Revitalize Digestion with These 15 Must-Have Foods

Digestive health or gut health plays a significant role in our overall well-being. If our gut is distraught and all over the place, we won’t feel good on the outside, either.

However, improving your digestion and gut health is easy. One of the most important things to do is include fiber-rich food in your diet. Fiber helps stool pass through our digestive tract much more easily, lessening the discomfort you may feel.

Food good for digestion isn’t limited to vegetables and fruits, though. Whole grains, yogurt, kefir, and kombucha are all good for keeping your tummy healthy and happy, too. Find other types of food you can start including in your diet for better digestive health through this collection.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, cabbage, and more, all offer the body tons of benefits we won’t be able to get from other food types. These vegetables typically contain folate and vitamins C, K, and A, but more than that, they also contribute a lot to our digestion.

When you consume leafy greens, you get a specific type of sugar called sugar sulfoquinovose, also called SQ sugar. Dr. Ethan Goddard-Borger was quoted by ScienceDaily saying, “Every time we eat leafy green vegetables, we consume significant amounts of SQ sugars, which are used as an energy source by good gut bacteria.” This means leafy greens limit harmful bacteria’s ability to take root and colonize our guts by blocking them.

Vegetables With Skin

Though leafy greens are among the best vegetables for better digestion, don’t forget about other veggies, too. Vegetables with skin are a lot richer in fiber than other vegetables, and because of their high fiber content, they are also recommended for gut health.

Though other vegetables also have fiber, vegetables with skin are on a different level. Some examples of vegetables that fall under this category are potatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, zucchini, and carrots.

Low-fructose Fruits

Fructose is commonly known as fruit sugar. However, it’s also found in some vegetables and honey.

Grapes, pears, jackfruit, bananas, and the like have high fructose content. Conversely, some low-fructose fruits include limes, lemons, cranberries, passion fruits, guava, pineapples, and strawberries.

It’s usually recommended to avoid high-fructose fruits because some individuals cannot digest or absorb fructose well in the body. This fructose intolerance can cause abdominal pain, nausea, gas, diarrhea, and bloating. If you have irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal issues, it’s also best to avoid high-fructose fruits.

Whole Grains

If you love eating quinoa, wild rice, oatmeal, and the like, then you’re in luck. These and other whole grains are extra good for your gut health.

Whole grains have high concentrations of fiber that can help support your digestion in many ways. One of its most obvious benefits is that it helps stimulate your bowel to lower your risk of constipation.

If you’re trying to lose weight, consuming whole grains can also help. After all, they keep you feeling full for longer periods.

Kimchi

Another vegetable on this list is kimchi, a type of fermented cabbage. Though cabbage is good for you in and of itself, kimchi can take it one step further.

After being fermented, kimchi provides numerous probiotics that plain cabbage cannot offer. These probiotics are also believed to help treat several conditions, such as constipation and certain types of cancer.

If you eat kimchi regularly, it may help you solve some stubborn digestive issues. Also, though more evidence needs to be presented, kimchi is believed to help improve cholesterol levels.

Chia Seeds

These little seeds are packed with fiber, which offers everyone consuming them many helpful benefits. They can reduce cholesterol levels, improve intestinal health, and help your heart’s overall condition.

When consumed daily, chia seeds can lead to more significant weight loss and better bone mineral content. However, consuming too many chia seeds could lead to untoward side effects, like diarrhea or bloating.

Yogurt

Yogurt is often seen as a quick snack or dessert option. While that may be so, it can also significantly improve our gut health, especially if we choose the ones with little to no added sugars in them.

An article from Mayo Clinic Press explains that fermented foods like yogurt have active cultures. These active cultures help us maintain a healthy balance of microbes in our gut.

Vegans or those with dairy allergies may opt for soy, coconut, or almond milk-based yogurts. However, the best choice would be the one that offers active cultures and is enhanced with vitamin D and calcium.

Kefir

Another fermented food you can consume for better gut health is kefir. Unlike yogurt, which is usually eaten as a snack or dessert, kefir is commonly viewed as a beverage.

Because it’s dairy-free, people with allergies or vegans can also consume this beverage packed with good bacteria for their gut. Kefir is also considered a superfood because it contains calcium, magnesium, protein, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.

Avocados

Avocado is a very versatile fruit. It’s not sweet at all, making it a perfect addition to any meal — be it an entrée or a dessert.

However, aside from its versatility, avocado is also a favorite amongst many health enthusiasts. This is because it’s a great source of key nutrients, such as healthy fats and fiber.

Avocados are also believed to have antioxidants that can help reduce the risks of developing certain heart diseases. Plus, you can easily incorporate them into your diet!

Bananas

Bananas are usually our go-to when we get cramps and other muscle issues. After all, they’re rich in potassium, which is involved in the proper functioning of our nerves and muscles.

Beyond potassium, bananas are also rich in a specific type of fiber known as pectin. Pectin is a protein that controls how quickly carbohydrates can be digested.

In addition, bananas contain probiotics. These are good bacteria found in our gut, which is essential for our overall digestive health.

Beets

Beets are another vegetable you can consume if you want something high in fiber. These vegetables also promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut, which helps you fight diseases and boost your immune system.

However, though it’s good for your digestive health, you mustn’t consume too much of this food. People with sensitive stomachs may experience issues such as bloating or gas.

Beets can be eaten in many ways. You can juice it, add it to a salad, make a beet-based humus, and more.

Lean Meat And Fish

Lean meats and fish are good for gut health since people digest them well. However, aside from the type of protein, it’s also important to be mindful of how you prepare or cook it.

For example, if you fry your protein, you’re adding unnecessary oil. This can be challenging for your body to digest and absorb. After all, food with high-fat content moves a lot more slowly through your gut.

So, consider baking, poaching, grilling, or broiling instead of frying. You may also remove the skin from your poultry meats to lessen the fat you consume.

Kombucha

Kombucha is another fermented drink you can consume to aid your digestive health. It’s usually made from tea, yeast, bacteria, and sugar.

It has become increasingly popular in the health and wellness scene, and this is precisely because of its health benefits. The ingredients used to create kombucha are believed to work together to create probiotics — something needed to keep your gut healthy and happy.

Tempeh

Tempeh is made from partially cooked soybeans and fermented mold called rhizopus. The ingredients can be incredibly intimidating, but even so, it’s very good for our health.

Its protein and fiber content are believed to inhibit cholesterol absorption. They are also known to enhance the production of bile acids in our intestines, which is vital in cholesterol elimination.

Tempeh also contains prebiotics, which aid in attaining good digestive health and inflammation. Plus, since it’s considered a complete source of protein, it can keep you full for longer periods.

Ginger

One of ginger’s natural components, gingerol, helps with one’s gastrointestinal motility. This is usually the rate at which food exits the stomach to continue along the digestive process.

Because of this, it’s believed that eating ginger can encourage efficient digestion of food. This means your food won’t linger longer than necessary in the gut.