Best Gut Health Foods: 18 Best Foods for Gut Health

Oliver Campbell December 22, 2022

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The intestine, the gastrointestinal tract and the micro organism that embody it, has come to the forefront of well being and diet in recent times.

“The phrases ‘go along with your intestine,’ have taken on an entire new that means as of late, as a result of science has proven us that there’s a robust connection between your well being and the microbes that reside inside your intestine,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, creator of BetterThanDieting.com and creator of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table. “These organisms assist us to battle an infection and will forestall the dangers of illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and even cognitive health.”

Research exhibits the microbes within the intestine flourish greatest when fed sure varieties of meals and dietary supplements, significantly meals which are wealthy in fiber. That is as a result of they comprise prebiotics and probiotics.

“Meals that comprise pre and probiotics are nice as a result of they assist populate and nourish the great micro organism in our intestine that basically retains it in tip-top form,” says Maggie Michalczyk, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and founding father of meals weblog Once Upon A Pumpkin. “Since our intestine well being is so related to completely different elements of our well being from immunity to temper, it is vital to incorporate gut-friendly meals in our food regimen frequently. It is all related!”

Loading your food regimen with gut-friendly meals will profit your total physique and total well being. Listed below are 18 of the very best intestine well being meals.

Greatest Meals for Intestine Well being

1. Something fermented

“Fermented meals embody meals like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, fermented tofu, pickles, and pickled objects, reminiscent of pickled beets, radish, garlic, and cucumbers,” says Taub-Dix. “These things act as pure probiotics and thus assist replenish the ‘good’ micro organism within the intestine. It’s vital to notice that a few of these meals may very well be excessive in sodium content material, so be sure you examine meals labels if it’s essential to limit your salt consumption.”

2. Asparagus

Asparagus is a superb supply of prebiotics, which is gasoline for the pleasant microbes in your digestive tract,”Robin Foroutan, MS, RDN, HHC, Integrative Drugs Dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Diet and Dietetics. “Asparagus might also assist your physique eradicate sure pesticides, and a few pesticides, like glyphosate, are suspected of being unhealthy for intestine well being.”

3. Swiss chard

“Darkish, leafy greens are a poster baby for well being, and this ought to be truth—not pattern. Swiss chard is nutrient-dense and fiberful,” says Sacha Madadian, senior editor on the America’s Test Kitchen e book crew. “A cup of sautéed Swiss chard gives 4 grams of fiber, and it’s an awesome accompaniment to nearly any meal in addition to supple sufficient so as to add to fillings like for stuffed greens or sandwiches. And when you occur to observe the low-FODMAP food regimen, it’s clever to place Swiss chard in your plate—you’ll be able to eat as a lot as your urge for food tells you too, because it’s free from offending carbohydrates.”

Associated: What Is the Low-FODMAP Eating regimen and What Meals Can You Eat On It?

4. Yogurt

“Given the character of how yogurt is made, it comprises useful probiotics,” says Michalczyk. “You wish to particularly search for yogurt labeled with the ‘Stay & Energetic Cultures’ seal, which ensures 100 million probiotic cultures per gram. I like to recommend topping your yogurt with honey for an much more gut-healthy (and scrumptious) snack as a result of honey may function as prebiotics. Prebiotics are basically meals for the great micro organism aka probiotics within the intestine. Getting sufficient of each will assist guarantee optimum intestine well being.”

5. Raspberries

“With 8 grams of fiber per cup and half the really useful every day quantity of vitamin C (an vital nutrient for collagen synthesis), little raspberries pack a punch!” says Foroutan. “The excessive fiber content material helps you keep common, helps your pleasant intestine microbes flourish, and the excessive antioxidants scale back irritation within the digestive tract.”

6. Kombucha

“Kombucha is a fermented beverage that’s naturally carbonated. Some kombucha drinks are constructed from inexperienced tea, which provides an additional antioxidant profit,” says Taub-Dix. “Simply bear in mind that this drink can comprise caffeine and a few embody extra sugar than you’d anticipate from a ‘wholesome’ beverage. However, if the sugar content material is low to none, the label might present that it comprises synthetic sweeteners or sugar alcohols.”

7. Parsnips

“Uniquely floral, candy-sweet, totally filling, and superlatively excessive in fiber, parsnips could appear too good (for you) to be true, and we predict they’re a significantly underutilized root vegetable,” says Madadian. “We pan-roast them on the stovetop or roast them on a sheet pan with rooster and different greens for a one-pan supper. One cup of sliced parsnips comprises a whopping 6 grams of fiber (for comparability 1 cup of carrots comprises 4 grams).”

8. Chickpeas (aka Pulses)

“Pulses aka dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas and lentils are stuffed with prebiotics that the great probiotics feed on—it is a symbiotic relationship,” says Michalczyk. “Plus pulses are supply of fiber as nicely which is vital for total digestion and intestine well being.”

9. Bone broth

“Bone broth is well known as an unique gut-healing meals due to its historical roots and wealthy supply of collagen protein,” says Foroutan.

10. Onions

“Onions present the fibers inulin and fructooligosaccharides, each useful in supporting intestine well being,” says Taub-Dix.

Associated: How To Enhance Your Intestine Well being Naturally

11. Cultured meals

“Cultured meals like buttermilk, cultured bitter cream, kefir, lassi, and yogurt, are naturally wealthy in probiotics,” says Taub-Dix. “And when you desire a vegetarian, vegan or dairy-free way of life, you’ll discover yogurts that present the identical probiotic profit with out the dairy. You’ll be able to naturally sweeten the bitter style of cultured meals by including contemporary or frozen strawberries plus you’ll benefit from the added fiber increase from the berries.”

12. Tempeh

“We expect tempeh, the fermented soy protein, is an ideal plant-based protein to eat to your intestine,” says Madadian. “It’s lean, excessive in fiber (it’s not usually which you can have your fiber and eat your protein too in a single ingredient), and particularly carries prebiotic fiber, so it’s a intestine microbiome booster. Seared slabs are different to meat steaks for dinner, however we additionally wish to crumble and pan-fry it so as to add to vegetable and grain dishes, and to high salads.”

13. Beans

“Beans are essentially the most under-utilized meals within the grocery store. Beans are a feast for intestine micro organism and don’t fear in regards to the fuel you would possibly produce—that’s a pure byproduct of fermentation,” says Taub-Dix. “Gasoline product might dissipate as your physique will get used to consuming beans frequently—which it is best to!”

14. Garlic

“It is good to your intestine that you simply season your meals with a lot of contemporary garlic as a result of garlic comprises a robust prebiotic fiber often called inulin that feeds the great micro organism in your digestive system,” says Michalczyk. “Use contemporary garlic in pasta dishes, to season proteins, in home made salad dressings and extra.”

15. Almonds

“Almonds are wealthy in fiber that may deliciously preserve your intestine micro organism and your mouth very happy,” says Taub-Dix. “Every ounce (which is about 23 almonds) offers us with 6 grams of plant protein, 3.5 grams of fiber, wholesome fats and a wealth of different vitamins together with vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, and a lot extra.”

Associated: What Are Probiotics and What Do They Do?

16. Cooked and cooled potatoes (resistant starch)

“Resistant starch, just like the sort of starch present in potatoes which are cooked after which cooled, is a kind of fiber that ‘resists’ digestion,” says Foroutan. “When it reaches your intestines, it feeds the pleasant microbes in your digestive tract, and that makes for a more healthy intestine.”

17. Canned lentils

“Sure, we’re speaking particularly canned. Whereas all beans and legumes pack within the fiber (whereas providing sustaining protein) when you can tolerate them, canned lentils are fairly particular for many who require a low-FODMAP food regimen,” says Madadian. “Beans are a no-no, however the canning course of strips lentils particularly of their bothersome carbohydrates so that you don’t need to bid them goodbye. For everybody else: Excessive-fiber lentils are straightforward to rework into one thing particular—they’re an awesome stir-in but additionally make a standout salad or facet dish on their very own. A ½ cup serving offers 4½ grams of fiber.”