4 foods and supplements to help you have a healthy gut
The food you eat can have a significant impact on your gut bacteria diversity.
In general, high intakes of animal proteins, saturated fats, sugar and salt can create an environment in which pathogenic bacteria thrives.
On the contrary, eating complex carbohydrates, plant proteins, omega-3, polyphenols and micronutrients is associated with better beneficial bacteria growth and function.
As well as following the above advice, the following foods may help you maintain a healthy gut:
1. Yoghurt
Yoghurt is made by fermenting lactic acid in milk with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. There is evidence that consuming yoghurt with live and active cultures, like probiotic yoghurt, can improve digestion for those with a lactose intolerance.23
2. Probiotic foods
Probiotics are live microorganisms that interact with your own microbiota, sometimes helping to restore a balance.24 You can also get probiotic drinks that work in the same way. Examples of probiotic foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, kimchi, and tempeh.
3. Prebiotic fibre
Prebiotics are non-digestible foods (fibre that passes through the GI tract undigested) that can be beneficial for gut health. Because we can’t metabolise them like normal foods, our gut bacteria metabolises them into short-chain fatty acids, which help our bodies with a number of tasks.25 Examples of foods high in prebiotics include: bananas, onions, artichokes, garlic, oats, honey and asparagus.
4. Vitamins and minerals
Micronutrients are important for supporting energy metabolism, immune function and cellular growth, and they can also have a positive effect on your gut. B vitamins have been seen to be synthesised by fecal microbiota, and vitamin D has been seen to increase the abundance of potential beneficial bacterial strains.