What foods can support gut health?

What foods can support gut health?

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria alongside other microbes which play an important role in how your body functions. Gut bacteria can help you to digest food, support your immune system, and may even influence the activity in your brain [1].

It’s no surprise then that the foods you eat can have a big impact on your gut health, and on that basis, you might be wondering what the best foods for gut health are. The answer, however, isn’t that simple. Different foods have different effects on the gut, and there’s no single food that can currently take the crown of being ‘the best’ on its own. For example, some food supports gut health because it contributes to normal digestion or bowel function. Other foods contain ‘good’ bacteria that can support a healthy gut.

In this article we’ll explore some of the different gut friendly foods that you might want to include in your daily diet, and how they can help you feel good from the inside out.

Foods that support gut health

Yogurts

Yogurt is one of the tastiest and most diverse gut friendly foods out there. Yogurts are a great source of calcium which, as well as strengthening your bones and teeth, can support the normal function of digestive enzymes [2]. These enzymes play an important role in breaking down foods and enabling our bodies to utilise the nutrients contained in foods [3].

Additionally, live cultures which are added to yoghurt during the fermentation process actually break down some of the lactose in the yoghurt. As such yoghurt typically contains less lactose than other dairy products such as milk [4].

As well as being a food that supports gut health, yogurts are also incredibly versatile, and easy to incorporate into your daily diet. Try adding a yogurt to your breakfast cereal as part of your breakfast, or to curries, soups or smoothies. Yogurts are also easy to enjoy on their own as a great snack!

Other fermented foods

‘Fermenting’ means adding microbes to one food source to make another [5]. For example, cabbage is fermented by lactic bacteria to make sauerkraut. Other fermented foods include kombucha, kefir, tempeh, miso and kimchi [5].

Fermented foods are becoming increasingly popular because of their claimed benefits for supporting gut health, and there is some evidence that eating fermented foods can increase the variety of bacteria species in the gut [6]. Scientists believe that this diversity is important in maintaining a healthy gut, as having a variety of different species of bacteria is needed to perform all of the ‘jobs’ they are responsible for in a normal, healthy body [7].

You could try swapping fizzy drinks for kombucha or adding a side of gut friendly foods such as a miso soup or kimchi to your next meal, in order to give your gut a little extra support.

Whole grains

Next up on our list of foods that are good for gut health are whole grains. Whole grains are cereal crops such as wheat, rye, barley, oats and rice [8]. Foods like white bread and white rice are made from ‘refined grains’, which means that part of the grain has been removed [9]. On the other hand, foods like wholegrain bread and rice contain non-refined whole grains, which have more nutrients that can benefit gut health. In fact, whole grains can contain up to 75% more nutrients than refined grains! [10]

The nutrients in whole grains include B vitamins, folic acid, protein, antioxidants and fibre [10]. The fibre found in whole grains like oats, barley, wheat and rye provides food and nutrients for the microbes that make up our microbiome. The gut microbes consume the fibre, producing different beneficial compounds which are sent all around the body, including our brain, skin, heart and kidneys [11]. If you want to incorporate more gut-friendly foods into your diet, you can easily switch out refined grains for whole grain alternatives.

Fruits and vegetables

The NHS recommends eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of serious conditions like heart disease and stroke [12]. Eating a range of fruits and vegetables every day has lots of health benefits - including supporting gut health [12].

Fruits and vegetables are also another great source of fibre, which is important for helping your gut to easily get rid of waste [8] . Some of the most fibre-rich fruit and veg include peas, broccoli, strawberries and figs [13]. Prunes (dried plums) have particular benefits for the gut as they are proven to contribute to normal bowel function [14].

Fruits and veg are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and water that can support overall health. Get more fruits and vegetables in your diet by adding them to porridge, yogurt, smoothies and soups!

Lean proteins

Lean proteins are foods that are high in protein but low in saturated fats. They include foods such as fish, eggs, and plant-based proteins like legumes and nuts. The types of protein in your diet can affect the structure and function of the bacteria in your gut and have an impact on your overall gut health [15]. Lean proteins can be good for gut health, especially if consumed to replace fatty sources of protein like processed meats, which can be harder to digest, may cause stomach pain and heartburn [16] and have been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer if consumed in excess [17].

Try to stick to lean sources of protein where you can, switching out high-fat protein sources like burgers and sausages for lean pork or skinless turkey breast. You could even move to a more plant-based diet, getting your protein from sources like beans, chickpeas, lentils and tofu. If you’re not quite ready for that, how about adding a can of mixed beans or lentils to your bolognese or curry, whilst removing the amount of meat in the dish.

Healthy fats

It’s important to remember that having some kinds of fats in your diet is important for the health of your gut and your body in general, and you shouldn’t avoid them altogether.

Look out for foods that are high in healthy fats such as omega-3 polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. These include things like fatty fish (e.g. salmon and sardines), chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, avocados and some plant oils such as rapeseed and olive oil. [18]. The healthy fats in these foods can have an anti-inflammatory effect in your gut and support healthy diversity of friendly gut bacteria [19, 20].

As a bonus, healthy fats could also support your gut-brain axis , helping these two major systems to communicate and keep your body in balance [19].

Maintaining a balanced diet

Speaking of balance, that’s exactly what you should keep in mind when you’re aiming to support your gut health through your diet! There is no single miracle food or supplement for a healthy gut, and you should aim to eat a diverse range of foods from all food groups to support your gut microbiome.

Public Health England’s Eatwell Guide [21] shows the ideal balance for a healthier diet, which includes getting lots of fruit, vegetables, and whole grain carbohydrates balanced with smaller amounts of proteins and sources of dairy. Remember to wash all of this down with 6 to 8 glasses of water to keep your body happy and hydrated.

Reviewed on May 2024 - Authored by Dr. Zoe Williams

*Wheat bran, barley grain and oat grain fibres contribute to an increase in faecal bulk. Wheat bran fibre also contributes to an acceleration of intestinal transit. Rye fibre contributes to normal bowel function.