Your gut health plays a large role in your overall well-being. The state of your gut is linked to mental health, immunity, and conditions like diabetes and heart diseases. Time to take care of it! Read more to learn about food to improve gut health.
To boost your gut health, it is essential to include prebiotic food, probiotic food, and fibre-rich foods into your daily diet.
Probiotic foods
Probiotic foods are beneficial microorganisms, including a variety of yeast and bacteria, that multiply in food through fermentation. Ancient civilizations have been fermenting food as a way to preserve food. Probiotics are essential, as they help your body build and repair good bacteria in the lining of the gut. Overall, very important to improve gut health!
Probiotic foods include:
- Tempeh
- Kombucha
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Water kefir
- Miso
- Sourdough
- Yogurt
- Pickled vegetables (e.g. pickles and onions)
Prebiotic foods
Prebiotic foods are soluble fibres that keep these probiotic compounds alive. They contain compounds that are types of soluble dietary fibres such as fructooligosaccharides, inulin and galactooligosaccharides, which act like fuel for bacteria in the gut.
Prebiotic foods include:
- Bananas
- Asparagus
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Oats
- Onions
- Soybeans
- Mushrooms
- Chickpeas
Fibre
“Eat your fibres”- you have probably heard it a dozen times. Eating a diet rich in fibre is essential for health and for a healthy gut. Fibre is the parts of food that cannot be completely broken down by our digestive enzymes.
There are two kinds of fibres.
Soluble fibre (found in oatmeal, chia seeds, nuts, beans, lentils, fruit) and insoluble fibre (found in whole grains, leafy greens, seeds, and fruit with edible skins).
With an increase in insoluble fibre, you will notice easier digestion, and constipation is prevented. Soluble fibre can help with lowering glucose and blood cholesterol levels.
Fibre is super beneficial in improving gut health!
You can find fibres in the following foods:
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Fruit (e.g. berries, apples, pears, oranges)
- Vegetables (e.g. squash, artichokes, potatoes, broccoli, green peas)
So how do you incorporate these foods into your daily diet? What do you even eat? Well, luckily there are many delicious meals you can make with prebiotic, probiotic, and fibre-rich ingredients.
Check out our reBUILD program.
The reBUILD gut reset program includes a nourishing full day menu made from 150 different ingredients to keep you full & satiated.
The reBUILD program is rich in ingredients that support a reduction in bloating. These ingredients include foods rich in prebiotic soluble fibres such as oats, onions, mushrooms, soybeans, and chickpeas. Fruits and vegetables in reBUILD also contain phytochemicals and fibre - debloating stars! Prebiotics are soluble fibres that nourish probiotic compounds. They act as fuel for gut bacteria and support healthy digestion. Fibre is essential to gut health as it accelerates the growth of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which regulate critical functions of the gut. Phytochemicals can help reduce bloating and inflammation in the body.
Conclusion
In conclusion, prioritising your gut health is a simple yet impactful step towards overall well-being. By incorporating probiotic-rich foods like plant-based yoghurt and sauerkraut, prebiotic foods such as garlic and bananas, and fibre sources like whole grains and vegetables into your daily meals, you can support a flourishing gut microbiome. Remember, a healthy gut equals a healthier you!