The Best Foods for Gut Health to Improve Mental & Physical Health

Importance of Good Gut Health

There is a gut-brain axis where your gut communicates with your mind and vice versa. Taking care of your gut health is very important in keeping healthy mental health as well. The vagus nerve is a nerve that runs from the brain, into the gut, and it is also activated when you take deep breaths to help calm your body down.

Gut health affects your mental health, skin, heart, allergies, asthma, and overall immunity. Taking care of your gut health, hormones and mental health can do a lot for your overall wellness. I hope you enjoy this list!

Best Foods for Gut Health

Not All Carbohydrates Are Created Equal.

1. No processed carbohydrates.

Take care to consume whole-grain carbohydrate sources every day and legumes at least two days a week. Whole wheat bread, bulgur, oats, chickpeas, dried beans, and kidney beans increase bowel movements thanks to their high fiber content and accelerate the passage of digested food residues through the large intestine.

The formation of harmful bacteria halts because toxic elements do not stay in the large intestine for a long time, and the continuity of healthy intestinal flora remains.

Probiotics Are Your Friend.

2. Kefir

Kefir; thanks to the probiotics it contains, it has an essential effect on the protection of intestinal health. Probiotic foods contain bacteria friendly to our intestines; regulating the flora ensures the proper functioning of the intestine and prevents the reabsorption of toxic substances. If you are not allergic or intolerant to dairy products, it is helpful to consume 200 ml (1 cup) every day.

Typical Simple Food For Gut Health

3. Yogurt.

Yogurt, vibrant food in terms of friendly bacteria, regulates the digestive system thanks to the live microorganisms (probiotics) it contains and protects against many diseases such as constipation, diarrhea, and immune system diseases. So do not forget to consume at least one cup of yogurt a day.

A Tasty, Healthy Probiotic-rich Snack

4. Pickles

Pickles are also a good probiotic and protect the gut flora thanks to the beneficial bacteria it contains. It accelerates the passage of stool through the intestines. It thus supports a healthy digestive system thanks to its high fiber content.

However, although it is rich in probiotics and pickles due to their high sodium content, it should be consumed in a controlled manner by people with blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or stomach diseases.

Get Your Daily Dose Of Omega 3’s

5. Omega 3’s

Omega 3’s can also support friendly bacteria. Omega 3’s increase the number of friendly bacteria in the body and thus create a healthy intestinal flora. Do not forget to consume your daily dose of omega 3’s. One of the richest sources of omega 3’s is walnuts and salmon.

Another Reason To Eat Your Dark Leafy Greens

6. Leafy Vegetables

Don’t forget leafy vegs such as spinach. Another food that is good for the intestines is spinach. The type of sugar found in dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, helps increase the number of beneficial bacteria in our intestines. An enzyme released by beneficial bacteria enables the bacteria to use the sugar in green leafy vegetables such as spinach as an energy source.

In other words, it plays a role in increasing the number of bacteria and regulating our flora by feeding the bacteria that are friendly to our body.

Simply Delicious And So Healthy

7. Avocados

Avocados are high in insoluble fiber that retains water better. In addition, they contain essential nutrients, such as potassium, which helps promote healthy digestive function. It’s also a low-fructose food, so it’s less likely to cause bloating.

Prunes Are An Underrated Fruit.

8. Prunes

Prunes are essential to prevent constipation. They also contain less fructose, making them easier to tolerate and less likely to cause gas. In addition, you can regulate your bowel movements with prunes, which you will eat three or four times a day.

Yet Another Benefit Of Coconut Oil.

9. Coconut

Coconut is among the best foods for Gut Health. Scientific studies in recent years emphasize that coconut oil makes the body less tired during digestion than long-chain fatty acids, which facilitate digestion thanks to the medium-chain fatty acids. In addition, it has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

Thus, it has been shown in recent studies that it is protective against inflammatory bowel diseases by supporting the destruction of harmful organisms.

An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away.

10. Apples

Apples have high nutritional properties, contributing to regulating the stomach and intestinal movements thanks to the soluble fibers it contains. Feeding with foods high in fiber is essential to ensure the healthy continuity of the flora. Do not forget to consume one apple every day.

Almonds Are A Friendly Crunchy, Healthy GI Tract Snack

11. almonds

Raw almonds are among the gut-friendly foods. A study published in 2016 determined a beneficial change in intestinal bacteria in children and adolescents who consumed almonds compared to those who did not consume almonds.

In addition, thanks to the fibers it contains, it has been revealed that it has positive effects on the intestinal microbiota and increases the number of beneficial intestinal bacteria by creating nutrients (prebiotics). A healthy microbiota means a healthy gut. Do not forget to consume 10-12 pieces of raw almonds every day, which are among the gut-friendly foods.

Don’t Forget Your Ripe Bananas.

12. Bananas

A regularly functioning digestive system is essential for healthy intestinal flora. Constipation and diarrhea disrupt the intestinal flora and decrease the number of beneficial bacteria in our intestines, causing malabsorption. Thanks to the fibers it contains, bananas regulate the digestive system and prevent conditions such as diarrhea or constipation.

If you have digestive problems or indigestion, make sure that the banana is ripe. Since unripe bananas are difficult to digest, they can increase indigestion and gas complaints. It’s easy to eat bananas; they can help replenish electrolytes like potassium, which help when you are sick with diarrhea or vomiting.

In addition, banana contains resistant starches (especially when using cooked, less-ripe green bananas) that can aid in gut healing.

Pineapple Is A Sweet Fruit.

13. Pineapple

Pineapple contains a significant amount of fiber associated with better digestion. In addition, pineapple contains a digestive enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme aids in the breakdown of proteins and digestion.

The Exotic, Delicious Fruit Papaya

14. Papaya

Dietary fibers, which papaya has plenty of them, promote a healthier gut through colonic fermentation and the modulation of different types of gut bacteria. In addition, the papain enzyme found in papaya has proven to help manage digestive disorders such as constipation and bloating.

Coffee Gets You Moving.

15. Coffee

It’s no secret that coffee gets you to the toilet. Research says a cup of coffee in the morning stimulates the bowels, so it can help you go to the bathroom because of polyphenols in it. On the other hand, limiting the intake of coffee to 1 or 2 cups a day is essential to avoid heartburn.

Celery Is A Friend Of Digestion

16. Celery

The Pectin-based polysaccharides in celery, including a compound known as apiuman, have reduced gastric ulcer incidence, improved gastric mucosa, and modulated gastric secretion. In addition, celery contains 90% water due to its high fiber content. Thus, it aids in digestion.

Why Choose Oats

17. Oats.

Oats are uniquely nutritious due to their bioactive compounds, lipids, and fiber composition. In addition, scientific research has shown that oats can improve diet quality, lower cholesterol, regulate satiety and protect against carcinogenesis in the colon. Oats absorb water and contain some fiber to keep you full.

Drink Plenty Of Water

18. Water

Water is a beverage that we should regularly consume in our daily life. However, dehydration often leads to constipation. In addition, without enough water in your body, you cannot go to the toilet. Therefore, drinking plenty of fluids will help manage constipation.

The Power Of Garlic

19. Garlic

Garlic creates a defense mechanism in the intestines thanks to the many vitamins and phytochemicals. Garlic added to the meal close to cooking in cooked meals or raw garlic consumed alongside meals helps clean the intestines and detox from heavy metals.

Bone Broth Isn’t Just Good For Your Bones And Joints.

20. Bone Broth

What we ingest can expose the body to many harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses, toxins, and heavy metals from time to time. The gelatin in bone broth helps the intestinal flora protect and repair against these harmful effects. That’s why it’s one of the best foods for gut health.

How You Can Eat Is As Important As What You Eat.

Food structure is also an essential determinant of how a food impacts the body, with particle size and the associated food matrix influencing the accessibility of host and microbial enzymes to nutrients.

For example, smaller starch granules may be readily degradable due to higher surface-area-to-volume ratios. Since most gut microbes are within the large intestines, food structures that minimize digestion and allow food to pass into the colon will significantly impact the microbiota.

Cooking practices can potentially affect the food structure and digestibility of foods. Strategies that optimize the structure of nutrition or health benefits (i.e., glycemic control) of food are preferred. Still, more work is needed in this area to achieve a broader range of health outcomes.

In Conclusion

Many Foods for Gut Health are essential to a healthy GI tract. It’s not only necessary to make sure you are eating these foods and have a healthy diet. It’s also beneficial to consume probiotic foods and prebiotic foods to maintain a healthy GI tract.

This article originally appeared on Wealth of Geeks.

Originally posted 2022-05-23 02:32:41.