Beyond Just Gluten-Free: How to Make a Nutrient-Dense GF Diet Work for Your Gut
Improving gut health requires more than just the removal of gluten. Dietitian Jessica Milliner breaks down what we need to add for essential nutrients.
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By Jessica Milliner, Accredited Practising Dietitian
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease, chances are your head is spinning. Suddenly, everything you eat needs to be checked, double-checked — and often triple the price. You're doing your best, reaching for the gluten-free bread, pasta, and cereals that are marketed as “healthier,” but you still don’t feel quite right.
You’re not alone.
Yes, strictly removing gluten is absolutely essential to allow the lining of your small intestine to heal. But that’s just the first step. What many people don’t realise is that simply swapping to gluten-free versions of your old favourites often isn’t enough to restore energy, gut health, or nutrient balance.
As a dietitian specialising in coeliac disease and gut health (and as someone who lives with coeliac disease too), I know the confusion first-hand. The supermarket aisles are overflowing with GF options, but here’s the truth: just because it’s labelled gluten free doesn’t mean it’s good for you — or good for your gut.
Let’s break it down.
Why Many Gluten-Free Products Fall Short
Most of the common gluten-free packaged foods are made with refined starches like white rice flour, tapioca, corn or potato. These mimic the texture of wheat but bring little in the way of nutrition. They’re typically low in:
Fibre – which helps keep your gut bacteria happy and supports regular digestion
Iron, B Vitamins, Folate and B12 – which are crucial for energy, mental clarity and immune function
So, if your gluten-free diet mostly consists of bread, pasta, crackers, biscuits, and cereals from the GF aisle, you could still be missing out on the very nutrients you need to feel better — even if your gut is technically healing.
The Good News: Gluten-Free Doesn’t Have to Mean Nutrient-Poor
Rebuilding your health on a GF diet doesn’t mean spending hours in the kitchen or buying fancy powders and products. It’s about going beyond just gluten-free, and choosing whole, naturally gluten-free foods that work for your gut — not against it.
Here’s how to do that, even if you’re busy and overwhelmed:
1. Rethink Your Staples
Instead of filling your pantry with refined GF replacements, try adding wholegrains that naturally nourish your gut and provide more fibre and nutrients.
Try this:
Swap corn or white rice pasta for chickpea or red lentil pasta
Use brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat instead of white rice
Try teff or millet porridge for a hearty, fibre-rich breakfast
If suitable, consider introducing uncontaminated oats under the guidance of your dietitian, GP & gastroenterologist
These swaps support better digestion, more stable energy levels and long-term gut health.
2. Make Plants the Hero
If your plate is mostly beige and bland, your gut is probably craving more colour — and fibre.
Try this:
Fill half your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner (frozen is fine!)
Add canned lentils or chickpeas to pasta sauces, soups or salads
Snack on fruit, veggie sticks and hummus, or a handful of nuts and seeds
Start slowly if fibre is new to your gut, and build up gradually to avoid bloating.
3. Rebuild Your Nutrient Stores
Many people with coeliac disease struggle with low iron, B12 and folate — and not always due to malabsorption. Sometimes it’s just that the GF foods they’re eating don’t have enough of these nutrients.
Try this:
Include iron-rich proteins like red meat, chicken, eggs, tofu or legumes
Combine plant-based iron sources with vitamin C (think: capsicum, tomato, citrus)
Eat folate-rich foods like leafy greens, citrus and fortified GF cereal
If you’re still feeling low in energy or mood, speak to your GP or dietitian about checking your levels and your dietary intake.
4. Feed Your Gut Bacteria Naturally
There’s a lot of hype around “gut health” products — but you don’t need expensive supplements to support your microbiome.
Try this:
Include live-culture yoghurt (dairy or plant-based) or kefir
Add prebiotic-rich foods like green banana, onion, garlic and asparagus (start small!)
Keep up your fibre intake to give gut bugs the fuel they need
5. Balance Your Meals to Avoid Crashes
If you’re riding the blood sugar rollercoaster, constantly fatigued or struggling with brain fog, it may be due to how (and when) you eat.
Try this:
Eat three regular meals and 1–2 snacks daily if required
Aim for a mix of protein, wholegrain, colourful veg and healthy fats at each meal
Prep easy staples like hard-boiled eggs, roasted veg, pre-cooked quinoa or even overnight uncontaminated oats to save time
Let’s Wrap It Up
Jessica Milliner outlines a guide for a healthy and nutrient-rich gluten free diet
So — have you noticed a common thread?
The most nourishing gluten-free diets are not built around packaged replacements. They’re built around real, naturally gluten-free foods that fuel your body, support your gut and help you feel like yourself again.
As a dietitian, what I recommend (and follow myself) is a gluten-free lifestyle centred on:
Wholegrains like quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, millet and legumes
Colourful fruits and vegetables — fresh, frozen or canned
Iron-rich proteins including lean red meat, fish, eggs and lentils
Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil
And quality fortified GF foods like certain cereals and breads
When your gluten-free diet includes these elements, you're not just avoiding gluten —you’re actively building a gut-friendly, energy-restoring way of eating that supports long-term health.
term health.
If you’re still feeling tired, foggy, bloated or just unsure about what your GF diet is missing — don’t guess. Working with an Accredited Practising Dietitian who understands coeliac disease can help you move beyond the gluten-free basics and build a truly nourishing plan that fits your lifestyle and your goals.
Let’s make gluten-free, good for you!
