The best foods for your gut health

Posted 3 years ago by melsholisticlifestyle

Foods That Support Gut Health

If there are two things that I believe most when it comes to health and wellness, it would that gut health is extremely important and that the food you eat matters! Your diet will have the single biggest impact on the health of your gut and there by on your overall health and wellness. To quote Hippocrates “Let food by thy medicine and medicine thy food”. So, what exactly should one eat to support good gut health?

To eat or not to eat?

The most important thing to keep in mind for a healthy diet is to eat whole foods verses processed and refined foods. Every expert our there will have their opinion on what is best and what should be avoided but when it comes to diet there is no one size fits all. Some people will thrive on a plant-based diet, while others will thrive on a paleo diet, while others still will thrive on a low carb diet. The only food that I advocate against is glute. Gluten, specifically grown and processed in the US, is extremely gut damaging and I believe should be avoided by all. Regardless of what you eat it is important to consume whole foods. If you eat dairy consume a good quality raw dairy. If you eat meat consume pasture raised meats. Eat organic produce as much as possible to avoid GMOs and pesticides. Getting rid of processed food like substances will go a long way to supporting a healthy gut.

 

Foods that are good for the gut

Okay! So, we know that we need to eat whole foods and avoid processed foods, but which foods specifically support good gut health?

  1. Fermented foods: Fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, sourdough, yogurt, and kombucha are full of probiotics. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that when consumed repopulate our gut microbiome. These are important additions to any diet but are especially important if your microbiome is depleted or out of balance. We try to consume at least one fermented food each day. Sourdough is our personal favorite but it’s important to get a variety of fermented foods in your diet because different foods provide different strains of bacteria. Find my gluten free sourdough starter here.
  2. Greens: Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and kelp are not only nutrient dense but full of fiber and prebiotics. Fiber is crucial for your gut health to help support health bowl movements and is full of prebiotics to help feed the good bacteria. It is important to eat plenty of prebiotics in addition to probiotics. We aim for 2-3 servings of greens a day. If you have picky eaters a smoothie is a great way to hide those greens.
  3. Cocoa: Yep! Chocolate is good for your gut health. Before you run to the store to grab a Hershy’s though, it’s important to note that only real unrefined cocoa yields those benefits. Raw unrefined cocoa is a prebiotic and is a delicious way to support your gut. We add organic cocoa to a variety of recipes and smoothies throughout the week. It’s also important to note that too much sugar is very inflammatory and hard on the gut. Be sure to choose recipes that don’t use a lot of sweeteners.
  4. Bone Broth: Bone broth has many health benefits, you can read about them here, and supporting good gut health one of them. The gelatin in bone broth helps heal and repair the gut lining. Bone broth is a regular addition to our diet. We use it to make soups, stews, gravies, sauces, and even drink it plain. Fine my recipe for bone broth here.

Supplements to fill the gaps

Let’s face it, no one’s diet is perfect, mine included. Good, quality, food-based, supplements can help fill in the gaps where our diet is lacking. Here is a list of supplements that I use regularly for me and my family and where you can get them. You can also learn more about each of these companies here.

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