Alterations in gastrointestinal function (digestion, absorption, motility, secretion, and elimination) play important roles in the pathophysiology of many gastrointestinal disorders. Food also strongly influences gastrointestinal health and disease. Some foods act as antigens that trigger an enteric immune response, while others can serve as substrates with direct or indirect biological effects. Food can also be metabolized by gut microbes into bioactive molecules that alter physiology. This review discusses the current research evidence and the clinical use of “food as medicine” through dietary therapies for the management of various gastrointestinal conditions, including disorders of gut–brain interaction, eosinophilic esophagitis, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroparesis, and short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure.
Limketkai et al. (2026) studied this question.