You are what you eat – and nowhere is that more true than in the gut.
Maintaining a healthy microbiome is critical to regulating digestion, warding off chronic disease and living longer, according to experts.
Consuming foods rich in fiber and other key nutrients ensure that the trillions of species of bacteria that naturally live in your intestines are well-nourished.
“If you take good care of your gut microbes, they’ll take good care of you,” Karen Corbin, a registered dietitian nutritionist, told The Washington Post.
Failing to do so can have major consequences for your health, raising the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Oatmeal
Fiber-rich foods are a crucial component of a healthy gut and can slash your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
In oatmeal, the carbohydrate helps create a gel-like material in the stomach that slows digestion.
“Oatmeal can really help with digestion and your gastrointestinal health,” registered dietitian Beth Czerwony told the Cleveland Clinic.
Making just half a cup of oatmeal for breakfast can give you about four grams, according to the clinic.
Your daily fiber intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food, according to UCSF Health. But, dietary fiber intake among American adults average about only 15 grams a day.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is an acquired taste, with a sour and savory kick. But, the fermented vegetable condiment contains “friendly” bacteria called probiotics that have been found to protect the intestines from unhealthy species, according to Harvard Medical School.
And you only need one tangy tablespoon to feel these benefits, researchers say.
“Along with eating more fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables, even if we have just a regular serving of sauerkraut, maybe putting these things more into our diet, we’ll find that can help us in the long run against inflammation,” UC Davis professor Maria Marco said in a statement.
Berries
Berries are one of the ultimate superfoods. In addition to providing fiberessential vitamins and minerals that protect many parts of the body, they also have prebiotics: other carbohydrates that promote a healthy gut.
Prebiotics help good gut microbes to grow, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Just sprinkle a handful of berries on your morning oatmeal or greek yogurt. The latter also contains probiotics.
“It’s a little sweetness with big benefits,” Jamie Allers, a registered dietitian with Hartford HealthCare’s Digestive Health Institute, explained.
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are also fiber-rich, containing up to four grams per spud. But, that’s not their only gut-related benefit.
Potatoes have starch that is an “excellent prebiotic,” Johanna Lemons, a researcher at the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.
“A steady supply of these helps the beneficial microbes to dominate the microbial community,” she said in a statement.
However, the next time you want fries, you should note that sweet potatoes are the healthier choice – giving people more bone-protecting potassium than a banana.