Filling your plate with the best foods for gut health does far more than keep your digestive system running smoothly—nourishing your microbiome, the millions of microscopic bacteria living in your gut, helps support a variety of bodily systems and processes.
“Having the appropriate amount of bacteria within the gut helps to process foods and keeps your body nourished and healthy in every aspect,” explained Rudolph Bedford, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. “The bottom line is that your gut is the center of the universe. Anything that goes into your gut will essentially affect any other organ in your body.”
Meet the experts: Rudolph Bedford, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Keri Gans, R.D.N., the author of The Small Change Diet; Natalie Rizzo, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian.
Along with contributing to GI symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, gas, and bloating, an imbalanced gut may cause issues like depression and difficulty sleeping, according to Keri Gans, R.D.N., the author of The Small Change Diet. But loading your plate with foods full of gut-bolstering nutrients, such as fiber, probiotics, prebiotics, and certain vitamins and minerals, will help nourish your gut health and your overall wellness.
Read on for the top foods doctors and dietitians recommend to help improve your gut health.
Best foods to eat for gut health
Kimchi
Kimchi, fermented cabbage, is one of Gans’ top foods for improving gut health. “Fermentation results in postbiotics, nonliving metabolites that provide a health benefit when consumed,” Gans said. “Research on postbiotics has shown they help balance the microbiome in our gut and maintain digestive health.”
Ginger
While some may complain of bloating after consuming ginger, according to Dr. Bedford, it tends to be a great food for regulating gut health (and adding some flavor to your dishes). “It cuts down on gut inflammation and fermentation, it helps in terms of bowel habit or bowel movements, and contains antioxidants,” Dr. Bedford explained.
Black beans
High-fiber foods provide numerous health benefits, including supporting your gut. “Black beans are packed with fiber, both insoluble and soluble,” said Gans. “Insoluble fiber specifically has been associated with decreasing the risk of constipation.”
Almonds
Almonds are high in healthy fats, fiber, and protein and are a great nut option for supporting your overall health. These nuts “help to support the gut microbiome,” Dr. Bedford said, and are “definitely good for gut health.”
Yogurt
Gans recommended adding yogurt to your diet as it is a great option for a probiotic-rich food. “Probiotics consist of living microorganisms that help increase the good bacteria in our gut,” Gans explained. Plus, yogurt can easily be eaten as a tasty snack or added to foods like smoothies, soups, condiments, baked goods, and more.
Bananas
If you’re looking to add more fruits to your diet, Dr. Bedford recommended eating more bananas. They are high in fiber, which aids in digestion and helps you feel full for longer. Bananas also contain prebiotics, which help the good bacteria in your gut (also known as probiotics) thrive, Natalie Rizzo, M.S., R.D., previously explained.
Apples
The phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” may actually have some merit. Along with bananas, apples are “definitely a good fruit for gut health,” Dr. Bedford noted, thanks to the fiber and prebiotics they contain. A Prevention writer (and dietitian) ate an apple every day to see what it did to her body, and the results included gastrointestinal improvements.
Pears
Pears are another great fruit to add to your menu because they are also “a good source of fiber, specifically soluble fiber,” Gans explained. “Soluble fiber helps promote regular bowel movements.”
Asparagus
“Asparagus is a prebiotic food that is good for your gut,” Gans explained. “Prebiotics are food for the good bacteria in your gut, helping them flourish and keeping a healthy balance of the microbiome.”
Kale
Leafy green vegetables like kale are “full of various vitamins and antioxidants that are certainly important to not only gut health, but also your overall health,” said Dr. Bedford. One study even found that kale may help eliminate constipation, thanks to the combination of fiber and key minerals.
Collard greens
If you’re looking for more leafy greens to add to your plate, look no further than collard greens. This vegetable is high in (you guessed it) fiber and has a high water content, which aids in digestion. Research shows that sufficient water intake helps maintain a balanced microbiome; eating water-rich fruits and veggies can help ensure you’re getting enough.
Salmon
Seafood lovers, rejoice. “Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce any potential inflammation in the gut,” Gans explained.
Onions
Onions are another great prebiotic-rich food that helps contribute to better gut health, according to Dr. Bedford. Plus, onions are great for adding lots of flavor to a variety of dishes.
Sauerkraut
If you’ve ever topped your hot dog with sauerkraut, you’ve been doing your gut a favor. This fermented cabbage product is a probiotic-rich food that makes for a tasty side or condiment while also protecting your gut, according to research in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Kefir
Think of kefir as yogurt’s more fermented sibling. Dr. Bedford recommended this milk-derived probiotic powerhouse as it aids in digestive and immune health. “Anything that is fermented is essentially a good, probiotic-friendly food,” Dr. Bedford explained.
Probiotics vs. prebiotics
Probiotics are “living microorganisms,” said Gans. These microorganisms are bacteria—commonly referred to as “good” bacteria. These good bacteria can be found in lots of foods (as well as probiotic supplements) and help contribute to a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut and the rest of the body.
Prebiotics and probiotics are actually very different—but we depend on both for optimal gut health. While probiotics, like yogurt, are foods fortified with good gut microflora, prebiotics are the foods that have the nutrients to feed that gut microflora, Sunny Jain, molecular biologist and Sun Genomics founder, previously explained. “A prebiotic food’s purpose is not to provide nutrition to you and your physiology, but to your commensal gut microbes and their micro-physiology, broadly called gut health,” Jain added.
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