivalent)
- 2 tsp capers, drained and rinsed
Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas mark 4. Toss the beetroot with the oil, garlic, cumin, and coriander in a roasting tin and roast them until tender, around 40-50 minutes.
Allow them to cool slightly, then blend in a food processor with the yogurt and capers until they are well combined, but still have a bit of texture. Season the dip with sea salt and black pepper. Serve with vegetable crudites.
Veira’s Coriander Chicken With Yoghurt And Fennel
A light, tangy dish adapted from a recipe my mother learned while living in Malaysia.
Serves 4 (650 calories)
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 3 cm root ginger, grated or finely chopped
- Zest and juice of 2 limes
4 good-sized chicken thighs (approx 600g), bone in and skin on
- 3 tbsp coconut or rapeseed oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- Seeds from 6 cardamom pods
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered lengthways
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 tsp cornflour
- Large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
- 300g full-fat live Greek-style yogurt (or non-dairy equivalent)
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and diced
In a non-metallic bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, and juice of 1 lime and the zest of both with some seasoning. Marinate the chicken in the mixture in the fridge for at least an hour, or ideally overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas mark 4. Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken and onion on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are lightly golden.
Add the cardamom seeds for the last 2 minutes of cooking, then spoon the contents into a large baking dish. Tuck the fennel and celery between the chicken pieces.
Pour the rest of the lime juice and any remaining marinade into the frying pan to deglaze it.
Stir in the cornflour and most of the coriander, followed by the yogurt. Mix everything together thoroughly, scraping the pan to incorporate all the chicken juices, then pour it over the chicken in the baking dish.
Cover the dish with a lid or foil and transfer it to the oven.
After 15 minutes, remove the cover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is slightly browned. Before serving, scatter over some green chili and the remaining coriander.
Avocado And Lime Salsa
Creamy, tangy, and slightly piquant, this makes a brilliant dip or accompaniment to a meal. It is full of nutrients and natural fats.
Serves 2 (180 calories)
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- ½-1 tsp chilli flakes to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander or basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tbsp olive oil
Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a dish and mash them together.
Season with Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle over the olive oil.
Serve the salsa as a dip with vegetable crudites, or you can eat it as a side dish with fish.
Beetroots roasted in their skins
Probably our favorite way of cooking beetroots, which leaves all the goodness intact, as most of the nutrients reside in the skin. They make a great accompaniment to lots of dishes.
Serves 2 (150 calories)
- l 175g small beetroots, scrubbed, trimmed, and cut into quarters
- l 2 tbsp olive oil
- l ½ tsp cumin seeds
- l 1 tbsp live apple cider vinegar
- l Pinch of chilli flakes to taste
Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Place the beetroot quarters in a roasting tin, then toss them in the olive oil, cumin seeds, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Cover the tin with foil and put it in the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil, drizzle over the cider vinegar and return it to the oven, uncovered, for a further 15-20 minutes or until the beets are tender and starting to brown.
Serve with bitter leaves, such as rocket, dandelion, or baby spinach (add 10 calories).
Carrots with Tarragon
Cooking carrots, particularly with their skin still on, helps to increase the absorption of nutrients such as beta carotene; adding plenty of olive oil enhances the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Serves 2 (220 calories)
- 250g purple (or orange) carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- Juice of ½ lemon
Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Place the carrots in an ovenproof dish or roasting tin. Toss them in olive oil, tarragon, and some seasoning.
Bake them for 20-30 minutes, stirring them occasionally, until they start to brown. Drizzle with lemon juice before serving.
Aubergine Chips
These make a crisp, tasty and healthy alternative to starchy, sugar-spiking potato chips. Great with a light salad or to eat with a dip.
Serves 4 (280 calories)
- 100g ground almonds
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 medium aubergine, cut into chips
- 3 tbsp light olive oil
Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Mix the ground almonds and cayenne pepper together on a plate. Beat the egg in a bowl.
Dip the aubergine chips first into the egg and then into the ground almond mixture. Repeat to ensure the chips get a good, even coating. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the chips on a greased baking tray and drizzle over the oil. Bake them for 15-20 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Serve with Avocado And Lime Salsa or one of our other delicious dips (see the previous page).