8 Foods That Support Digestion & Gut Health
The best foods for digestion are those that are packed with fiber and support the “good” gut bacteria in your microbiome.
Fiber feeds helpful gut bacteria and allows us to break down foods easily. It also adds bulk to stool, binds to toxins in the body and allows for easier digestion and elimination.
Fiber is so important and most people don’t eat enough of it! The daily recommended amount of fiber is 28-34g per day and the average fiber consumption is between 12-16g per day.
Experiment with adding some of the foods below into your everyday diet to see how this impacts your digestion, gut health and overall wellness.
ZENBASIL SEEDS
The new chia seeds! Chia seeds are a great source of fiber and great for digestion, but have you heard of ZenBasil seeds? They have two times the fiber, two times the potassium, two times the calcium and two times the iron than chia seeds! So why settle for chia if you can get ZenBasil?! One tablespoon has 70 calories and 8g of fiber. Try adding ZenBasil seeds to your morning smoothie or yogurt bowl.
GINGER
Ginger is a homeopathic remedy that is known for its medicinal properties. It has been around for many years, as it’s used in traditional and alternative medicine for its health benefits. It’s full of antioxidants and has many anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger root has been used as a healing and immunity remedy for centuries all around the world. Studies show ginger root reduces nausea and vomiting and can help women who have painful cramps during menstruation. Ginger and its metabolites tend to accumulate in the gut, which makes sense since it has the most effect on the GI tract. It helps move food through the digestive system and decrease gas build up.
FERMENTED FOODS
Fermented foods are full of probiotics, which are supportive bacteria that benefit the gut. By adding beneficial bacteria into your intestinal flora, this optimizes the health of your microbiome and your immune system (70% of your immune system is in your gut!). The “good” bacteria help you break down food and fight off the bad bacteria in the gut. It’s important to replenish the gut with healthy bacteria to support your overall health. Fermented foods that you can try adding into your diet are sauerkraut, miso, pickles, kimchi, kefir, kombucha and tempeh.
Photo courtesy of @brodo on Instagram.
BONE BROTH
Cooking bones and tissues contains collagen, and when you cook collagen it turns into gelatin. Gelatin is rich in amino acids which are the building blocks of all proteins. Glutamine is an amino acid that specifically helps to heal the gut lining and strengthen the intestinal barrier. This is helpful for those who have leaky gut, which is when the gut becomes permeable allowing foods to pass through easily. Eating bone broth can health the gut and tighten the intestinal barrier. Having a strong and healthy gut is vital to maintaining optimal digestion and overall health.
APPLES
Apples are a healthy and delicious snack and a great way to incorporate more fiber into your day. Apples are a rich source of pectin, a soluble fiber. Pectin binds to toxins in the body, eliminating and detoxifying them from your system. Apples also contain an insoluble fiber called cellulose, which adds bulk to the stool and gets things moving out of the digestive tract quickly. The saying is true; an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
ARTICHOKES
Artichokes are a fantastic source of fiber. They contain inulin, a prebiotic that supports and feeds healthy gut bacteria. Studies have shown that artichoke improves gut bacteria. Artichoke also reduces indigestion (boating, nausea, heartburn, flatulence) and symptoms associated with IBS. They have anti-inflammatory properties that benefit overall health. Fiber isn’t the only thing this vegetable has to offer. It has multiple medicinal properties! Studies have shown that artichoke extract has liver protecting properties as well as promoting digestive health.
LEGUMES
People are surprised to find out just how nutritious legumes are. They provide protein, fiber and carbohydrates. In addition, they are a great source of B vitamins, iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus. You can add legumes to any meal to support gut health and digestion. If you are generally a plant based eater, this is a great way to add extra protein into your day. Their high fiber keeps you satiated and full for long periods of time.
AVOCADO
This superfood is packed with nutrients, monounsaturated fat and fiber. It is loaded with potassium which helps promote digestive health. It also positively influences the gut microbiome, which we know supports healthy bowel movements and elimination. Dietary fiber is a win-win for us and gut bacteria. We can’t break down fiber without the gut bacteria, so it feeds us both.
References
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University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. (2020, December 15). An avocado a day keeps your gut microbes happy, study shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 21, 2020 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201215175758.html