Best Foods For Gut Health

Table of Content

• What is gut health?

• Why does gut health matter?

• Superfoods for gut health

• 43 best vegetables for gut health

• Worst foods for gut health

• Take-Home Points

• FAQ on Best Foods For Gut Health

What is gut health?

Your gut is home to bacteria which plays an essential role in many functions of your body. The most commonly known term gut microbiome simply means human digestive tract associated with microbes essential for its functions.

This microbiome is the foundation of our health and immunity, our gut has over 100 trillion microbial cells influencing human physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune function.

This community of bacteria is known as a hidden metabolic organ due to its remarkable impact on human beings.

Why does gut health matter?

The huge population of bacteria makes them unique with their multiple functions in the body.

The microbiome goes along with us, and changes in their population have shown major consequences on human health. Disruption of gut health is linked to obesity, malnutrition, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and other diseases. A number of factors including aging, diet, antibiotic use, and environmental factors can cause changes.

Superfoods for gut health

It is easy to feel bombarded with the latest health trends and buzzworthy food ingredients. Good nutrition is about choosing the right food and beverages for a healthy gut.

For a healthy gut, it is always advisable to eat fermented food, whole plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals), and dietary supplements.

1. Probiotics

These are the live organisms that when administered in adequate amounts benefit the host. It should not be confused with prebiotics (these are complex carbohydrate molecules).

Beneficial effects of probiotics:

1. Immunomodulation

• stimulate your immunity

• Prevent respiratory disease

• Improve resistance to allergies.

2. Metabolic effect

• Improve lactose digestion (hydrolyses lactose)

• Reduces cholesterol

• Prevent osteoporosis(enhances calcium metabolism)

• Anti-cancer activity (lower the toxigenic reaction in gut)

3. Promote intestinal composition

• Support digestive process

• Prevent irritable bowel syndrome

• Prevent travelers diarrhea

• Prevent antibiotic induced diarrhea

4. Therapeutic effects

• Prevent skin problems

• Prevent virus induced diarrhea

• Prevent urogenital infection

• Enhances synthesis of vitamins

Food with probiotics

• Yogurt

• Sourdough bread

• Pickles (achaar)

• Paneer (Indian cheese)

• Buttermilk

• Fermented soybean

• Kimchi

• Green peas

• Raw apple cider vinegar

• Cheese

• Japanese miso

• Beer

• Chocolate

• Cereals

• Cabbage

• Pearl millet

2. Dietary fibers

These are plant-based carbohydrates. Fibre has long been known as having an important role in the regulation of metabolism and the prevention of chronic gastroenterological diseases.

Benefits of dietary fibers

Foods with high fiber content include

• Whole-grain bread

• Fruits- apples, bananas, pears, strawberries, peaches, citrus fruits

• Cereals

• Vegetables-All green leafy vegetables.

• Legumes

• flaxseeds

• Nuts

• soy

• Berries

• Barley

• Peas, beans

• Potato

• Kiwi

• Avocado

• Tomatoes

• Bitter gourd

• Beetroot

• Almonds

• Peanut dry roasted

• Coconut (raw)

3. Supplements for gut health

These foods increase the gut microbial population.

1. Vitamin A,B2, D,E, C, K

2. Phosphorus- the recommended intake is 700-1000 mg for adults. Foods rich in phosphorus are- chicken, seafood, pumpkin seeds, nuts, whole grain, etc.

3. Beta-carotene-Carrots, pumpkins, mangos, spinach, sweet potato, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.

Magnesium- Spinach, nuts, legumes, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, soymilk. Oat milk etc.

4. Zinc-Meat, yogurt, cheese, fish, legumes, oysters, crabs.

5. Calcium- Milk, yogurt, tofu, fruit juices, salmon, soybean (cooked), chia seeds, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and apples.

7. Pomegranate

8. Green tea

9. Red wine

10. Iron supplements

11. Selenium

12. Cherry juice

43 best vegetables for gut health

The fiber we eat from vegetables is not digestible by humans but it can be easily broken by gut bacteria and this is how they multiply and maintain their insane population inside our bodies.

These are the best and most easily available vegetables that help to maintain the required gut environment with added benefits of immunity.  

1. Chickpeas

2. Kidney beans,

3. Black-eyed pea

4. Lentils

5. Mung beans

6. Peanuts

7. Pinto bean

8. Soybeans

9. Peas

10. Broccoli

11. Green cabbage

12. Red cabbage

13. Fennel (saunf)

14. Cauliflower

15. Celery/ajamoda

16. Bok choy/chinese cabbage

17. Collard greens/haak saag 

18. Kale/karam saag (a type of cabbage)

19. Spinach

20. Basil/ tulsi

21. Caraway/shahi jeera

22. Coriander

23. Chamomile/babuna

24. Dill/shopa/shepu/soa

25. Lemongrass

26. Parsley/ajamoda 

27. Rose merry/gulmehndi

28. Thyme/ajwain

29. Lettuce/salad patta

30. Okra (bhindi)

31. Garlic

32. White/red onion

33. Spring roll

34. Beetroot

35. Carrot

36. Ginger

37. Radish

38. Pumpkin

39. Potato

40. Sweet potato

41. Yam/ratalu

42. Sweetcorn

43. Tomato

Worst foods for gut health

You are what you eat. When you focus on what foods and supplements to be consumed you need to also look for the food to be avoided that will disrupt your gut health.

1. Red meat

Higher consumption of red meat contributes to the unbalanced composition of the gut microbial population. Increases growth of harmful bacteria.

You can replace it with seafood and plant protein like tofu.

2. Fried foods

Fried dishes have been shown to affect gut health where the gut health richness reduces and increases the cholesterol level too.

3. Foods with antibiotics

Nowadays farmers treat animals with to keep them healthy. Antibiotics do not distinguish between the bacteriae they just kill them, this sometimes makes the animals resistant to drugs and hence try to avoid these foods.

4. Alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption alters gut . Moderation is the key to a healthy gut.

5. Foods with artificial sweeteners

These sweeteners have shown pathogenic changes in gut microbial health.

6. Saturated food

Large intake of is linked with major gastrointestinal diseases.  

Take-Home Points

• Gut health is closely related to your immunity and almost all diseases.

• Eating the right vegetables in moderation will keep your gut healthy.

• You need to consider what food to avoid along with eating the right food.

• Disruption of gut health is linked to obesity, malnutrition, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and other primary gut diseases.