Best Foods For Gut Health
Having a Healthy Gut May Be Key to Weight Loss — Here Are the Best Foods to Eat
Did you know that having a healthy gut has benefits beyond digestion? It actually plays an important role in how your body functions from boosting your immune system to aiding weight loss. That's right — a 2013 study showed that obese women saw significant results by improving their gut health.
Health and science journalist Max Lugavere took to Instagram to share the importance of nourishing your gut. And the best way to do that is by consuming more dietary fibre. You may be familiar with probiotics, which are live bacteria found in fermented foods like yoghurt. But Max says to choose foods with prebiotic fibre, which promote the growth of "good" bacteria.
"Prebiotic fibre are microbiota-accessable, meaning your gut bacteria will consume it and make them happy," he wrote.
Here are nine of the top gut-healing foods that Max recommends:
- Garlic (prebiotic, antiviral, antifungal)
- Leeks (prebiotic, antioxidant)
- Onions (prebiotic, antioxidant)
- Jicama (prebiotic)
- Kale (prebiotic, antioxidant)
- Sunchokes (prebiotic)
- Bone broth (healing)
- Turmeric (antioxidant)
- Capers (prebiotic, antioxidant)
However, if you're just beginning to incorporate these foods into your diet, Max suggests to do so slowly. Otherwise, a sudden increase can lead to intense gas and bloating.
