What Foods To Avoid When You Have Leaky Gut Syndrome

Any time there are any gastrointestinal or GI health issues going on with a person it is important to adjust and manage and/or make any diet adjustments necessary. For some, it’s spicy food they may have to eliminate while for others there might be more strict dietary guidelines to follow. Diets that promote digestive health generally focus on fermented vegetables, fibrous vegetables, cultured dairy products, fruit, lean unprocessed meats, and healthy fats. For many patients with leaky gut syndrome their regular diet can be the culprit causing the condition.


Avoiding specific foods is just as important for improving your digestive health as the foods you focus on adding. Certain foods can cause inflammation throughout the entire body which can lead to the growth and/or overgrowth of gut bacteria. Overgrowth of bacteria have been linked to several chronic diseases such as autoimmune disease. 

Foods To Avoid

  • Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, Aspartame, Saccharin
  • Junk Food: Fast Food, Sugary Cereal, Candy, Chips, etc.
  • Wheat-Based Products: Pasta, Cereal, Breads, Wheat Flour
  • Grains Containing Gluten: Rye, Barley, Oats, Bulgar, Triticale, Seitan
  • Snack Food: Popcors, Pretzels, Crackers, etc.
  • Drinks: Alcohol, Carbonated Drinks, Sugary Drinks
  • Dairy Products: Milk, Cheese, Ice Cream
  • Baked Goods: Pizza, Muffins, Cake, Pastries, Cookies, Pies
  • Refined Oil: Sunflower, Soybean, Canola, Safflower
  • Processed Meats: Cold Cuts/Deli Meat, Bacon, Hot Dogs, etc.
  • Sauces: Teriyaki, Soy Sauce, Hoisin, Dressing

  • Nobody ever likes cutting out their favorite foods from their regular diet but eliminating foods that contain stimulants that cause negative digestive symptoms will be a huge help for healing and naturally treating leaky gut. Avoiding over processed foods and the other food triggers on this list will aid in the growth of healthy gut bacteria, as well as, limiting the possible damage that can be done.


    Don’t misunderstand, it’s not that all of the food on this list is bad rather it’s bad for digestive health issues. If there’s already something going on it’s best to do what you can to avoid further complications. Elimination diets are often utilized in order to pinpoint the specific foods that trigger an individual with negative symptoms. Once you have the specifics then you can readjust your diet in ways that might be more pleasing to your palate. 


    Leaky gut supplements combined with diet adjustments is one of the best routes people can go when trying to treat the condition. There isn’t always a simple solution and it might take some time to figure out what specifically affects you and your gut but once it’s worked out and adjustments made it only gets better. Don’t let leaky gut syndrome wreak havoc on your body any longer get the proper treatment for you and walk the path of healing.