What food to eat for a healthy gut? People have been debating this question since time immemorial. Many believe that a healthy gut is vital for overall health. Others are not quite so sure.
To improve the beneficial bacteria, called probiotics, some folks decide to take probiotic supplements in addition to what they eat within the gut. These can be found in health food stores, pharmacies, and online. Midss’s nutritionists suggest that taking certain probiotics can help support healthy gut microbiology, preventing or even stopping gut inflammation. And many of these probiotic-rich foods also contain antioxidants that are good for you.
Which foods are high in probiotics?
Some foods high in probiotics are beans, lentils, peas, nuts, garlic, and whole grains such as brown rice. These foods are rich in amino acids, which are important in maintaining healthy gut flora. Amino acids come from the protein content of plant foods, especially legumes. Legumes, soy products, beans, peas, nuts, garlic, walnuts, corn, and other whole-grain foods are high in amino acids.
Other foods that are particularly beneficial to the healthy gut are kefir and yogurt. Kefir is high in lactobacilli, which is a type of good bacteria. Lactobacillus acidophilus is another good bacterium. These bacteria are needed to eliminate the harmful types of microorganisms that are part of an unhealthy gastrointestinal environment, such as antibiotics. You may also eat live fermented foods that contain these bacteria. On the other hand, when we talk about yogurts, you may opt for a drinkable probiotic yogurt. It also contains probiotics that contribute to healthy gut flora.
Fruits
Furthermore, some fruits are beneficial to your health because they contain digestive enzymes. Apples, bananas, grapes, pears, peaches, plums, and strawberries all contain digestive enzymes essential for breaking down food into simple compounds called energy molecules. Fruits high in sugar are not as nutritious as those lower in sugar because they also contain lactic acid. Lactic acid helps to break down and release energy from foods more quickly. A study showed that consuming more sugar made people have to exert more effort to digest the food.
Unprocessed foods
Another important factor in a healthy diet is choosing organic, unprocessed foods over pre-packaged foods, which usually contain preservatives, artificial coloring, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and other substances that are not beneficial to the body. One of these substances is BHA, a clear, odorless substance found in most natural foods. If you do not consume foods that contain BHA, then your body cannot properly digest and use its nutrients. A diet rich in dietary fiber, low in fat and salt, and includes lots of antioxidants is essential for maintaining a healthy gut.
To sum up, there are several ways to improve your gut health through diet and supplementation. Keep in mind that you should eat lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, as well as fermented foods like yogurt and kefir for probiotics (good bacteria).
Featured Photo by Colours of Turkey on Unsplash
