How to Eat for Gut Health

Your gut health is very important for your overall health and wellbeing. Poor gut health could cause pain, discomfort, gas, and even diseases like irritable bowel syndrome. The good news is that your diet plays a huge role in your gut health, so by following the right diet, you could improve your condition significantly. There are a few important guidelines to follow so you eat the right foods and avoid harmful ones. With some discipline, you can design a diet that’s best for your gut health.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Following the Right Diet

1. Eat at least 30 grams of fiber every day. Fiber helps food and waste move through your digestive system, making it a very important nutrient for your digestive health. Most people don’t get enough fiber, so if you’re having any digestive issues, then increasing your fiber intake is a good first step. Get at least 30 grams of fiber every day to keep your digestion moving smoothly.^[1]
   
   • Some of the best fiber foods are beans, legumes, leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, whole wheat or whole grain breads, and fortified cereals and oatmeal.
   • Some signs that you don’t have enough fiber in your diet are constipation, gas, bloating, and abdominal pain.
2. Consume at least 7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A mostly plant-based diet is best for your digestive health. You don’t have to become a vegetarian, but eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as you can. Try to include 1 or 2 fruit and vegetable servings with each meal, as well as snacking on some throughout the day.^[2]
   
   • Fresh varieties of fruits and vegetables are better than frozen or canned, but these preserved types will also work.
   • Dried fruits like raisins are a great snack and easy way to add more fruit to your diet.
   • Make sure you check the added sugar content in canned or cupped fruit. Sometimes it’s stored in syrup, which adds a ton of sugar to your diet. Look for fruit stored in plain fruit juice or water instead.
3. Replace white bread and flour with whole grain varieties. Whole grain products not only have more fiber than white products, but they also have more nutrients overall. Take note of all the white breads, rice, pasta, and cereals in your diet. Then go shopping and replace as many as you can with brown or whole wheat types instead.^[3]
   
   • For example, if you normally eat white bread, white rice, and regular pasta, switch to whole grain bread, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta.
   • White flour products also have a high glycemic index, meaning they make your blood sugar spike. This can set you up for diabetes later in life.
4. Get your animal protein from lean sources. Lean protein sources like poultry and fish have less saturated fats and chemicals than red or processed meats. This is better for your digestive system, and also for your overall health. Try to limit your meat servings to 3 per day for the best digestive health.^[4]
   
   • If you want to eliminate meat altogether, you can get plenty of protein from other sources. Beans, eggs, nuts, quinoa, lentils, and soy are all packed with protein.
5. Include probiotic foods to increase the good bacteria in your gut. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that are good for your gut health. They live in your digestive system naturally, but you can boost their numbers with foods high in probiotics. Try adding more of these foods to your diet to support the healthy bacteria in your system.^[5]
   
   • Fermented foods often contain probiotics. Try eating sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, miso, kimchi, kombucha, or Greek yogurt.
   • Remember that you can overdo it with probiotics too. If you experience increased gas or bloating that lasts for more than a few days, then reduce your intake of probiotic foods.
6. Mix in some prebiotic foods to feed healthy guy bacteria. While probiotic foods add good bacteria to your gut, prebiotics are food for the good bacteria that are already there. This supports the growth of more good bacteria in your gut so it outnumbers any harmful bacteria in there.^[6]
   
   • Some good prebiotic foods include oats, asparagus, dandelion greens, leeks, garlic, flaxseed, bananas, and apples.
7. Stay hydrated to keep your digestion moving smoothly. Water helps food move through your digestive system, and dehydration can cause constipation and abdominal pains. Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day to stay well-hydrated.^[7]
   
   • It’s also a good idea to drink a glass of water after eating. This aids in the digestive process.^[8]
   • This 8-10 glasses recommendation is just a guideline, and you might need more if you live in a hot climate or are physically active. Drink enough so your urine is light yellow and you don’t feel thirsty.

[Edit]Cutting Out Problem Foods

1. Avoid processed foods to maintain a good bacterial balance. Highly processed foods can change the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut, leading to poor gut health.^[9] As much as possible, stick to foods that are made from fresh ingredients. Avoid things like:
   
   • Processed meats, such as hot dogs or packaged lunch meats
   • Prepackaged snacks and desserts, like potato chips or packaged cookies and pastries
   • Canned soups or pastas
   • Microwaveable frozen dinners
2. Eliminate as much added sugar as you can. Sugar can not only upset your stomach, but it’s also food for harmful bacteria in your GI tract. Sugar also contributes to weight gain, which affects your digestive health. It’s best to cut out as much added sugar as you can. Avoid desserts, sodas, and sugary cereals, and control the amount of sugar you add to coffee or tea.^[10]
   
   • Added sugars are different from naturally occurring sugars, like the ones in fruit. Added sugars are the ones you have to limit.
   • Get into the habit of checking nutrition labels on everything you buy. A lot of foods have added sugars that you might not expect, like yogurt with fruit on the bottom.
3. Reduce your intake of fatty or greasy foods. These ingredients, especially saturated fats, are harder to digest. They increase your stomach acids and can cause heartburn. Try to avoid fried, cured, or processed foods as much as possible, especially meat. Replace them with lean meats or plant sources instead.^[11]
   
   • If you eat poultry or fish, try removing the skin to consume less fat.^[12]
   • White meat on poultry has less saturated fat than brown meat.
   • Try using cooking spray instead of oil or butter to reduce your fat intake.
4. Eat only 2 servings of red meat per week. Red meat contains a lot of saturated fats and chemicals that can upset your stomach. High consumption of red meat is associated with a higher incidence of colon cancer and other GI problems. If you regularly eat red meats, reduce your consumption to 2 servings per week at most.^[13]
   
   • Although pork and lamb are often considered white meats, nutritionally, they’re red meats and the USDA classifies them as such.^[14]
   • Replace your red meat servings with white meat poultry or fish instead.
5. Limit your caffeine intake if it bothers your stomach. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. They may experience heartburn, bloating, or diarrhea if they drink too much of it. If you notice GI issues after having caffeine, then reduce your consumption to 1 or 2 drinks per day to see if that helps.^[15]
   
   • Remember that coffee isn’t the only drink that contains caffeine. Tea, energy drinks, and soda have it also.
6. Drink alcohol in moderation to avoid heartburn. Alcohol commonly causes an upset stomach and other digestive trouble. If you regularly drink, limit your consumption to an average of 1-2 drinks per day to avoid problems.^[16]
   
   • Avoid binge drinking as well. Even if you don’t drink regularly, overdoing it one night will probably upset your stomach for a while.
   • Some people are more sensitive to alcohol than others. If you regularly get heartburn while drinking, then it’s best to cut alcohol out altogether.

[Edit]Adding Supplements

1. Use fiber supplements if you aren’t getting enough from your diet. If you have problems with constipation and aren’t getting enough fiber from your regular diet, then a daily fiber supplement can help. These usually come in powder form. Mix the powder into a glass of water and drink the whole thing once per day.^[17]
   
   • Confirm the dosing instructions on the supplement that you use, since different brands might have different directions.
   • Starting on fiber supplements usually causes excess gas for a few days, so start small at first. Take half the recommended dosage until you get used to it.
   • Doctors usually recommend that you get as much fiber as possible from your diet before starting on supplements. Try to make dietary changes first and see if that helps.
2. Take probiotics to increase your good gut bacteria. If you aren’t getting enough probiotics from your regular diet, then you can boost the good bacteria in your gut with probiotic supplements in pill form. Get a product with at least 1 billion live cultures and take it as often as the package directs you to.^[18]
   
   • Probiotics are usually safe, but check with your doctor before taking any supplements.
   • Some gas and bloating are common when you start taking probiotics. This should clear up in a few days when your body gets used to the supplements.
   • There are many probiotic brands available. It’s best to search online and see which specific brands have been studied in clinical trials to confirm which ones are effective.
3. Try supporting your gut bacteria with prebiotic supplements. These supplements provide food for the good bacteria in your GI tract. There are many brands available, so, just like with probiotics, check which types have been studied. When you pick a brand, take it exactly as directed.^[19]
   
   • It's also common to experience some gas and bloating when you start taking prebiotics. Wait a few days to see if this passes.

[Edit]Tips

• If you’ve improved your diet and lifestyle but still experience digestive issues, then see your doctor to rule out any underlying issues.
• Regular exercise is also important for your digestive health. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

[Edit]Warnings

• If you experience severe abdominal pain or swelling, bloody stool, or persistent vomiting or diarrhea, contact your doctor right away. These are potentially serious problems that you should try to treat at home.^[20]
• Always check with your doctor before taking any supplements to make sure they're right for you.
• Smoking tobacco can harm the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about the best way to quit. Quitting will help restore that balance and improve your overall health.^[21]
• Never take antibiotics without a prescription from your doctor, since using antibiotics inappropriately can harm the beneficial bacteria in your gut.^[22] Eventually, this can damage the lining of your intestine, which can cause a “leaky gut.”

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/good-foods-to-help-your-digestion/
2. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14122-digestive-tract-health
3. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-foods-to-improve-your-digestion
4. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-foods-to-improve-your-digestion
5. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-get-more-probiotics
6. ↑ https://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/blog/blog-posts/2019/5/the-10-best-prebiotic-foods-for-ibd/
7. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/good-foods-to-help-your-digestion/
8. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/digestion/faq-20058348
9. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872783/
10. ↑ https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/eating-healthy-colon
11. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/good-foods-to-help-your-digestion/
12. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14122-digestive-tract-health
13. ↑ https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/eating-healthy-colon
14. ↑ https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Is-pork-white-meat
15. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/good-foods-to-help-your-digestion/
16. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-foods-to-avoid-when-digestive-troubles-arise/
17. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/fiber-supplements/faq-20058513
18. ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-what-you-need-to-know
19. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/prebiotics-probiotics-and-your-health/art-20390058
20. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/abdominal-pain/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050728
21. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162563/
22. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4831151/

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