We all know that food is important for overall health. Every type of food is made up of macro and micronutrients that help your body function optimally. There are even specific foods that help the bacteria in your gut, which helps with inflammation and prevents diseases.
Kimchi
Kimchi is a staple spicy vegetable in Korea that involves fermenting Napa cabbage in vinegar for several days. This process allows the sugars to be eaten by microorganisms, which creates probiotics. These probiotics help with digestion and add good bacteria to the gut, promoting better gut health. If you’re not a fan of spicy foods, a good alternative for Kimchi is sauerkraut, which is made the same way and contains similar probiotics.
Kombucha
Known for its vinegary taste, Kombucha is a carbonated tea that is created by adding a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) to black or green tea, and then it is fermented for at least a week. Kombucha has become increasingly popular over the years and can now be found in many stores. It is important to read labels to ensure that there are no added sweeteners, which won’t help your gut bacteria any more than a soda would.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a widely known and readily available probiotic that has lactic acid and beneficial bugs and is good for optimal gut health. Take a look at the ingredient list to steer clear from sugars, as many yogurts tend to sneak those in and have negative effects on your gut.
Beans
Of course fermented foods are important for enhancing gut health, but once the bacteria is in the gut, it needs to be fed to be maintained and to grow. Beans and legumes are great for this because they have a lot of fiber and are considered non-digestible carbohydrates, also known as prebiotics. While you may feel gassy after eating these prebiotics, that just means the good bugs inside your gut are doing their job.
Garlic
Garlic is another great prebiotic and anti-inflammatory for your gut. It contains really good fibers for the good bacteria to feed on, which helps balance the yeast and reduces the risk of heart disease. Garlic is an affordable produce that can be generously added to any dish so you can reap the benefits it has to offer.
Making sure you are providing your gut the proper nutrients it needs for optimal gut health is an important start to gaining overall health. This is only a small list of acceptable foods to consume to help you take control of your health. At Katy Gastro, we can help lead you in the right direction and answer any questions you may have about improving your gut health.
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