What happens in the gut doesn’t necessarily stay in the gut: Doctors have long known that gut health has knock-on effects that can ripple throughout your entire body. “Issues with gut health can have a systemic effect,” says Pratima Dibba, M.D., a gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan. “When gut health is not prioritized, it can result in systemic symptoms that impede quality of life and also result in long-term complications.”
Fortunately, we can take concrete steps to support our GI tracts—starting with maintaining a healthy diet. Kristen Nicolai, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai Health System, agrees. “[A poor] dietary pattern can lead to a gut microbiome imbalance, impaired intestinal barrier function, and more gut permeability,” she says. “When the gut wall lets more substances pass through than normal, this can allow harmful bacteria to enter the bloodstream, which can trigger inflammation.”
A salubrious diet, on the other hand, “plays a pivotal role in maintaining a balanced and healthy gut which promotes overall health,” says Nicolai.
So, what foods and drinks are hurting your gut, and which healthy options should you consider instead? Here, experts break it down.
Meet the experts: Pratima Dibba, M.D., gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan; Lena Bakovic, M.S., R.D.N., C.N.S.C., registered dietitian nutritionist at Live It Up; Kristen Nicolai, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai; and Abby Langer, R.D., dietitian at Abby Langer Nutrition.
The number-1 food harming your gut
There is one main category particularly implicated here, and dietitians and gastroenterologists agree what it is: You want to avoid ultra-processed foods. “Ultra-processed foods are often heavily processed with additives, emulsifiers, and sweeteners to improve taste and texture. These foods can alter the gut microbiome composition and even promote a pro-inflammatory state,” Nicolai says. “There is also evidence to suggest that high-fat/high-sugar foods can also lead to dysbiosis.” Those foods also tend to fall into the ultra-processed category, she adds.
Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in the gut microbiome, may contribute to several diseases and conditions. A study in the journal Infectious Medicine linked dysbiosis to type 2 diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic liver disease, cardiometabolic diseases, cancer, arthritis, depression, sleep disorders, and hypertension.
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While definitions of ultra-processed foods can vary, they’re commonly understood to contain ingredients not commonly found in a home kitchen, such as preservatives or emulsifiers, according to Johns Hopkins. Nicolai lists “processed baked goods, processed meats, sweets, fast food, precooked meals, sodas, juices, and refined grains” as examples.
Lena Bakovic, M.S., R.D.N., C.N.S.C., a registered dietitian nutritionist at Live It Up, singles out sugary drinks as particularly troublesome for your gut. “Regular sodas are a source of empty calories with no nutritive value,” she says. “Foods which are high in added sugars promote an imbalance of healthy bacteria and promote overgrowth of harmful gut bacteria.” It’s not just the sugar-laden options, either: Research suggests that artificial sweeteners may also damage gut health.
Of course, enjoying a crisp Coke now and then isn’t ruinous, as long as you’re otherwise eating healthfully. “In moderation, the above foods are unlikely to cause issues; it’s mostly when someone’s diet is predominantly ultra-processed with high levels of sugars and low fiber that’s a problem,” says Abby Langer, R.D., dietitian at Abby Langer Nutrition and author of Good Food, Bad Diet.
What experts recommend eating instead
A diet centered around whole and minimally processed, fiber-rich, and fermented foods “has been shown to help support microbial diversity and support overall health,” Nicolai says. “Specifically, fiber helps improve gut microbial diversity and increase short-chain fatty acid production, which helps strengthen our gut lining to support overall immune function and decrease inflammation.”
Langer agrees. “Gut bacteria thrive on fiber,” she says. In particular, she highlights the benefits of inulin fiber, which she says is found in “chicory root, garlic, onions, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus,” among other sources.
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