You hear the word ‘gut health’ quite often but what does that mean? And how does it impact our organs, skin, mental health and our overal health? We have listed the gut-healthy foods to choose along with the reasons to have a good gut health.
Caution: Your grocery list will be getting a healthy makeover by the end of this article.
The Role of The Gut
The gut is a long nine-meter tube that starts at the mouth, goes through the oesaphagus, stomach, the intestines and ends at the backpassage. During this process, it breaks down the food in little pieces, absorbs the nutrients the body needs and eliminates the waste that our body can’t use.
Most importantly, your gut is the home to millions of bacteria and other microorganisms which are collectively called microbiome. And these largely impact your level of health so it’s important to balance the good and bad bacteria. According to the 2019 study in the journal, microorganisms, the correct balance of microbiome differs from one person to another. These are initially impacted by your body composition at birth and what kind of microbes inhabit your digestive system. And other external factors like lifestyle, excerise and diet can also influence your microbiome balance aka gut health.
And having good gut health or the right composition of microbes in your gut health can bring an array of benefits.
Benefits of Good Gut Health
Better immunity
70% of the immune cells are found in the gut. A healthy gut has good bacteria that produce metabolites like short chain fatty acids, which protects our body from external threats. And good gut bacteria produce also supports white blood cells that fight infections and other dieases.
Better Mood
The bacteria in the gut increases the function of various chemicals in the brain, known as neurotransmitters. For instance, it’s known that around 90% of the ‘happy hormone’, serotonin, is made in the gut,” And a lack of serotonin can lead to depression and other mental health concerns.
Better Sleep
Gut imbalances can alter the neurotransmitters and cause sleep disturbances and therefore, lead to poor sleep quality.
Optimum Weight
People with better gut balance are blessed with the production of short fatty acids, which can reduce hunger and increases fullness. And this directly affects your food habirs and calorie intake and eventually, your weight goal.
Therefore, missing out on good gut health means, you are losing all the benefits and facing poor health consequences, including the ones below.
The signs of poor gut health
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach-ache
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Bloating
- Frequent discomfort
So how do you avoid a poor gut healthy and live healthy instead? Build a lifestyle that builds and supports a good gut system. To help you, we have listed all the must-have gut-health friendly food items that work for many dietry preferences.
Gut-health Friendly Foods
Be sure to follow a diverse diet that includes healthy portions of fibre, probiotics, prebiotics, polyphenols and a combination of fruits and vegetables.
Fibre
This regulates bowel movements by bulking up stools and helping you pass them without any discomfort. Which means, you’ve got nothing to worry about both constipation and diarrhea. In a day, you should consume at least 25-30g of fiber to function well and good gut health. The Food and Diseases Association recommends 25g of fiber for women and 38g for men.
Beans
You could enjoy this as soups, stews and salads. Some beans, like edamame (that is steamed soy bean) and chickpeas also make a satiating snack. For instance, there are 17g of fiber in a 100g serving of chickpeas. And the best part about fibers it that they all are plant-based so they work for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Nowadays, a lot of baking recipes also include bean-based flours and other ingredients due to its nutritional value.
Broccoli
Currently, this veggie is trending and appreciated by a lot of wellness enthusiasts. Coming from the family of cruciferous plants like cauliflower, cabbage and kale, they have loads of valuable nutrients. Studies confirm that 5g of fiber through broccoli is sufficient to support gut health. You could either steam or roast them with a lot of go-to seasonings to relish this as a tasty and healthy meal.
Berries
These additictive heavenly fruits are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Meaning, they are known to guard your body from radicals and inflammation. But they’re full of fiber, too. Just one cup of fresh blueberries has the benefit of almost 4 grams of fiber. The healthiest berries you can eat are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, goji berries, bilberries, acai berries, cranberries and grapes. And the best part? Berries are low in calories and come with great benefits of hydration too.
Avocados
This superfood goes with everything—toast, salads, entrees, eggs—and it’s packed with the healthy fats your body needs. And there are 10g of fiber in one whole medium avocado. This is very healthy and buttery, creamy and nutty in the best way. Also, make sure to pick the ripe ones.
Popcorn
This is an amazing fibre option for those who are looking to lose weight. It’s high in fiber, low in calories, low in energy—therefore, a decent equation for those who want to snack more without gaining weight. A 3-cup serving of air-popped popcorn has about 100 calories and 4g of fiber. Isn’t that just perfect for a long three-hour movie? Also, another way to relish this by adding it to other snacks like cookies and muffins. Remember, the healthiest version is the one without any butter, sugar and salt.
Whole Grains
Eating bread regularly is actually a good thing. There is fiber in the real whole grains, found in 100% whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and oats. The Food and Drug Administration advises us to make sure the real whole grain is the first ingredient on a food package for it to be considered a real whole grain. 1 serving of whole wheat pasta has 180 calories and 7g of fiber compared to the 200 calories and 3g of fiber in white pasta.
Apples
Maybe an apple a day doesn’t keep the doctor away. Having said that, apples are a healthy on-the-go snack. Usually, there are about 4g of fiber in an apple, depending on its size. Also, apples make a very good snack and baking ingredient too.
Dried Fruits
This includes figs, prunes and dates, they can instantly bring up your fiber level. Also, they help a great deal with our bowel movements because they contain a sugar called sorbitol. However, too much of these can also lead to cramps and diarrhea so keep an eye on your servings. If you consume 4 dates everyday, you get the benefit of 8g of fiber. And if you continue the same level of date consumption for over a month, you will feel energetic and enjoy the benefits of controlled cholesterol andl blood pressure levels.
Potates
Sweet potatoes, red potatoes, purple potatoes and the regular white potatoes are all amazing sources of fiber. Around 180g of boiled potates have around 3g of fiber. When cooked with healthy ingredients and not drenched in oil, potatoes can safeguard your body from a plethora of diseases like diabetes and heart conditions. They are low in calories and fat, and fill you up nicely with loads of nutrients like potassium and vitamin C.
Nuts
Consuming nuts blesses your body with a great deal of protein, healthy fats and lots of fiber. It’s quite easy to reach the daily fiber intake recommended by the FDA. For instance, 100g of oil roasted mixed nuts brings around 7g of fiber to your body. Some notable nutty snacks for good gut health are almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macademia nuts, pecans and pine nuts.
Prebiotics
They are form of dietry fiber that feed the good bacteria into our body. Which in turn helps the gut bacteria to produce nutrients for your colon cells and that leads to a healthier digestive system. And some of these nutrients contain short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, acetate and propionate. Some studies suggest around 3 to 5 grams of prebiotics and eating the recommended amount of fiber likely will give your gut health the benefit of prebiotics. And below are good sources of prebiotics foods.
Dandelion Greens
These cute-looking veggies are fiber-heavy cooking ingredients that come with with 3.5 grams per 100-gram serving, this includes a type of periobiotic called inulin. Also, dandelion greens are antioxidants that guard your body cells from many illnesses like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. You can add dandelion greens to salads, green juices, tartes and smoothies.
Garlic
This is a common cooking ingredient that elevates any warm meal in the best intense way. They come with powerful probiotic ingredients inulin and FOS that have been supporting gut health for centuries. Aside from using this for seasoning, you could also eat it raw. It’s quite a culinary experience.
Chicory Root
Here’s a sweet replacement for coffee due to its similiar flavour. It’s a great source of prebiotics and a strong antioxidant. Chicory root fiber is usually added to packaged foods to boostits fiber content. And a whopping 68% of chicory root is made of the prebiotic inulin.
Onions
This one is a mulitasker as it nourishes your gut health with a range of prebiotics, antioxidants, and flavonoids. So, it instantly becomes a key component in protecting your body from many chronic diseases including cancer. You can relish onions by making it a part of many cooked meals like soups, stews, and main courses or even eat them raw as part of salads.
Jerusalam Artichokes
They come from the sunflower family. And they are rich in fiber, especially inulin, as well as antioxidants. Jerusalem artichokes actively guards your colon health by producing healthy bacteria that will strengthen your immune system. So per 100g of this vegetable gives you the benefit 3g of inulin-rich dierty fibre. And these are also packed with the goodness of vitamin B1, which is good news for those who want to beat fatigue and muscle aches. You could chop them up and add into your salads. Or roast it nicely as use it as a side dish.
Bananas
We all know they are healthy. But do you know it’s a gut-health friendly holygrail filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, including small amounts of inulin. This fruit is an afforable alternative got good hut health and they also help with bloating issues. Usually unripe bananas are considered to have a bigger amount of prebiotics due to its starch content. And a medium-sized banana can give you the benefit of 3g of fiber and 422g of pottasium. Bananas can be eaten raw or cooked as various different meals. Think desserts, toasts, smoothies, the options are endless.
Whole Oats
All things relating to oats in general are synonymous to healthy food. Whole oats are high in fiber and have beta-glucan fiber and resistant starch, which is known to cultivate a good gut health. In addition to that, oats aid with blood sugar control and disgestion. Using oats, you could make smoothie, muffins, toasted granola bowl and even pancakes. Also, you can pick packaged products that use oats as an ingredient.
Barley
This is a popular cereal grain that’s widely available. Fun fact: Barley is used in the making of beer. It has 2–20 grams of beta-glucan (a type of prebiotic) per 100 gram. And using this as a cooking ingredient will bring down the total bad cholestrol and blood sugar levels, and shrink the risk of heart diseases and blood sugar. Also, since this is known to control the appetite, you can count on this antioxidant food to help lose weight and boost your immune system simultaneously.
Probiotics
Unlike prebiotics, which is sort of a compound that feeds our body the good bacteria which can do wonders to our gut health. The probiotics is the healthy bacteria that our body needs to regulate the digestive system,reduce depression and promote heart health. Some studies confirm that probiotics helps to achieve glowing skin as well.
Some consume probiotics in supplement form, but you can also get their benefit via fermented foods. In terms of daily portions,1-2 servings of probiotic-rich foods will be perfectly fine for those who are healthy. However, if you have a special condition, it’s best to check with your medical practictioner. And in terms of the probiotics foods, here are the best options.
Yogurt
Hands down, this is one of best and widely-accessible sources of probiotics. The milk used in yogurts are fermented by probiotics, mainly lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.Yogurt is known to reduce symptoms of diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrom, and even help with high blood pressure. Since the good bacteria in yogurt turns the lactose into lactic acid, yogurt is suitable for those with lactose tolerance too. Make sure to pick yogurts with live probiotics as in some cases, the microogranisms are killed in the process. When enjoying the good-for-gut plain yogurts, stick to no-cook methods like parfait, granola bowls, smoothies, etc.
Kefir
Not heard of it? This is a tasty fermented probiotic milk drink. It is prepared using a collection of lactic acid bacterias, yeasts and other microorganisms called “kefir” grains with either cow’s or goat’s milk. It tastes just like yogurt but with a more sour and tangy flavour. It’s known to help with bone health, a few digestive condition relating to gut and also provide efficient immunity from infections. While, yogurt is a popular fermentated food, kefir is known to have a better source of good bacteria. Because kefir has various types of friendly bacterias and yeasts, it’s a potent probiotic. And also like yogurt, kefir is suitable for those who are lactose intolerant.
Sauerkraut
This is one of the oldest traditional foods from the Eastern Europe that can help efficiently with cultivating a good gut health. Sauerkraut is a finely shredded cabbage fermented using lactic acid bacteria that makes sure our gut flora works at its best. And italso balances the good bacteria count in the gut. Aside from its service towards the gut health, it is also rich in fiber as well as vitamins C and K. And contains iron and potassium too! Always pick unpasteurized sauerkraut as pasteurization kills the friendly bacteria.
Tempeh
Soy lovers this is for you. Tempeh is a fermented soybean product with an earthy, nutty flavour like mushroom. And this is an Indonesian delicacy that is now a global high protein meat substitute. Generally, soybeans are high in phytic acid, a plant compound that lowers the absorption of minerals like iron and zinc. However with fermentation, phytic acid reduces and then your body will be able to absorb more minerals through tempeh. In addition to that, fermentation also enables vitamin B12, a nutrient that plays a major role in regulating cell metabolism which can effect your overall health and energy levels.
Kimchi
A poular spicy Korean side made with fermented cabbage. And it’s also very tasty as it’s made with lots of seasonings like red chili pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, scallion, and salt. The lactic acid bacteria in this is known to benefit your digestive health. Also, cabbage is high in a handful of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K and iron.Here’s a quick and easy kimchi recipe.
Pickles
This sour side dish are more than just a great side dish. Also known as gherkins, they are made by preserving cucumbers in a solution of salt and water. Once they are fermented, they become sour due to the presence of lactic acid bacteria, which contibutes a lot towards having a good gut health. Also, they are low in calories and a great source of vitamin K so your immune system is well looked after. And keep in mind that pickles made with vinegar do not have live probiotics.
Polyphenols
Those who are obsessed with dark chocolate and coffee are going to love this! Recent findings from New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd. confirm that polyphenols support the microoragnism in our gut. How? They can break down into little molecules that can act beneficial for the mibrobes supporting our digestive system. Also, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, polyphenols are known to boost our longetivity. Researchers found that those who consumed 650 mg per day experienced a 30% lower mortality rate than those who took in less than 500 mg per day. Some examples of polyphenols are:
Berries
They are antioxidants that are low in calories and high in vitamin C, fiber, and polyphenols. The chokeberries and elderberries are leading this list with 1,123 and 870 milligrams of polyphenols per half-cup serving, respectively. Don’t stress, if you can’t find them easily. The other common berries also great sources of polyphenols:
- Blueberrie: 535 milligrams
- Blackcurrant: 485 milligrams
- Blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries: 160 milligrams
Seasonings
Yes, you read that right. Herbs and spices are great for your gut and have nutrients like calcium, pottasium and magnesium. Highly nutritious seasonings like cloves, peppermint and star anise come with over 100s milligrams per ounce. And other great options are oregano, celery seeds, rosemary and thyme.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is a strong polyphenol source witha massive 516 milligrams per tablespoon. Processing cocoa powder brings down the nutrient per servivng. However, consuming dark chocolate gives you around 249 milligrams per tablespoon, while milk chocolate only has 35 milligrams.
Flaxseeds
They have a fiber content along with 229 milligrams of polyphenols per tablespoon. *adds flaxseeds to smoothies*
Olives
These small sour fruits are rich in vitamin E, fatty acids, and polyphenols. Around 20 grams of black olives has 113 milligrams of polyphenols, while the same amount of green olives have 70 milligrams.
Coffee and Tea
Starting your day with a decent cup of coffee or tea is actually healthy. Around 20 grams of coffee, which is usually the amount in a brewed cup, has about 35 milligrams of polyphenols.
Takeaway for Good Gut Health
Eating healthy may look and feel overwhelming. Therefore, start by drinking lots of water, incoporating fruits, vegetables and reduce the junk gradually. And then take it to the next step by adding the above meals and ingredients to your day-to-day. Then, as long as you hit the required amounts of nutrients, your gut will be happy and healthy.
Finally, make sure to craft recipes that you genuinely enjoy as there are plenty of healthy ingredients. Also, with a recipe generator like SuperCook, you will never run out of food ideas and everything comes in handy.
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