Nutrition

Eat a Variety of Foods for Gut Health

Female preparing kombucha

Explore the benefits of diverse foods that boost gut health. Learn how varied diets promote gut flora diversity and support overall well-being.

The Gut’s Biodiversity

Are you one of many people who falls into a rut of frequenting the same breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Geography or a limited number of familiar recipes may influence favorite proteins or vegetables. You might enjoy fried chicken, fish tacos, hot dogs, or hamburgers and fries. Healthy gut microbes suffer on a diet of processed fast food. It is best to diversify the what things you eat within each food group.

Your digestive system hosts a diverse microbiota of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, numbering 100 trillion in an adult male. This includes a balance of good and bad microorganisms. Various factors, including genetics and environment, influence a flourishing gut microbiome, but diet plays a significant role.

Feeding Your Gut

Research in the National Library of Medicine highlights the importance of food diversity. [1] By varying your diet and incorporating different types of lean proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables, you provide your gut with a diverse microbial flora. A reduction in processed foods can prevent Metabolic Syndrome, foster a healthy immune system, and reduce damaging inflammation in the body. [2]

Besides consuming whole foods, probiotics play a crucial role in maintaining gut health. These living microorganisms are within foods such as yogurt, fermented vegetables, and kombucha.

The fermented tea, kombucha, is gaining popularity with nascent research supporting health benefits. It contains various strains of bacteria and yeast that can populate the gut. You can even make your own within Mason jars. Combine brewed tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) plus some sugar. Some people refer to SCOBY as a “mother.”

Because of trace amounts of alcohol, consume with moderation. Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and individuals with certain health conditions exercise extra caution. As with any dietary supplement, consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

While we are on the subject of microbes, let’s address the elephant in the room. Or, more specifically, in the refrigerator. Similar microbes that activate within your digestive system can activate in stored food. This is why food spoils. You are racing to consume them before the bad bacteria outnumber the good.

When preparing a meal from scratch with fresh ingredients, it has a longer refrigeration life. You might have leftovers for up to three or more days. Even though takeout food, even with preservatives, can contain foods nearing their expiration. So it is best to consume them within one or two days.

So don’t get your gut stuck in a rut of eating the same foods day after day. Nourish your gut with the diverse array of foods for more enjoyable mealtimes. Include probiotics in your diet. This ensures a diverse array of nutrients and bioactive compounds essential for gut health and well-being.

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To support the writing of useful articles about nutrition, ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online. You may sponsor specific articles or remit a small donation.

ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online to offset expense of the writing useful articles about nutrition. Slide extra posters into DeuPair Frames without removing from the wall.

ClinicalPosters sells human anatomy charts, scientific posters, and other products online. You may remit a small donation.

You can support the writing of useful articles about nutrition by sponsoring specific articles or remitting a small donation. Visible content is optimized for device size.

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