Top Foods for Digestion
Diet influences digestion in many ways. Our digestive tracts house thousands of different types of bacteria, which all help to digest food and send signals to the body. We can change the makeup of these bacteria (which comprise our gut microbiome) depending on what we eat.
Having a healthy gut means normal digestion and bowel movements. A healthy gut can also influence other factors like mood, skin health, and sleep. The more diverse the gut microbiome, the healthier our gut and the more likely our bodies reap these benefits.
Sometimes, populations of “bad” bacteria can outgrow the “good” bacteria. This can cause symptoms like bloating, gas, acne, low energy, poor sleep, and altered mood. Some conditions such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can play a role in activating gut dysbiosis and therefore these symptoms. However, diet is the stronger predictive factor for the composition of our gut microbiome.
So how to we get “good” bacteria to grow and diversify? Just like we want diversity in the gut, we also want to focus on diversity in the diet. This means eating a range of different fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and proteins to expose the gut to different types of nutrients.
We also want to focus more on fiber-rich plant foods and less on concentrated sweets, packaged snack foods, fast foods, and fried foods. Healthy food groups like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes contain fiber which feed the bacteria in the gut and help them thrive. Processed foods and fast foods contain ingredients that feed only a certain type of bacteria, and frequent consumption of these foods can cause GI and associated symptoms.
The benefit of plant foods is that they also contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and special plant compounds that benefit the rest of the body as well. For example, tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants to fight inflammation, and lycopene, which is a phytonutrient (a special plant compound) that has been shown to help fight cancer.
Below is a list of foods that not only benefit digestion, but the gut microbiome as a whole:
Ginger: ginger is one of the best ingredients for optimal digestion. It contains a phytonutrient called gingerol, which improves gastric motility (the speed at which food exits your GI tract). For this reason it’s a great natural option for nausea relief as well as bloating. Ginger has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. *Boil a knob of ginger in hot water and add lemon or green tea for a gut-soothing beverage.
Yogurt: yogurt contains live active cultures of bacteria, or probiotics, that help add to the populations already present in the gut. Yogurt is a great option for those with mild lactose intolerance, as this is generally a more tolerable form of dairy. Eat yogurt with antibiotic treatment to help prevent “good” bacteria from dying off. *Add yogurt to smoothies or eat with fruit and chia seeds for breakfast or a snack.
Chia seeds: chia seeds are small, but pack a fiber punch! Did you know that 2 tbsp of chia seeds has about 10g fiber? Chia seeds create a gelatin-like substance in your gut that aids in gastric motility. The fiber in chia seeds acts as food for the bacteria in your gut to grow. Chia seeds also contain omega-3s, which are healthy fats essential for heart and brain health. *Add chia seeds to smoothies, oats, yogurt bowls, cereal, and salads for an extra fiber and healthy fat.
Whole grains: whole grains like oats, quinoa, farro, and brown rice help feed the bacteria in your gut while adding bulk to stool. Whole grains are also beneficial because they contain some protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. *Did you know that oats are a good mood food? They contain natural melatonin to aid with sleep and can help boost serotonin.
Green veggies: green veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli, asparagus, and bok choy are high in insoluble fiber, which helps with gastric motility. They are also high in magnesium, which aids in healthy digestion and has also been shown to boost sleep. *Pro tip: many green veggies like spinach contain iron. If you add a squeeze of lemon to your greens, it will help to bring out the iron and aid in circulatory health.
As always with our diet, fiber, protein, and healthy fat should be the template for balance. When we stick to a balanced diet at each meal and snack, we improve not only our satiety and satisfaction, but also the diversity in our gut.
Which gut-healthy foods will you try?
By Jessica Kaplan