From the moment you put food in your mouth, your digestive system is hard at work. Think of it as a choreographed ballet in which your body performs the many steps needed to break down the foods you eat and unlock the vitamins, minerals, calories, fats, carbs, and proteins you need. It then efficiently cleansweeps what’s left and sends it out of the body. You likely don’t think about such complex mechanisms until something goes wrong. Fortunately, you can take steps to avoid issues like cramping, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. One of the easiest digestive health tips is to fuel up with foods that are good for digestion. “The best way to do that is to have a well-rounded diet, having adequate fiber from a diverse source of fruits and vegetables of different colors that feed different bacteria in the microbiome ,” says Suzie Finkel, RD , a dietitian at New York Gastroenterology Associates in New York City. The gut microbiome is where trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi live in the digestive tract.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762916de7fd9-35df-4760-a27a-8472c5d009d4 “When thinking of digestion, it’s good to look at avoiding foods that cause inflammation,” says Finkel. She suggests following an anti-inflammatory diet , which is beneficial to overall health, as well as digestion. And there are more delicious foods good for digestion. Put the following nine “ superfoods ” on your plate and discover how with a little ingenuity, staying “regular” can be delicious.
Speed Digestion With Sauerkraut You may think of sauerkraut as just something to pile on a hot dog, but chomping on the popular condiment actually helps digestion. That’s because sauerkraut and other fermented foods contain beneficial bacteria called probiotics that make them easier to digest.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e5f9db30-8c61-41cb-b0f2-780893ffc84a Many probiotic foods like sauerkraut also contain prebiotics , which feed the helpful probiotic gut bugs living in your colon. Other fermented fare you may want to try are kefir (made from fermented milk) and kimchi (Korean pickled cabbage).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e5f9db30-8c61-41cb-b0f2-780893ffc84a “Fermented foods eaten as an appetizer are a staple of different traditional cultures because of how they prepare the GI tract for digestion,” says Finkel. Speed Digestion With Sauerkraut
Get Loads of Fiber From Beans Fiber — it’s essential for digestion. It can help you prevent constipation and stay at a healthy weight, as well as reduce your risk of health conditions like diabetes , heart disease , and certain cancers.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762991e8a4ed-ea04-4e43-8102-d71813fff513 Beans, such as navy, kidney, and black beans, are an easy way to hit that daily target. Navy beans have a whopping 19 grams of fiber per cup.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291cb521aa-8bb2-461e-bf12-9856b2a53efa Get Loads of Fiber From Beans
Kiwi a Day Keeps Constipation Away The fuzzy fruit packed with vitamin C is making waves in the gastrointestinal community since recent research found that people who ate two kiwis a day were relieved of their constipation better than patients who consumed prunes or psyllium. The group assigned kiwis also had fewer negative side-effects and enjoyed their high-fiber food most.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d09e874c-2fd2-4d1b-879b-ac6098183934 “We really want people to use whole foods to help their digestion, and kiwis are a great way to help yourself out,” says Finkel. “They’re tasty, enjoyable, and easy to eat.” Kiwi a Day Keeps Constipation Away
Reap the Gut-Friendly Benefits of Yogurt Our digestive tract is full of bacteria, fungi, and even viruses. As mentioned, the collection of these microorganisms live in delicate balance in the gut microbiome, which is why what you feed your microbiome can make a difference. Foods like yogurt contain probiotics, which help support your microbiome.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293af29a34-7ee9-45ee-acaf-03be7916a6a0 “We encourage probiotics,” says the gastroenterologist Peter L. Moses, MD , a professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington. If you’re not a yogurt fan, don’t fret: Dr. Moses says that some supplements contain better strains of probiotics, but he adds a disclaimer. “The evidence for a therapeutic effect of probiotics alone is lacking. Like any nonscientific therapeutic, probiotics are encouraged when they are part of a program that patients find clearly helpful for symptoms. Such a program may include prebiotic fiber and other proven recommendations.” Reap the Gut-Friendly Benefits of Yogurt
Lower Inflammation With Fish Rich in Omega-3s Fish containing omega-3 fatty acids can benefit not only your heart, but your digestive tract as well because the omega-3 fatty acids help tamp down inflammation.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ae4b04a6-9ee7-46e3-91bf-0ff75d94ac67 To start, you can try to move toward an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet and add fatty fish like salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, and mackerel to your diet.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297a0e6f2a-ffed-470d-a8e4-ba1a1d9cae3a Lower Inflammation With Fish Rich in Omega-3s
Soothe Your Tummy With Turmeric Turmeric , a spice with an earthy flavor that’s loaded with curcumin, has anti-inflammatory properties shown to help in a range of conditions triggered by inflammation, including heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and even depression .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f28f9619-e259-4767-ae8b-648cce1d9d41 Research also notes that curcumin helps regulate the gut microbiota, bring relief to people with IBD, and reduce inflammation that could likely lead to colon cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e03cd137-9112-47f1-8c8f-a218fb24ecf5 “ Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory that can help soothe the digestive tract when you are suffering from an inflammation-related issue,” says Finkel. If you’d like to incorporate turmeric into your diet, try adding the spice to vegetable dishes, soups, stews, or chilis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a64898c0-5903-4a5a-b558-4eca9694ae1c Soothe Your Tummy With Turmeric
Eat Some Ginger to Improve Digestion A traditional Asian remedy for tummy aches and nausea and a favorite condiment used in Asian cuisine, ginger is also a powerful anti-inflammatory, making it another good food for digestion and a natural digestive aid.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e078fa66-9565-455c-bfc9-9eb981ac0399 And there’s research to back up ginger’s benefits: Ginger is a food that helps digestion by speeding up the process that moves food from the stomach into the upper small intestine. Research notes that several studies found ginger was associated with improved digestive functioning. It also pointed to studies that found ginger reduced nausea, motion sickness, and the risk of colon cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762914bc5363-d45d-45b6-9183-631d6f177553 Eat Some Ginger to Improve Digestion
Ease Indigestion With Stomach-Soothing Peppermint Soothing, aromatic peppermint may help ease indigestion as well as some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome , making it a go-to natural treatment for gastroenterologists. “It’s inexpensive, nonaddictive with little to no side-effects, and it’s highly effective,” says Brian Lacy, MD , a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Peppermint oil can be included in many recipes or even tea , but more often is taken as a coated supplement, which allows it to pass into the digestive tract without causing heartburn.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b7475569-832c-460c-b3ab-be8bae15e8ce Digestion tip: Taking peppermint oil (in small intestinal release form) for at least four weeks has been shown to significantly reduce IBS symptoms. It appears to work as an antispasmodic, smoothing out and relaxing the bowels.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e6d3def1-6b2c-4327-94fc-0d5318dda222 Ease Indigestion With Stomach-Soothing Peppermint
Stay Hydrated to Keep Things Moving Fluids play an essential role in partnership with fiber to get solids through your system since water helps your body break down and digest food.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f8ec014c-8bfd-47ea-a63f-7cc75edd955c “Hydration and water are friends,” says Finkel. In fact, one of the easiest digestive tips to follow is to stay hydrated throughout the day. Water is a great choice to speed digestion, but almost any non-alcoholic fluid will do. Be careful with caffeinated beverages and sodas if you have reflux — they can be triggers for heartburn, and caffeine acts as a mild diuretic .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762985214f6b-690a-4cae-92b1-005f9b67e7cc Stay Hydrated to Keep Things Moving
The Takeaway A healthy gut relies on a diverse, fiber-rich diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fermented foods to support a healthy gut microbiome and regular bowel movements. Foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, kiwi, beans, and peppermint can improve digestion through their probiotic content, fiber, or soothing and anti-inflammatory effects. Lifestyle habits such as staying hydrated also play a significant role in gut health.
Resources We Trust Mayo Clinic: Eat Well for Heart, Gut and Overall Health Cleveland Clinic: Gut Microbiome Harvard Health: Fermented Foods for Better Gut Health Johns Hopkins Medicine: Five Foods to Improve Your Digestion Gastroenterology Consultants of San Antonio: The Top Foods to Avoid for a Healthy Gut
Additional reporting by Jordan M. Davidson .
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