Daily diets have an important impact on your health and your intestinal flora plays a big role.
An unhealthy diet can disrupt your intestinal micro-ecological balance and reduce the number of digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria. As a result, it can cause inflammation.
Chronic inflammation may cause many diseases including heart disease and cancer.
In this article, we will introduce the 15 best foods for good gut health. Regular consumption of these foods can promote digestion and reduce inflammation in your body.
Best Foods To Eat For A Healthy Gut
The following foods can increase the beneficial bacteria in your intestines and protect gut health.
1. Fermented food
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and pickle can provide plenty of beneficial bacteria to your body. They can also reduce bloating and indigestion.
The fermentation of vegetables not only increases their flavor but also promotes the growth of probiotics in the intestinal tract.
For example, the well-known Korean kimchi contains a lot of fiber and antioxidants which can help your body detox.
2. Pineapple
Pineapple contains bromelain. As a digestive agent, bromelain helps protein break down from large molecules into smaller peptides.
Bromelain can relieve pain and inflammation throughout the body (especially sinus tissue).
In addition, it can reduce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can damage the inner wall of the intestine.
3. Asparagus
The role of asparagus is similar to that of prebiotics. It is high in indigestible cellulose inulin, which can feed healthy bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
Asparagus is also rich in B vitamins and anti-inflammatory antioxidants. These are key components to fight inflammation in your body.
4. Garlic
Garlic is also a great source of prebiotics. It is rich in inulin, which can increase the beneficial bacteria in the intestines and also fight harmful bacteria.
Garlic contains a lot of nutrients including manganese, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, selenium and many active compounds, such as allicin.
Allicin is an anti-inflammatory substance. When garlic is crushed, it releases the most allicin.
Therefore, in order to make better use of the health functions of garlic, it is best to eat it raw and chopped.
5. Onions
Raw onions are rich in the antioxidant quercetin, which is an important source of prebiotics and can resist harmful free radicals in the body.
Onions also contain chromium (to promote insulin production) and vitamin C (to strengthen the immune system).
Eating more onions is very beneficial to improve your immune system and protect cardiovascular health.
6. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can help digest and break down food by stimulating the secretion of digestive juices and increasing stomach acid.
Its antibacterial and antiviral effects can reduce harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and maintain micro ecological balance.
There are many health benefits of apple cider vinegar, such as regulating blood sugar balance and helping with weight loss.
7. Bone soup
We generally know that drinking bone soup can replenish calcium.
However, it also has more important functions like protecting the inner wall of the intestine, strengthening the immune system and resisting inflammation.
Bone soup is rich in collagen, gelatin, amino acids, proline, glutamine and arginine. It also contains many other minerals.
These nutrients are helpful for preventing chronic inflammation and improving immunity.
8. Dandelion
Every spring, you can see large tracts of dandelions everywhere in the fields. It can be said that it is the most readily available green natural food.
Dandelion is rich in vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, iron, fiber, antioxidants and prebiotics, making it one of the most detoxifying foods.
Eating more dandelions can help you maintain a strong and healthy immune system. [*]
9. Ginger
Ginger can relieve stomach discomfort, such as nausea, stomach cold, stomach cramps, etc.
It is a natural source of vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese, which can help digestion, prevent bloating and prevent intestinal infections.
10. Coconut oil
Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids that have antibacterial and antiviral effects. [*]
In addition, the lauric acid and caprylic acid found in coconut oil can restore and balance gastric acid levels while eliminating harmful yeast and bacteria.
The anti-inflammatory effect of coconut oil can protect your gut health.
If you follow a ketogenic diet or any other low-carb diet, you should know that coconut oil is an important part of these diets.
Increasing these healthy fats in your daily diet can improve the efficiency of your weight loss.
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11. Yogurt
Yogurt is one of the best sources of probiotics, especially grass-fed, full-fat and sugar-free yogurt.
Eating more yogurt can help eliminate harmful bacteria in the intestines, increase the number of beneficial bacteria and help digestion.
12. Berries
Berries and various brightly colored fruits or vegetables, such as pomegranates, strawberries, cranberries and carrots are the main sources of anthocyanins.
Anthocyanin is a strong antioxidant and has many health benefits, especially in protecting cardiovascular health.
Our body does not completely absorb anthocyanins. However, the beneficial bacteria in the intestines love anthocyanins.
Therefore, the unabsorbed anthocyanins are used to nourish and multiply the beneficial bacteria to make the gut healthier.
13. High-fiber food
There are many foods that are rich in fiber. Foods like apples, bananas, celery and beans.
The dietary fiber in these foods helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids and digestive diseases.
In addition, eating more high-fiber foods can also prevent diabetes, heart disease and obesity. [*]
14. Chia seeds
Chia seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber.
When consuming chia seeds, they will form a gelatin-like substance in your stomach, which protects the gastric mucosa to a certain extent.
In addition, chia seeds have the same effect as prebiotics. They can help the beneficial bacteria in the intestine grow and multiply.
Moreover, studies have shown that chia seeds may ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its metabolic abnormalities in humans.
15. Avocado
Avocado is a great source of healthy fats. It can increase the healthy fatty acid butyrate in the digestive system.
Butyrate has anti-inflammatory and immune regulation functions and is very beneficial to intestinal health.
More Tips For Protecting Gut Health:
1. Follow a healthy diet
Try to eat more foods that can improve intestinal health.
Avoid high-sugar and deep-processed foods. These foods can easily lead to an intestinal flora imbalance and cause inflammation.
A low-carbohydrate diet is based on fruits, vegetables, protein and high-quality fats. This healthy diet can ensure your body gets enough dietary fiber, protein and healthy fat.
Many anti-inflammatory foods are also included in low-carb diets.
2. Drink plenty of water
Supplementing enough water not only promotes metabolism but also helps your body detoxify.
Drinking enough water can also shorten the time that feces stay in the intestines. This can reduce the absorption of toxins and prevent or relieve constipation.
3. Eat slowly
Eating too fast is not conducive to the decomposition, digestion and absorption of food.
Additionally, eating too fast can also increase the burden on the digestive system.
Chewing slowly can increase the secretion of saliva and digestive enzymes. As a result, it is easier to absorb nutrients in food.
In short, eating slowly can protect and promote gut health.
