7 Best Gut Healthy Foods To Eat
A healthy gut microbiome is essential for proper digestion. What you eat directly impacts the composition of bacteria in your gut-called the microbiome-which affects your health. A healthy gut microbiome is also significant for nutrient absorption and toxin elimination. Serious problems can occur if your gut flora is imbalanced. Bloating, inflammation, diabetes, poor sleep, reduced happiness levels, obesity, and various skin issues such as acne are among the unhealthy gut problems. Here are the seven best gut-healthy foods to eat.
Yogurt
Yogurt is the most popular probiotic food and for great reason. It is created when good bacteria are added to milk and metabolize lactose to produce lactic acid and other beneficial microbes. Look for “Live & Active Cultures” yogurt, which guarantees 100 million probiotic cultures per gram. A glance at the ingredients list will also reveal whether or not the yogurt contains bacteria. Yogurt’s probiotics aid in the digestion of lactose (milk sugar), so if you’re lactose intolerant, you may be able to enjoy it. Furthermore, many companies now make dairy-free and vegan yogurts with probiotics.
Garlic
Raw garlic is another excellent prebiotic food because it contains a lot of inulin, which feeds the good bacteria in the gut. Garlic is high in nutrients like manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium, and many active compounds such as allicin. Allicin is a potent disease-fighting compound produced when garlic is crushed or chopped.
Tempeh
Tempeh, like tofu, is made from soybeans, but unlike tofu, tempeh is a fermented food, so it contains probiotics. It is made by fermenting soybeans and pressing them into a cake. Tempeh has a lot of protein, making it a good choice for vegetarians and vegans. It also consists of high concentrations of B vitamins, manganese, calcium, zinc, and copper.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is a naturally fermented food that contains the microorganism Lactobacillus bacteria, which crowds out dangerous bacteria in the gut and promotes the growth of beneficial gut flora. It helps relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome such as gas, bloating, and indigestion. Also, the sour taste in fermented foods is caused by organic acids, which aid probiotics in their work.
Miso
Miso is a fermented soybean, barley, or rice paste. Beneficial bacteria are produced during the fermentation process, as with other fermented foods. If you eat miso made from soybeans, you’ll also get some protein. Aside from being a good source of protein and fiber, it is also high in probiotics, which means it can aid in treating intestinal disorders.
Kimchi
Kimchi produces live and active probiotic cultures that promote gut integrity because of the fermentation of vegetables used in it. This Korean side dish is high in fiber and antioxidants, and it detoxifies the body naturally. Kimchi is one of several fermented foods high in probiotics. Kimchi is especially beneficial for people who have stomach and bowel pain, inflammation, leaky gut syndrome, or other bowel-related diseases.
Asparagus
Asparagus is prebiotic. It contains a lot of inulin, an indigestible fiber that feeds healthy gut bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Asparagus is not only a powerful prebiotic for the gut, but it may also protect against certain cancers. That is due to the presence of glutathione, an antioxidant that combats free radicals and other inflammatory compounds in the body.
