Eat these expert-approved foods to keep your gut healthy and happy

Eating the best foods for gut health is vital to your overall well-being. Research underscores the importance of the gut-brain connection. What we feed our bodies can affect not only how our bellies feel, but how our entire body feels and functions. In fact, creating a nutritious menu filled with vitamins, fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics can go a long way toward improving digestive and bowel health.

Having the appropriate amount of bacteria inside your gut helps process foods and keeps your body nourished and healthy in every respect, explains Rudolph Bedford, MD, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California. The bottom line is that your gut is the center of the universe. Anything that enters your intestines will essentially affect every other organ in your body.

If your gut is shut down you may experience symptoms such as chronic constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, depression and lack of sleep, according to Keri Gans, RDN, the author of The diet of small changes and podcast host of The Keri Report. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with these symptoms.

Ready to reap some serious gut-enhancing benefits? Try adding some of these foods to your diet.

1. Kimchi

Kimchi, fermented cabbage, is one of Gans best foods for boosting gut health. Fermentation results in postbiotics, nonliving metabolites that provide health benefits when consumed, says Gans. Research on postbiotics has shown that they help balance the microbiome in our gut and maintain digestive health.

2. Ginger

While some may complain of bloating after consuming ginger, according to Dr. Bedford, it tends to be a great food for regulating gut health (and adding some flavor to your dishes). It reduces intestinal inflammation and fermentation, helps with bowel habits or bowel movements, and contains antioxidants, says Dr. bedford.

3. Black beans

You may have heard that high-fiber foods are good for your health, this also applies to your gut. Black beans are high in fiber, both insoluble and soluble, says Gans. Insoluble fiber in particular has been associated with reducing the risk of constipation.

4. Almonds

Almonds are full of healthy fats, fiber and protein and are a great option for supporting your overall health. These nuts help support the gut microbiome, says Dr. Bedford, and are definitely good for gut health.

5. Yogurt

Gans recommends adding yogurt to your diet as it’s a great option for a probiotic-rich food. Probiotics are made up of living microorganisms that help increase the good bacteria in our gut, explains Gans. Additionally, yogurt can easily be eaten as a tasty snack or added to foods such as smoothies, soups, dressings, baked goods, and more.

6. Bananas

If you’re looking to add more fruit to your diet, Dr. Bedford recommends eating more bananas. They’re high in fiber, which aids in digestion and helps you feel full longer. Bananas also contain prebiotics, which help the good bacteria in your gut (aka probiotics) thrive, Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, previously explained of the health benefits of bananas.

7. Apples

The phrase an apple a day keeps the doctor away may actually have some merit. Along with bananas, apples are definitely a good fruit for gut health, notes Dr. Bedford. This fruit is also rich in fiber and prebiotics.

8. Pears

Pears are another great fruit to add to your menu because they’re also a good source of fiber, especially soluble fiber, explains Gans. Soluble fiber helps promote regular bowel movements.

9. Asparagus

Asparagus is a prebiotic food that’s good for your gut, explains Gans. Prebiotics are food for the good bacteria in your gut that help it thrive and maintain a healthy microbiome balance.

10. Cabbage

Like asparagus, kale is a leafy green vegetable, which is a variety that Dr. Bedford notes is rich in various vitamins and antioxidants that are certainly important not only for gut health, but for your overall health as well. .

11. Collard greens

If you’re looking for more leafy greens to add to your plate, look no further than kale. This vegetable is high in fiber (you guessed it) and has a high water content, which aids in digestion.

12. Salmon

Fish lovers, rejoice. Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce any potential inflammation in your gut, explains Gans.

13. Onions

Onions are another great food rich in probiotics that help contribute to better gut health, according to Dr. bedford. Also, onions are great for adding a lot of flavor to a variety of dishes.

14. Sauerkraut

If you’ve ever topped your hot dog with sauerkraut, you’ve done your gut a favor. This fermented cabbage is a probiotic-rich food that makes for a tasty side dish or condiment.

15. kefir

Think of kefir as more fermented (milk-derived) yogurt. Dr. Bedford recommends this probiotic powerhouse as it aids in digestive and immune system health. Anything that is fermented is essentially good probiotic food, explains Dr. Bedford.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are living microorganisms, says Gans. These microorganisms are bacteria commonly referred to as good bacteria. These good bacteria can be found in many foods (as well as probiotic supplements) and help contribute to a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut and the rest of your body.

What are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics and probiotics are actually very different, but we depend on both for optimal gut health. While probiotics, like yogurt or miso, are foods fortified with good gut microflora, prebiotics are foods that have the nutrients to nourish that gut microflora, Sunny Jain, molecular biologist and founder of Sun Genomics explained earlier. The purpose of a prebiotic food is not to provide nutrition for you and your physiology, but for your commensal gut microbes and their microphysiology, widely referred to as gut health, Jain added.