You’ve heard the expression, “You are what you eat,” and this certainly applies to your gut. Therefore, it is essential to have a nutritious and balanced diet.
The first step is knowing what to eat and what to avoid. To learn more, we spoke to health experts to find out the best foods for a healthy gut and the foods to avoid.
How Food Affects Gut Health
When you eat something, your gut bacteria recognize it and use it as information. These bacteria “tell” the immune system, hormones, and brain how to use information from food. Dr. Amy Shah, MDa double board certified physician and author of I’m So Hungry: Why We Crave What We Crave And What To Do About It,I will explain.
Together they work out what to do with that food and how best to absorb the nutrients. Food is literally information, and that information is created and distributed by your gut bacteria.
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“Not only is the gut important for digestion, but the good bacteria in your gut are involved in immunity, and 70% of your immune system resides in your gut,” he says. Carissa Galloway, RDN, Premier Protein Nutrition Consultant and Personal Trainer. “Because your gut is where food is digested, what you eat lays the foundation for digestive health and can push or pull your body back depending on what you eat. A good foundation for gut health includes: A fiber-rich diet that includes prebiotics and probiotics.
best foods for better gut health
Fiber is one of the most important nutrients for your gut, so foods with fiber are best.
“My absolute favorites are leafy greens like spinach, onions that have a special type of fiber (prebiotic fiber), and other gut-healthy compounds called glucosinolates. broccoli,” says Dr. Shah.
Foods to avoid that harm your gut
ultra processed food
If you read the ingredients on the package and it contains additives you can’t find in your kitchen (Doritos is a good example), it’s considered ultra-processed. Ultra-processed foods are correlated with poor gut health, Dr. Shah explains.
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Sugary drinks such as sodas and juices
juice may sound It’s healthy, and most processed juices have no fiber and are very high in sugar. Fiber is essential for good gut bacteria, so if you drink a lot of soda, you’ll end up eating foods with no fiber, lots of additives, and sugar. It fills you up, says Dr. Shah. It feeds the wrong kind of bacteria.
Processed meat/Fried meat
There is some evidence that fried meats, especially red meats that have been processed, can cause bacterial growth in the gut, which can lead to clogged arteries.
Dr. Shah explains that it’s best to stick to lean protein sources such as fish, or plant-based proteins such as beans and tofu. There is a new discussion. all Red meat, but the evidence is still unclear.
Galloway agrees that limiting red meat intake is important for maintaining gut health. If you’re a red meat eater, aim for one to two servings per week,” she says.
Next: Trying to improve your gut health but nothing’s working? Here’s how to start restoring
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