Our gut health affects our entire body, so if we’re not taking care of our tummies this can lead to poor sleep, fatigue, irritated skin, food intolerance and autoimmune conditions. The good thing is it’s quite simple to improve your gut health, as many foods that contain good bacteria can easily be introduced into your daily diet. The best thing to do is eat a healthy, balanced diet filled with plant-based foods and fibre-rich foods, drink plenty of water, reduce stress levels and do some form of exercise daily. Here are five foods that you can incorporate into your diet for a healthier gut...
1. oats
A staple breakfast food, oats are high in three different types of fibre which are essential for healthy gut bacteria – insoluble fibre (the fibre that helps keep things moving throughout your digestive system), soluble fibre (the fibre that helps keep you fuller for longer and reduces cholesterol) and resistant starch (this acts as a fuel for your gut bacteria).
2. legumes
Legumes, including peas, chickpeas, beans, and lentils, are another great source of fibre. They’re also really easy to incorporate into your daily diet, legumes are delicious in soups, curries, salads and any Mexican dish.
3. yoghurt
Yoghurt is naturally high in probiotics, which are the good bacteria that’s found in your gut. Foods like yoghurt help transport this good bacteria to your gut, so it’s great to consume these foods regularly. We love having yoghurt as a snack with fruit and nuts, or using it instead of cream when we’re making curries, pasta sauces or salad dressing. If you’re not able to eat dairy, you can substitute for coconut yoghurt.
4. sauerkraut
A great source of fibre, probiotics and vitamins, sauerkraut is an amazing superfood that not only helps improve your gut health, but also improves your digestion and boosts your immune system. Sauerkraut gets all its benefits from the fermentation process which breaks down the carbohydrates in food and creates conditions that promote the growth of probiotics. We love adding some sauerkraut to our salads, in sandwiches or as a side with eggs for breakfast.
5. almonds
A handful of almonds makes a great mid-morning or afternoon snack as they are high in fibre which keeps you feeling full, and they’re also full of probiotics and fatty acids. You can have almonds by themselves as a snack, or add them to your smoothies, muffins or salads.
