Ready to start the GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 1 and don’t know where to start? In this post learn what foods are included, the goal of Stage 1, and tips to prep for success.

What is the GAPS Introduction Diet?
The GAPS Introduction Diet is the deep healing phase of the GAPS Diet. It is designed to heal and seal the gut lining quickly and involves eliminating all foods that may irritate the gut, then slowly reintroducing certain foods to see how your body responds, and adding in beneficial bacteria through ferments foods.
The Goal of Stage 1
Stage 1 of the GAPS Intro Diet is all about reducing gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain caused by a leaky gut as the intestinal wall is damaged, gut flora is abnormal and food particles are entering the bloodstream.
Gut flora is the housekeeper of the digestive system, and the state of the house and its ability to fulfill its purpose directly depends on how good the housekeeper is (Gut and Psychology Syndrome, p18).
When you have food intolerances and a leaky gut the state of your house is in shambles and chaos, stage 1 provides the building block for healing and sealing the gut lining.
Symptoms generally start to reduce during Stage 1 as fiber and hard-to-digest foods are eliminated, giving the digestive system a rest. Beneficial bacteria are introduced using fermented foods to rebuild the balanced gut flora.
Foods for GAPS Diet Introduction Stage 1
All food needs to be homemade using the GAPS cooking techniques.
- Meat and fish stocks
- Soup made with meat stock & vegetables
- Probiotic foods – whey, yogurt, sour cream, sauerkraut juice, or other fermented vegetable juices (no fiber), coconut water kefir
- Herbal teas – ginger, mint or camomile
Meat Stock
Chicken, beef, lamb, pork, fish, or any other type of meat local to you. Meat stocks provide building blocks for the rapidly growing cells of the gut lining and they have a soothing effect on any areas of inflammation (Gut and Physiology Syndrome, p169). It’s made from raw meaty bones and is cooked for a short period of time, 1.5-3 hours for chicken and 4-6 hours for beef, or until the meat falls off the bone. Learn more about meat stock and its health benefits here and how to make chicken stock here.
Soup made with meat stock & vegetables
There are 3 ways to eat your meat and vegetable soup:
- Chunky meat and vegetables in the bowl together
- Blended or pureed soup
- Deconstructed soup – meat and vegetables in a bowl and liquid on the side in a mug.
Top each serving of soup with fresh pressed garlic and probiotic liquid.
Make sure to eat the gelatinous soft tissues around the bones and the bone marrow as it provides some of the best healing remedies for the gut lining and the immune system (Gut and Physiology Syndrome, p170); and that all the vegetables are cooked very soft, so they’re easy to digest.
What vegetables can I eat?
Use low starch and low fiber vegetables, and remove fibrous parts of the vegetables by peeling and deseeding them before cooking (i.e. peel and deseed zucchini). A full list can be found in Gut and Physiology Syndrome but here are some to get you started:
- Onions
- Leeks
- Carrots
- Broccoli and Chinese greens
- Cauliflower
- Summer Squash – Courgettes, zucchini, marrow, pattypan squash
- Winter Squash – Pumpkin, butternut, spaghetti squash
- Garlic

Probiotic Foods (ferments) and how to introduce them
During Stage 1 probiotic foods aka ferments are slowly added to each bowl of soup to introduce beneficial bacteria to the gut and to help restore normal stomach acid production. Two types of ferments can be introduced during Stage 1: vegetable and dairy; Dr Natasha recommends starting with Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage).
- Fermented Vegetables – Liquid only (vegetable fiber is introduced in a later stage). Start with 1 teaspoon per day for a few days and slowly work your way up to a couple of teaspoons per bowl of soup. Make sure to listen to your body to see how you react during the introduction process. Try these recipes Sauerkraut, Cabbage Tonic, Red Onions, Beet Kvass
- Fermented Dairy (Cultured Dairy) – Introduce with caution as dairy is not tolerated well by everyone. Always do a sensitivity test to check for any reactions to see if now is the right time for you to introduce it. Start with whey, then yogurt or sour cream depending on your bowel movements, see Gut and Psychology Syndrome, p147, or Gut and Physiology Syndrome, p171 for more details. Your choice of dairy can be cow, goat, or any other dairy local to you.
Tip: Make sure that your soup is not too hot when adding probiotic foods as the heat will destroy the beneficial bacteria.
Coming to Intro from Full GAPS – If you were already consuming fermented foods, Dr. Natasha says to continue them in the amounts you already tolerate, don’t cut them out.
Herbal teas
Ginger, mint, and camomile tea are recommended as they support digestion and soothe the digestive system. You can make them with fresh ingredients or dried organic store-bought teas; and serve with a little honey.
When to move to the next stage?
Dr Natasha recommends spending 3-5 days on Stage 1. However, if diarrhea has not stopped or you introduce a food and it returns, this is the body signally that your gut is not ready for that food to be introduced and you may need a few more days (Gut and Physiology Syndrome, p168).

How to prepare for Stage 1?
Preparation is key, as being properly prepared will help make the experience more manageable, reduce stress and overwhelm so that you can focus on rest and healing. Consider clearing or lightening your schedule during this time.
Food sourcing – The ingredients you choose matter! You’ll want to use the best you can afford.
Vegetables
- Good: Local farm
- Better: Organic or pesticide-free
- Best: Homegrown
Meat, eggs and dairy
- Good: Free range
- Better: Grass-fed / pasture-raised
- Best: Organic Grass-fed / pasture-raised
Cooking methods – Learn and practice stage 1 cooking techniques: boiling, simmering and fermenting. A great resource is The Complete Cooking Techniques for the GAPS Diet by Monica Corrado – The GAPS Chef.
Food Prep – Batch cooking and preparing food ahead of time is a must to set yourself up for success as it means you will have food ready to reheat when you’re hungry and remember vegetable ferments can take up to a week to be ready to consume.
What am I Actually Eating During GAPS Intro Stage 1?
Soup, soup, and more soup! Here is a sample meal plan:
Wake up – A glass of room temperature or warm water
Breakfast – Pureed cauliflower and leek soup
Lunch – Chunky chicken, carrot and onion soup
Dinner – Deconstructed chicken and broccoli soup, liquid in a mug on the side.
Snacks – Cups of meat stock and herbal teas
There is no restriction on the amount of food you eat, eat when you are hungry; you may need to eat 5-7 meals a day.
Tips for GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 1
Fresh herbs are not allowed to be eaten until Stage 2, but you can use a bunch to infuse soups with flavor and then remove them before eating the soup.
Peppercorns and cracked pepper add flavor and digestive benefits but not everyone can tolerate them in the beginning. Add them to a metal tea strainer to make removing them easy at the end of cooking.
Reheat meat stock and soups in a saucepan on the stovetop. Do not use a microwave as it destroys the nutritional benefits of the food.
Support the body to manage detoxification and die-off symptoms. As you stop feeding the pathogenic microbes and start to introduce good ones your body’s microbial community readjusts and this may produce die-off symptoms. Support the body’s normal detoxification processes with Epsom salt baths, enemas, and dry brushing.
Learn more about the GAPS Diet and Introduction Diet.
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GAPS diet introduction stage 1 recipes
Sauerkraut, Cabbage Tonic, Red Onions, Beet Kvass
Resources
Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride
- Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Yellow Book, p145-148
- Gut and Physiology Syndrome, Blue Book, p169-172
Monica Corrado (GAPS Chef)
Becky Plotner
GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.
The information in this blog post is my personal experience and for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease; and does not consider your individual situation. If you have medical questions, please consult with a qualified medical practitioner.
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