Gut health has become the buzzword in wellness circles and with good reason.
Our guts – the stomach, intestines, and colon – are home to thousands of species of unique, good bacteria that help regulate the body’s systems and digestive processes. Keeping the gut healthy with a nutritious diet has been shown to help humans live longer.
Good gut health is connected to better digestion, mood, and a healthy metabolism.
With that goal in mind, dietitians and nutritionists have analyzed the best and the worst foods to consume. However, nothing is “one size fits all” when it comes to dietary health.
“The digestive system is different for everyone,” Jamie Allers, a registered dietitian with Hartford HealthCare’s Digestive Health Institute, said in a statement.
“Pay attention to how your body responds to certain foods, and don’t hesitate to check in with your doctor or dietitian for personalized advice.”
Yogurt
Experts rely on yogurt to provide the gut with “friendly” bacteria known as probiotics. Found in fermented food and drinks, probiotics have been found to prevent the intestines from being invaded by unhealthy bacteria linked to anxiety, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases, according to Harvard Medical School.
People should include yogurt and other probiotic-rich foods in one or more meals a day. Other options include pickles and kombucha.
“Eating probiotics needs to be a regular thing,” Teresa Fung, an adjunct professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, explained. Fung noted that eating an occasional food with probiotics won’t do much to improve your gut health.
A meal rich in probiotics for breakfast could be a bowl of yogurt and granola with fruit. For lunch, try a kimchi salad, and round out dinner with a yogurt-based curry.
