Every year, gastroenterologists and health experts recommend adding certain foods to a healthy diet to ensure gut health. While some foods can make digestion and overall gut health worse, some can improve digestion, absorb essential nutrients, reduce inflammation, and keep your microbiome balanced.

What is Gut Health?

Before we discuss some superfoods for gut health, let’s review a few basics about gut health. The human digestive system consists of multiple organs that helps break down and absorb the nutrients from food. It also contains millions of bacteria and other microorganisms (known as “microbiome”) that help digest food and improve overall health.

Sometimes, poor diet can disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, leading to digestive issues such as bloating, gas, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food allergies or sensitivities. Eating certain foods can help maintain a healthy balance of microbes in the gut and provide essential nutrients for good health.

7 Superfoods for Gut Health

• Sourdough – While most people think that this is just a trend, sourdough is a great source of probiotics. Probiotics are essential for gut health since they help balance the levels of good and bad bacteria in our microbiome. Sourdough also contains prebiotic fibres which provide food for beneficial bacteria – making it an excellent choice for improving digestion and reducing inflammation.

• Olive Oil – Olive oil is a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats which promote gut health and help reduce inflammation. It also helps absorb essential vitamins and minerals, as well as improve the absorption of phytochemicals from vegetables. Why not use olive oil in your salads or drizzle it over cooked vegetables for a delicious and nutritious meal?

• Green Leafy Vegetables – Kale, spinach, collards, Swiss chard…if you’re looking for gut-friendly foods then look no further than green leafy vegetables. These greens are packed with essential vitamins and minerals as well as dietary fibre and prebiotics – both of which are essential for maintaining good gut health.

• Organic Baobab – Organic baobab is a superb source of prebiotic fibres that help feed beneficial bacteria in the gut. It also helps restore healthy gut bacteria, reduce inflammation, and provide essential vitamins and minerals for good health. As time goes on, we’re learning more about this amazing food, so why not visit the website of a provider and try it now?

• Bananas – Ah, the reliable banana. This everyday snack is a brilliant source of dietary fibre which helps improve digestion and keep the microbiome balanced. Bananas are also high in potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C – all essential nutrients for your overall health and wellness.

• Pumpkin Seeds – Don’t underestimate pumpkin seeds as they contain essential minerals such as copper, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. These minerals reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and keep the microbiome healthy. Plus, they are a good source of healthy fats which provides energy for your daily activities.

• Ginger – A superfood in its own right, ginger can be used to treat common digestive disorders such as nausea and bloating. The active compounds found in ginger reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and absorb essential nutrients. You can use it in a variety of dishes or just sip on a cup of hot ginger tea after meals.

All these superfoods are simple and easy to incorporate into your daily diet. So, why not give them a try and start improving your gut health today? Whether you try one or several of these suggestions, it won’t be long before your gut health improves!