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Good gut health is about more than just digestion. It’s actually connected to everything from overall health, immunity, and even mood.
One of the keys to keeping your gut healthy is the foods that you eat according to Well + Good. It’s not just about kefir, kombucha, and other probiotics. Getting enough fiber in your diet is also very important. Dietary fiber can help or relieve constipation and keep your gut on the right track. Here are five foods that can boost your gut health naturally.
Whole Grains
Foods made with whole grains like whole wheat, barley, quinoa, brown rice, and bulger are a good source of fiber according to Forbes. Both soluble and insoluble fiber can help your digestive tract but the insoluble fiber found in wheat and oat bran adds bulk to your stools and allows food to pass quicker through your intestines.
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Probiotics
These foods contain microorganisms like the health-promoting microbes that are found in your gut. Eating foods rich in probiotics like fermented soy (tempeh and miso), Kefir, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut, and yogurt can help boost your body’s good bacteria. You can also take probiotic supplements.
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Fatty Fish
Fish like salmon and sardines are chock full of the Omega-3s and anti-inflammatories that are good for overall health including your gut. Eating large amounts of fatty fish could reduce bad cholesterol and help reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Calming down chronic inflammation may also help relieve health conditions like IBS, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
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Avocado
This superfood is a must have on any healthy food list. Avocados are high in fiber, healthy fats, and chock full of nutrients. This healthy fruit contains 20 percent of your daily requirement of potassium, 7 percent of fiber, and a host of antioxidants. All of this leads to better gut and overall health.
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Garlic and Onions
Garlic and onions are prebiotics (nutrient dense foods for your healthy gut microbes), according to Forbes. “Prebiotics act as fuel for specific bacteria in the gut, thus having the ability to promote the creation of more good bacteria,” Alicia Romano, a specialized clinical dietitian at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics told Forbes. Leeks, bananas, oats, soybeans, asparagus, and Jerusalem artichokes are also prebiotics.
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