Eating for Gut Health
If you are reading this post, you know that gutzy is all about gut health. We love the great educational articles that have been – and continuing to be written – about gut health. What it is, why it’s important and what you can do to optimize it. Read on for highlights from one article, identifying the 5 key areas of eating for gut health.
1) EAT MORE FIBER!
Fiber helps to keep you regular (she’s referencing poop here!) and keeps the digestive tract moving. 2 types of fiber are important to know about: soluble and insoluble. We need both, as each type works a little differently. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel in the GI tract, passes through to the gut microbiome to nourish the gut’s beneficial bacteria. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and adds ‘bulk’ to keep things moving. Get your fiber from a variety of plant-based foods like bananas, asparagus, flaxseed, garlic, oats, and of course gutzy organic!
2) FEED THE GUT MICROBIOME WITH PREBIOTICS!
Prebiotics are usually soluble fibers that are not digested in our stomach but pass through to the small intestines and are food for the good bacteria that already live there. Prebiotics help the good bacteria to thrive and grow, crowding out harmful bacteria that also are in the gut. Prebiotic food sources include onions, garlic, flaxseed, seaweed, dandelion greens and apples. Gutzy uses organic prebiotic acacia, from the gum (sap) of the Acacia Tree.
3) PROBIOTICS TO INCREASE BENEFICIAL BACTERIA!
Probiotic foods contain beneficial bacteria that add to the gut microbiome. Foods like kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha are good sources of probiotics.
4) ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS TO KEEP YOUR GUT HAPPY!
Broadly speaking, foods that have anti-inflammatory properties are a great source of vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and/or omega-3 fatty acids. Many of these are plant-based fiber-rich foods! Berries, nuts, dark green leafy veggies, tea, ginger, and dandelion, as well as fatty fish like salmon and anchovies, are rich in anti-inflammatory properties.
5) REDUCE OR ELIMINATE INFLAMMATORY FOODS!
The foods listed above make your gut, and in turn you, feel better. And then there are the foods that drive an inflammation response and hurt your gut and body. Usually these foods are highly processed, fried and/or have added sugars. Busy lifestyles often lead us to make sub-optimal food choices – grabbing whatever is easiest – to satisfy our hunger. Reducing these food choices may go a long way to keep your gut microbiome in healthy balance.
Check out the full article in Real Simple! https://www.realsimple.com/best-foods-for-gut-health-7098940
Source: Manian, Christina. “The 5 Food Pillars of Eating for Gut Health, according to a Registered Dietitian. RealSimple.com, Jan. 25, 2023. https://www.realsimple.com/best-foods-for-gut-health-7098940