Stage ONE Foods for People on The Body Ecology Diet
Tara Carpenter, NC.
Nutrition Consultant specialized in helping people regain natural microbiome after yeast, bacterial, and viral infections.
Originally published on July 27, 2012.
This grocery list is a compilation of foods allowed on stage 1 of Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) and a good starting point to begin this more strict phase of healing. In my work as a Nutrition Consultant I find that most people feel relief from chronic health issues within 3-6 months of starting stage 1. Everyone responds differently to diet changes and so the pace you decide to set is yours. No matter if you dive in or step into this diet or go slow or fast keep hitting that bullseye every day, every meal.
I offer B.E.D. Nutritional Support along the way …. how long you stay on stage 1 depends mostly on the severity of the health condition(s) you came into the diet with and what your goal is.
Thanks for my nutritional consult, I feel buoyed with this list! ~ KM, Kentucky
I spoke with Donna Gates, founder of Body Ecology Diet, in 2011 and again in 2023 to put together the list below. These foods are a holistic, natural approach to addressing yeast, bacterial, and viral infections, give the immune and digestive system time to rest/repair, and for the body as a whole to renew itself to the self-healing organism it is designed to be.
Foods listed below are found at a health food store or made at home. Buy or grow organic to avoid pesticides, herbicides, synthetic hormones, and antibiotic residues known to impair healing. Everything here on this list is gluten-sugar-yeast-free, unless otherwise noted. As always, food combine.
Move slowly with a smile like my rosy-cheeked boy in this photograph.
Quiz to see if yeast overgrowth is a part of your health issues.
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Stage 1: Grocery List for Body Ecology Diet
Animal Protein
Choose free-range, grass-fed, antibiotic, and hormone-free.
- Beef
- Cold-Water Fish (salmon, sardines, smelt, shad, anchovies) ~ fish to eat, fish to avoid
- Egg Yolks (omega 3-rich)
- Fish Eggs (Roe)
- Lamb
- Organs (kidneys, heart, liver)
- Pheasant, Pigeon and Quail
- Poultry
- Rabbit
- Tuna (sustainably caught “light” tuna from Atlantic or tested by 3rd party, avoid Albacore/white tuna)
- Wild Game (bison, elk, venison)
Beverages
- Bone Stock*
- Coconut Kefir (homemade or buy)
- Green Vegetable Smoothies
- Meat Stock
- Pure Water (filtered, noncarbonated, high-mineral, catalyst-altered)
- Reishi Tea
- Tea without citric acid (esp. pau d’arco, ujido matcha green, ginger, echinacea, kukicha, raspberry leaf)
- Vegetable Broth
Dairy Products
Choose organic, grass-fed cow/goat/camel/sheep milk.
- Butter (cultured, raw)
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- Kefir (non-pasteurized, unsweetened)*
- X-Factor Butter Oil (Green Pasture’s brand)
Fats
Choose organic, unrefined, cold pressed extra-virgin oil. Oils are most fragile of all foods and sensitive to heat damage. Source from trusted company, because oil is often blended with lesser oils (i.e., corn, canola) to cut cost. ‘Extra virgin’ means oil has been processed at low temperatures without chemicals. Unfiltered is best. A note on olive oil … store in a dark, cool spot and use within 6 months of opening.
- Avocado (careful is high in histamine, okay for candida)
- Barlean Essential Man/Woman
- Coconut Milk (fresh, cultured)
- Coconut Oil, extra-virgin, cold-pressed
- Cultured Butter
- Fermented Cod Liver Oil
- Flax Seed Oil, cold-pressed
- Ghee
- Hazel Nut Oil
- Hemp Seed Oil
- Macadamia Nut Oil
- Olive Oil (i.e., Jovial or SkyOrganics)
- Olives, rinsed if not water-packed*
- Pumpkin Seed Oil (raw or roasted)
- Red Palm Oil (100% virgin, source sustainable)
- Siberian Pine Nut Oil
- Sunflower Oil
Fruit
Choose organic, local, ripe fruit and practice food combining.
- Black Currants
- Cranberries
- Dragon Fruit
- Lemons
- Limes
- The following fruits are to be enjoyed on an individual basis because they may be accepted well (depending on one’s unique health issues) while entering stage 1 and easing into stage 2 …. noni juice, pomegranates, sour green apples, and acai.
Grains
Soak and/or sprout, then cook accordingly.
- Amaranth
- Buckwheat
- Millet
- Puffed Millet Cereal
- Sorghum
- Sorghum Kernels* (mini pops)
- Quinoa
- Quinoa Flakes*
- Teff
Ocean Vegetables
- Agar Flakes
- Dulse
- Kombu
- Arame
- Hijiki
- Kelp
- Nori
- Sea Palm
- Wakame
Plant Protein
Choose raw, unpasteurized seeds/nuts, soak; dehydrate if storing.
- Almonds
- Chia Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Lima Beans, Baby
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sunflower Seeds
Salt, Seasonings, Spices
- Herbs and Spices (especially anti-fungals: cinnamon, coriander, garlic, ginger, turmeric)
- Celtic Sea Salt, Original Himalayan Pink Salt, or REAL Salt
- Eden Raw Wine*
- Garden Herbs
- Herbamore
- Miso (south river brand)
- Mustard and Horseradish (made with apple cider vinegar)
- “Sea Seasonings” (dulse/nori/kelp with garlic or ginger)
- Shiso Condiment
- Tamari
- Tekka
- Umeboshi Plums & Vinegar (high in histamine, okay for candida)
Vegetables
Choose organic, naturally grown vegetables from small farms with healthy soil management techniques. Raw vegetables are best eaten during summer if tolerated and cooked vegetables (or cultured!) during winter.
Non-Starchy Vegetables
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Bamboo Shoots
- Beet Greens
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Burdock Root*
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery & Celery Root
- Chives
- Collard Greens
- Cucumbers
- Daikon
- Dandelion Greens
- Endive
- Escarole
- Fennel
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Green Beans
- Jicama
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lamb’s Quarters
- Leeks
- Lettuces
- Mushrooms (shiitake, maitake – dried only)
- Mustard Greens
- Okra
- Onion
- Parsley
- Radishes (red & daikon)
- Red Bell Peppers
- Scallions
- Shallots
- Spaghetti Squash
- Spinach
- Sprouts (except mung bean)
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Watercress
- Yellow Squash
- Zucchini
Starchy Vegetables
- Artichokes, French (fresh/canned without citric acid)
- English Peas
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Red-Skinned Potatoes (if not sensitive to nightshades)
- Sweet Corn (mild starch when cooked and non-starch when raw)
- Water Chestnuts
- Winter Squash (butternut, delicate, acorn, kabocha)
Sweeteners
- BE Sweet Powder
- BE Sweet Liquid
- Glycerine-Based, Non-Alcohol Flavorings (vanilla extract, etc.)
- Lakanto (granulated form or liquid)
- Pure Vanilla Powder
- Stevia Extract
- Stevia Green Leaf Powder
Unsalted Probiotic-Rich Cultured Food
Choose raw and alive/unpasteurized)
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Coconut (dried, cultured)
- Coconut Milk (fresh, cultured)
- Unsalted Cultured Vegetables with B.E.D. Starter
- Young Green Coconut Kefir & Pudding made with B.E.D. Starter
*Note: limit or avoid food marked with (*) if you have or prone to diarrhea, bloating, or abdominal pain. Six weeks avoiding ‘problem food’ seems to help most to return to eating said food within reason and moderation. Take your time to weave these ‘problem foods’ back into your diet so body does not see that food as a threat. Be patient. The stronger the health issue, the longer the healing can take.
References
Brown, S. & Trivieri, L. (2006). The Acid Alkaline Food Guide. Garden City Park, NY: Square One Publishers.
Gates, D. (2011). The Baby Boomer Diet. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc.
Gates, D. (2006). The Body Ecology Diet. Decatur, Georgia: B.E.D. Publications
McBride, N. M.D. (2010). Gut & Psychology Syndrome. United Kingdom: Medinform Publishing.
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Disclaimer: This content is general information only; primarily educational in nature; and not to be treated as a substitute for medical advice of your doctor that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in future. Consult medical doctor regarding any health problem(s) and keep him/her fully informed to the opinions, ideas, and dietary advice offered on this site that you find useful.
Lunchbox List for Kids on B.E.D.
Transitioning to Stage TWO on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)
Tara Carpenter, NC.
23 replies on “Stage ONE Foods for People on The Body Ecology Diet”
Hopefully now my comment is in the correct place. Thank you so much for the shopping lists and recipes, methods and tips. It is helping me get perspective and organized about being able to sustain this diet for good health and well being.
Nope, they are a nightshade, acidic-forming, on the inflammatory side of the scale, and are considered a fruit which means they don’t food combine well with much. This list is very thorough, if it is not here it is likely not on stage 1 ;(
Hi. Are canned tomatoes ok on the diet? Thanks
I am still not clear on this one. I believe wild rice is a grass, so it may be okay depending on your health issues. It’s high in protein and lower in carbohydrates compared to other rices, which is ideal for those healing yeast overgrowth (or gut dysbiosis), but still contains enough starch that most avoid for first few weeks on stage 1 of Body Ecology Diet. If you decide to try it, look for certified organic Canadian wild rice (which is grown in natural bodies of water) from traditional varieties.
hi there
may i ask your thoughts on wild rice please?
is that ok for stage?
thank you ?
Thank you for catching that! I was in there doing some editing recently and somehow left that sitting there. Have now placed potatoes under starchy vegetables 🙂
Awesome.
Thank you as it is listed under non starchy vegetables in the list above.
I was elated thinking fries all day every day…wait a tic. ?
Take care. ?
Red-skinned potatoes, and all potatoes, are considered a high starch food and best combine with vegetables of all kinds, fats/oils, and fermented foods.
Hi Tara, ?
Great list and blog.
I was wondering if i could please have clarification in regards to Red Skin Potatoes.
Do they count as a non starchy or starchy vegetable? ?
Thank you for your time. ?
Hi Kristine, raw egg whites tend to be more allergenic than cooked egg whites. The question about avoiding grains in the initial days on stage 1 of BED…everyone is different. I personally started off with the seed-like grains in my diet and did fine. Others need to start the diet leaning heavily on the animal protein, vegetables, and fat. See what works for your daughter. If she is struggling in her ability to digest and has skin issues, etc. then you may want to avoid the grains recommended on the diet for a couple weeks or so and bring them in one by one and observe her for a reaction of any sort. Hope that helps 🙂
Are the seed grains something I shouldn’t eat for the first 3 days? Isn’t that what the book says (I haven’t finished the book)? I’m going to this diet mostly for my speech, fine and gross motor, and ssensory seeking 4 year old. Although for myself, I’ve been grain free for 6 months because of IBS and chronic fatigue syndrome; it’s made a huge difference. I tried quinoa and buckwheat but they both bring back the stomach pain, fatigue, and swelling. Any suggestions? I’m also violently allergic to unbaked eggs, not sure why
I believe that they all are Heather. Is there one in particular you are not sure about?
Hi!! Are the body ecology fermented protein powders ok for stage 1?? thank you
Last I heard they were not okay for stage 1 of The Body Ecology Diet. Sea salt is where the seasoning is at 🙂
Tara,
Do you know if coconut aminos liquid aminos of any kind are allowed on phase 1? Thanks!
Hi Laurie, the list I have put together here is more extensive because I did a lot of digging into many different resources of Donna’s. I started this diet in 2011 and started making this list at that time; adding to it over the years. I recently added in the supplements because many people asked about the most common ones recommended for stage 1. Otherwise you should see a fair amount of consistency between this list and the one in Donna’s book. The few additional items listed here and not in the book list were most likely mentioned in articles, podcasts, workshops, and in her book ‘Baby Boomer Diet’. Hope that helps 🙂
Why is the above list more extensive than what’s in my copy of Donna’s book? I have the 10th edition of, “The Body Ecology Diet”. Has this list changed over the years? Should I stick with what’s in the book? Please let me know. Thank you in advance for your reply.
Jenneta,
If you can find raw, dried and shredded coconut then you can just add some coconut kefir to that with some water and let it sit in a warm spot for a few hours. Then drain and rinse and you can either use it as it is OR dehydrate it again. If this process is too lengthy than just hold off on using dried coconut until the gut flora is balanced and you can handle this sweet food again.
Tara,
Thank you for your reply. I did soak and dehydrate organic sesame seeds. I use them to make myself coco oil sesame seed candy that I like to have with my herbal tea. I grew up drinking tea throughout the day with sth sweet aside and I cant kick that habit no matter what I do. So I end up making candy sweetened with stevia and enjoying my afternoon detox tea or red raspberry calcium tea with it in the evening.
I have a question about dried coconut. How do you culture it? I make coconut milk out of coconut flakes and culture it with YCK. But I never tried culturing the flakes on their own.
Thank you again for all your help,
Jenneta
Thank you Shirley for your appreciation! It took me quite some time to make those charts and I am happy to know that others are benefiting from them 🙂
Jenneta,
I buy my raw almonds from a raw food supplier here in Vermont. You can also buy them online. Otherwise most “raw” almonds found in the bulk section in health food stores have been flash pasteurized and are no longer considered a live food. They will not sprout properly in this state.
Sesame seeds and tahini are not on Stage 1 of The Body Ecology Diet as they go rancid easily, especially in tahini form. Whole sesame seeds are also more susceptible to contamination by the mold aspergillus. If you are going to eat sesame seeds than it is best to soak them for 12 hours in warm water and a warm spot or until slightly sprouted. This way they can be made easier to digest and more nourishing for those with gut sensitivities.
May all bellies be happy!!
Tara
Hi Tara!
Where do you get your raw almonds? Also, I am sensitive to all BED seeds and almonds, too, except chia seeds and flax. How bad is it to use sesame seeds and/or tahini once or twice a week while healing the gut?
Thank you,
Jenneta
These Stage 1 & 2 lists are extremely helpful. I keep a copy of each in my B.E.D. binder and a copy in the car for trips to the grocery store. Thank you for making these up and for sharing them with us.