Nutrition and Gut Health: 5 Foods to aid in Gut Health

A healthy gut consists of a positive ratio of ‘good’ to ‘bad’ bacteria in your stomach and plays a crucial role in your health by absorbing nutrients, eliminating waste, and reducing inflammation in the body. 

When the amount of ‘bad’ gut bacteria becomes too high, it may cause  digestive problems such as gas, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea because of several reasons. Diet and lifestyle factors such as inactivity, alcohol consumption, and poor sleep quality can disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut. Sometimes even prescribed antibiotics can disrupt the good to bad bacteria ratio in your gut as well. 

Eating a diet rich in fiber and probiotics helps in developing gut-friendly bacteria that work for improving your digestive and overall health. Here is a list of 5 foods to include in your diet that help to balance and promote gut health:

1. Apples

Apples have a good content of soluble fiber and pectin that help in increasing stool volume and moving it through the digestive tract to resolve digestive issues. It also reduces colon inflammation and decreases the risk of intestinal infections. 

2. Fennel

The fiber content in fennel aids in preventing constipation and enhancing regularity in the digestive tract. The antispasmodic nature of fennel can relax smooth digestive tract muscles to reduce negative digestive symptoms such as cramping, bloating, and flatulence. 

3. Chia seeds:

These seeds act as prebiotics and support the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut contributing to healthy digestion while the fiber content helps you stay regular

4. Whole grains:

Whole grains, particularly wheat, quinoa, oats, and farro are fiber-packed that improve the digestion process by giving volume to stool, reducing constipation, and acting as prebiotics to support healthy gut bacteria.

5. Ginger:

Ginger prevents and reduces nausea and improves digestion. It also accelerates gastric emptying and reduces heartburn and stomach discomfort.

Keep your gut happy by Incorporating these foods into your diet. Doing this will help to promote the growth of ‘good’ gut bacteria while decreasing ‘bad’ gut bacteria to promote healthy digestion. 

-ALIYAH N. A.