What should I eat for keeping my gut happy?

[Preety_India]

What are some foods that will keep my gut in a happy healthy less irritated state? 

I want a whole list of foods  that are great for gut health. 

Do you know some? 

 

I'm so excited to go shopping for gut enriching foods. 

 

I'm finally ready to clean my diet of junk food, finally lol. Better late than never. 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Preety_India

[BlackMaze]

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. 

[Preety_India]

@BlackMaze but in that list I don't see any carbohydrates. How will I survive? 

I at least need some basic energy for functioning. Carbs give that. 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Preety_India

[Preety_India]

@BlackMaze you know what I mean. If I only eat fruits and vegetables, I feel a bit of belching and bad bowel movements, like stomach upset and tummy ache. 

I eat a cup of rice to give some fiber to my tummy.. 

 

[Preety_India]

My biggest addiction is anything sweet - chocolate, ice cream, cakes, milkshakes, anything dairy (I can't live without milk, any milk ), muffin etc

I see something milky and sugary and I get hungry. 

I didn't get fat so I ate more. 

Is there any substitute to such foods that are pleasant and sweet tasting but not bad for health at the same time? 

 I have a hard time not eating sweet tasting stuff. I'm addicted to the sweet taste. 

 

I'm also addicted to carbohydrates like rice, pasta, wheat, bread etc because without it, I don't feel the energy to do physical and mental activities. 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Preety_India

[Inception]

13 hours ago, Preety_India said:

What are some foods that will keep my gut in a happy healthy less irritated state? 

Prebiotic and probiotics (bacteria) which you get from fermented foods like greek yogurt or sauerkraut.

13 hours ago, Preety_India said:

but in that list I don't see any carbohydrates. How will I survive? 

I at least need some basic energy for functioning. Carbs give that. 

I suggest you do some research on the western diet, carbohydrates and ketosis. I think you’d be surprised.

12 hours ago, Preety_India said:

My biggest addiction is anything sweet […]. I see something milky and sugary and I get hungry […]

Is there any substitute to such foods that are pleasant and sweet tasting but not bad for health at the same time? 

I have a hard time not eating sweet tasting stuff. I'm addicted to the sweet taste. 

Once you start eating “healthy” amounts of carbohydrates, things like fruits or dark chocolate will start tasting as sweet as the candy you’re currently eating.

[Michael569]

On 14/11/2021 at 0:19 AM, Preety_India said:

less irritated state? 

I think I would start with investigating what are the foods that are irritating. If you suspect you are allergic or intolerant to some foods there are always tests that can be done by a doctor. Nothing that is painful and regular should be ignored. 

 

Moving on the gut-beneficial foods. I think what you want to focus on are: 

1. Foods that provide food to your microbiota (billions of microbes in your intestines) - these are called prebiotics (with e)
2. Foods that improve bacterial count and colony size - these are called probiotics (with o) 
3. Foods that do not kill your microbiota needlessly 
4. Foods that support production of short-chain fatty acids by supplying Microbiota Accessible Carbohydrates 
5. Foods that support the integrity of the gut epithelium 
6. Foods that do not create toxic byproducts in the gut 
7. Foods that support the speed of transit, increase the bulk of the stool and reduce the risk of complex diseases such as colorectal cancer. 

So the best food are those that @BlackMaze already mentioned. Fruits, vegetables and legumes + I'd add whole grains. The reason being they are prebiotics. They feed your microbiota and as long as your army of microbes is happy, your gut is happy and you will be happy. All fruits, all vegetables, lentils, beans, chickpeas as well as wholegrian products that are not processed such as barley, buckwheat, quinoa, oat, millet, wild rice, brown rice, teff and so on. Basically, the definition of having a healthy gut is to have a healthy diversity of your microbiota with as many beneficial colonies as possible. 

Another beneficial category are probiotic foods. These contain bacteria that grew during the process of fermentation. They are helpful because they help your gut produce more protective mucous and they support the integrity of intestinal walls protecting you from health problems. Some of the examples are: kefir (not for vegans), miso, natto, tofu, tempeh, sauerkraut, pickles, pickled olives (ideally without salt), any probiotic yoghurts (not for vegan), any fermented fruits or vegetables available in your country (without chemical additives)  

Other than that specific foods with strong prebiotic content are: apples (pectin), mushrooms (mannan), onions (inulin), soy beans (isoflavones), wheat germ (arabinoxylan), sea weeds (porphyran). Other good examples are leek, garlic, carrots, garden peas, barley and rye. 

In terms of what's bad for your gut: 

• processed meats and beef (eaten more than once a week)
• anything too salty 
• processed foods loaded with sugar and chemistry 
• fizzy drinks loaded with sugar 
• cakes, pastries and refined grains 
• alcohol, tobacco, chronic stress 
• any unnecessary antibiotics and most of the over the counter drugs 
• any foods that are past their "good to be eaten" time especially animal foods.

Hopefully that's helpful 

[Preety_India]

@Michael569 omg that's super helpful Michael. I'll note it down in my journal. Thanks a ton. 

 

[Michael569]

@Preety_India my pleasure It's a lot of info so implement slowly. Maybe one new food per week to adapt and adjust.