A rising body of evidence suggests that your gut plays a critical role in your health and well-being. The beneficial bacteria in your gut help keep you healthy by creating vitamins, strengthening your immune system, and fighting off bad bacteria, in addition to aiding with digestion. In fact, your gut contains more than 70% of your immune system.
Diet can help most individuals improve their gut health naturally. Here are the foods for gut health that offer the most advantages.
Beans, oats, and fruits are high in fiber.
Fiber is a carbohydrate present in plant-based meals that may be classified as soluble or insoluble.
According to Alicia Romano, a specialist clinical dietitian at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and a spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, soluble fiber absorbs water and produces a gel that gut bacteria ingest. Meanwhile, insoluble fiber helps to bulk up your stool by passing through your digestive system relatively undamaged. "This promotes regular bowel movements by allowing food to travel more swiftly through the GI tract," Romano explains.
Both forms of fiber aid digestion and reduce constipation, which is beneficial to gut health. According to a review of research published in The Lancet, eating high-fiber foods might help you avoid gaining weight and developing chronic illnesses including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and several types of cancer.
Fiber comes from a variety of sources, including:
- Lentils, dried peas, and beans
- Bran (oat and wheat) (oat and wheat)
- Prunes and raisins are examples of dried fruits.
- Whole-grain bread, cereal, and pasta are all examples of foods created using whole grains.
- Barley, quinoa, bulgur, and brown rice are examples of whole grains.
- Fresh fruits, particularly apples, pears, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries with skin
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Artichokes, broccoli, green peas, winter squash, white potatoes, and sweet potatoes with skin, to name a few.
Kimchi, Kombucha, and Kefir are examples of probiotic foods
Living microorganisms, such as the health-promoting microbes found in your gut, are found in probiotic foods. Probiotic meals may assist to increase the number of good microorganisms in your body.
Lactobacillus (abbreviated as "L." on food labels) and Bifidobacterium (abbreviated as "B." on food labels) are two bacteria families often found in probiotic foods. Probiotic foods are created by introducing bacteria to food and/or enabling a fermentation process to occur.
Probiotic foods include the following:
- Tempeh, miso, and natto
- Kefir is a fermented milk product (fermented milk)
- Kimchi is a Korean condiment (fermented vegetables)
- Kombucha is a fermented tea made from the (a fermented tea drink)
- Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage product (fermented cabbage)
- Dairy and non-dairy yogurts
When selecting probiotic meals, look for live, active cultures on the labelling, which means the bacteria in the foods are still alive. When looking for probiotic sauerkraut, look for products that are refrigerated and include active organisms. Sauerkraut in a can or jar that has been shelf-stable and pasteurized—the kind your mother may have purchased as a hotdog condiment—is unlikely to contain active microorganisms. Living microorganisms are advantageous because they contribute to the existing population of living bacteria in your gut.
Probiotics are also available as nutritional supplements over-the-counter. However, there is conflicting data on their benefits, and the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) does not suggest probiotic supplements for most digestive problems. If you do decide to use probiotic supplements, the AGA recommends that you do so under the supervision of a doctor.
Asparagus, bananas, and garlic are all prebiotic foods
It's not enough to consume a variety of probiotic-rich meals; you also need to consume items that assist keep these beneficial bacteria alive.
This is where prebiotics, a form of soluble fibre, might help. Consider prebiotic meals to be nutrient-dense food for your gut's beneficial microorganisms; when you consume them, you're essentially feeding the good bacteria that keeps your gut in check.
Prebiotic meals include soluble dietary fibre molecules such as fructooligosaccharides, inulin, and galactooligosaccharides. "Prebiotics function as fuel for certain bacteria in the stomach, promoting the growth of additional beneficial bacteria," Romano explains.
Foods that are high in prebiotics include:
- Bananas with Asparagusats, onion
- Garlic Chicory
- Soybeans, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, os
Yogurt with blueberries is a good example of a synbiotic food.
Synbiotic meals combine prebiotics and probiotics into a single, super-healthy meal that supports gut microbes. These meals combine the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics, boosting your gut flora while also supplying more living cultures.
Synbiotic foods include the following:
- A kefir or yogurt-based banana smoothie
- Tempeh, asparagus, garlic, and leeks in a stir-fry
- Blueberry yogurt is a delicious combination of yogurt and blueberries.
Add high-fiber items like whole grains, nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits, or legumes to make these meals even healthier for your stomach.
Fatty fish, flax seeds, and walnuts are anti-inflammatory foods
When your body produces white blood cells and other chemicals to defend you from infection, inflammation develops. This response is beneficial when you have an infection, but it may also cause your body to go into an inflammatory overdrive when you don't have one, distributing inflammatory chemicals like cytokines when you don't need them. Irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease are among illnesses that may be aggravated or worsened by this procedure.
Anti-inflammatory foods include ingredients that may help reduce inflammation, such as vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. "These have a role in the body's natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways," Romano adds, adding that they may also benefit gastrointestinal health.
Anti-inflammatory foods include the following:
- Salmon, sardines, and anchovies
- Flax seeds
- Berries and grapes
- Broccoli, peppers, and tomatoes
- Walnuts
Gut health is naturally improved by a varied diet
Including a variety of foods in your daily diet is a wonderful approach to improve your gut microbiome—and your overall health. According to Romano, "an abundance of nutrients from a variety of foods is key to positively impacting your gut." "The more diverse the diet, the greater the gut's access to a wide range of important nutrients."
Also, don't forget to stay hydrated during the day. Water not only allows fibre to perform its function in your stomach effectively, but it also keeps your digestive system — and the rest of your body — working smoothly. According to Romano, "enough fluid consumption is vital for the health of all organ systems, as well as the health of our gut."
