5 Gut-Friendly Foods

Gut health. You've probably heard the term but never realized what it really meant. Gut health is very important to our overall health. The gut is full of over 40 trillion bacteria that work hard around the clock to help our brains and bodies function the way they should. It affects how we respond to hunger hormones, how we balance our blood's glucose levels, and even how we store fat. If the gut isn't healthy, the rest of the body can experience a host of issues such as arthritis, heart disease, and obesity.

The food that we eat has one of the biggest impacts on our gut health. When surrounded by so many options, it can be hard to know which foods to choose to make sure you're helping your gut be as healthy as it can be. But you don't have to worry- this short article will give you a short list of foods that you can start with to begin pampering your gut and getting on the road to better health!

1. Fermented Foods

The process of fermentation of foods helps to crowd out unhealthy bacteria by providing healthy, living microorganisms, improving absorption of minerals, and supporting overall health. One by-product of this process is probiotics, which are crucial to a healthy gut. A list of gut-friendly foods in this category include:

• Sauerkraut
• Pickles
  
• Kimchi
  
• Miso
  
• Tempeh
  

2. Greens

Though they usually aren't everyone's favorite food group, some green vegetables can really help your gut health. Some of these vegetables include:

Cruciferous Greens: This family of leafy greens includes vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower. They can reduce inflammation in the colon, prevent some gastrointestinal diseases, and prevent "leaky gut" making sure your gut can absorb nutrients properly.

Seaweed: Seaweed helps increase good gut bacteria, slow down digestion, and strengthen gut mucus.

Asparagus: These stalks are rich in prebiotics and decrease bloating while promoting regularity.

3. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt has long been renowned as an excellent source of probiotics, which increases the number of good bacteria in your gut. This decreases the chance for bad bacteria to grow, making sure that you have a good balance. It can help to fight conditions such as diarrhea and can even help to relieve the symptoms of intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

4. Fruit

There are two main gut-friendly fruits that help to fight harmful gut bacteria while providing healthy bacteria as well as a steady and strong source of fiber to help regulate your gut environment.

• Bananas: Bananas help retsore harmony to the gut's ecosystem while also providing magnesium and potassium, which help fight inflammation.

• Apples: Apples are high in fiber and boost good gut bacteria.
  

5. Garlic

Though it's renowned for its pungent smell, garlic is a highly effective gut-friendly food that also happens to be great for overall health. It boosts the production of good gut microbes and may even prevent gastrointestinal diseases. Raw garlic, in particular, provides essential prebiotics to help balance your gut health.

Be Friendly to Your Gut!

The gut is the powerhouse of the entire body, so it deserves to be taken care of. By increasing your intake of these gut-friendly foods, you can be sure that your overall health and quality of life will improve.