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The gut is what we call our gastrointestinal tract or digestive system. It's filled with bacteria essential for human function, especially gut health, which includes all its digestive functions.
The gut is one of the most sensitive areas of the body. Maintaining gut health can be tricky, as anything wrong could trigger problems such as indigestion, nausea, vomiting etc. It requires a healthy balance of bacteria for its proper functioning. How do we balance this microbiome?
Certain foods can improve gut health and promote its proper functioning. A healthy gut is important, as it can affect other aspects of your health too. That includes your blood sugar levels, liver, mental health and even weight. It’s important to maintain the right balance of these bacteria to have a healthy, functioning gut. Men, in general, are prone to gut infections more than women.
Best Foods for Healthy gut
The best kind of foods for good gut health are those with high amounts of fibre, rich in prebiotics and polyphenols, and even fermented food.
1) Yogurt
Yogurt is a rich source of good gut bacteria. It's dense in lactobacilli, the type of bacteria that improves and benefits your gut health. What’s more, regular consumption of yogurt also reduces the concentration of bad bacteria in the intestines. That's why yogurt is so effective in reducing inflammation.
2) Fermented foods
Fermented food items, such as kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha, are also high in lactobacilli, and good for your gut. In fact, these foods are made by adding microbes to food and allowing them to ferment.
3) Bananas
Just as we have probiotics to add to our good bacteria, we also have prebiotics that feed these bacteria and keep them alive and thriving. These are essentially a type of soluble fibre. Bananas are rich in prebiotics. No wonder they’re such a good cure for constipation!.
4) Leafy vegetables
Leafy vegetables are rich in soluble fibres, which is a type of carbohydrate that add bulk to stool, pushing them out of the body and promoting regular, healthy digestion. That helps in preventing constipation.
5) Whole grains
Whole grains are another source of fibre. They are helpful in improving digestion. Studies have also shown that grains can also promote the growth of good gut bacteria, keeping it healthy. It can also reduce inflammation and keep you feeling full for longer.
6) Polyphenols
Polyphenols are compounds that are beneficial for a number of reasons, including reducing blood pressure, inflammation, cholesterol, etc. They are digested directly by the gut bacteria. The best part is, some of the best foods are rich in polyphenols; cocoa, red wine, green tea, berries, etc.
Takeaway
Eating to maintain your gut health really isn’t that bad! The list of food items to support the proper functioning of your gut looks pretty promising in terms of being dense with flavourful, hearty food items.
Keep eating these foods on a regular basis with your meals. and you should find improvements in the functioning of your gut. Make sure to also hydrate well even as you eat these foods, for the best results.
