Constant stomach churning, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and uncontrollable flatulence. It’s something no man, woman or child wants to be subjected to on a daily basis but these are the common symptoms of an unhealthy gut. Medically speaking, gut health covers the effective digestion and absorption of food, the absence of GI illness, normal and stable intestinal microbiota, effective immune status and a general state of well-being.
Whilst quantifying the exact levels of gut health can be difficult, there are proven ways to improve it through careful food supplementation. According to nutrition writer Max Lugarve, the secret to boosting your gut health lies in these nine simple foods which are both readily available and affordable. See the graphic provided below which lists the benefits of each food item.
View this post on Instagram
In the latest post, Lugarve claims that the impact of gut health extends beyond the midsection. “It’s important for nearly every aspect of your being including your weight, metabolism, inflammation, brain function, and more.”
The secret, according to the New York Times best-seller author, is natural fibre from whole foods which nourishes gut health. The broader benefits of eating more natural fibre has also been confirmed in a recent observational study, but as with many health food breakthroughs, quality always trumps quantity.
“When it comes to gut health, we want to aim for foods with prebiotic fibre. Prebiotic fibre is microbiota-accessable, meaning your gut bacteria will consume it and make them happy.”
There are a few warnings that come with consuming these gut-healing foods though. Lugarve says that the key is to go slow with these foods as a sudden increase in prebiotic fibre can cause pretty intense fermentation leading to bloating and worse, flatulence.
Once you’ve got that sorted, you can focus on boosting your metabolism and dropping weight with these everyday foods.