Everyone experiences occasional digestive upset or issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea. However, many Americans, 60 to 70 million people, are affected by digestive diseases and almost two-thirds of Americans experience regular digestive issues on average every year. Many of these issues can be helped with a change in diet.
So which foods are digestive superfoods – giving your gastrointestinal system what it needs to run smoothly? Ten “super” foods are particularly packed with digestion supporting properties that are good for your gut.
What is Gut Health?
Every human has a complex internal ecosystem of bacteria that is called the microbiome. Most of these bacteria live in our gut, about 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells.
Diet plays a huge role in supporting your microbiome’s good bacteria and balancing it. The way your body extracts nutrients from your diet, stores fat, or body weight can all be affected by your gut health. Inflammation can lessen the good bacteria in the gut. Foods that are high in antioxidants may reduce the gut damage caused by oxidative stress.
What is the Gut Microbiome?
Having a healthy gut isn’t always easy but it is achievable for many people. To have healthy digestion you need to have a healthy gut. A healthy gut has:
Gut microbial diversity – When your microbiomes are diverse, your GI motility and gut barrier integrity are good too
Mucus layer – When your gut is full of microorganisms, enzymes, and immune cells it helps to prevent proteins from reaching your gut lining
Stomach acid – Digestion needs stomach acid and having enough is important as well as helping to prevent pathogenic infection
Gut lining integrity - Your gap junctions that are between epithelial cells help to prevent foreign substances and large protein molecules from entering the bloodstream
Digestive Superfoods
1 Sauerkraut and Kimchi
These are both fermented foods that are naturally probiotic, meaning the microorganisms they contain are beneficial to our health, in particular, our digestive health. Traditionally foods were fermented before canning or refrigeration were available to preserve food.
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage and has been a process carried down for the last 2,000 years. In addition to being fiber-rich, containing potassium, calcium, vitamin C, and K, sauerkraut also contains probiotics that help with digestion:
- Helps with inflammation
- “Feeds” the good bacteria in your gut
- Help reduce gas, bloating, and constipation
- Keeps the lining of your digestive system healthy
- Supports a diverse gut microbiome
- Supports immune function which in turns strengthens your gut to stop unwanted toxins
Kimchi is a traditional condiment or side used frequently in Korean cuisine. It is similar to sauerkraut as it is fermented cabbage, however, it is fermented differently. It is done at a lower temperature in less time. In addition to cabbage, it also contains other vegetables including radishes, scallions, chili pepper, and garlic. It is also seasoned with fish sauce. Stomach bloating is uncomfortable, and kimchi is particularly effective because of the beneficial bacteria found in kimchi produces almost no gas. Also, kimchi’s probiotic properties include:
- Improves anti-inflammatory responses
- Adds good bacteria to the gut – de-bloats
- Helps with constipation and diarrhea
- Supports immune function
Kefir
A natural probiotic-rich, fermented drink; kefir has been consumed for thousands of years. Originating in the Caucasus region it has been used and enjoyed by many. The word kefir is derived from the Turkish word keyif – which translates to “feeling good after eating”.
“Kefir grains” which consist of fermenting yeasts, proteins, bacteria, lipids ad sugar; are added to defatted milk. Low in calories and high in protein – kefir is also a nutritious option. The process of making kefir removes lactose from milk and is a good choice for the thirty to fifty million Americans who suffer from lactose intolerance. Kefir has shown to have many digestive benefits including:
- Antimicrobial activity
- Antitumor activity
- Anticarcinogenic activity
- Immunomodulatory activity
- Improves lactose digestion
- Helps regulate the inflammatory response of intestinal cells
- Helps to remove H. pylori – a stomach ulcer pathogen
- Eases constipation
- Reduces gas and flatulence
- Gentle for those with stomach sensitivity
- Helps prevent “traveler’s stomach”
- Restores balance in the gut
- Improve your immunity by colonizing your gut
Raw Honey
Opposed to the processed honey in you see on supermarket shelves, raw honey is an unfiltered, pure and unpasteurized sweetener that is created by bees from the nectar of flowers. Honey in its raw form is highly nutritious and one of the most beneficial natural foods on earth.
Written history (by Sumerian and Babylonian writings) of honey goes back to 2400 B.C. It has been found in sacred writings in Egypt and India. Used both for culinary and medicinal purposes honey has a long history including being revered by the Greeks, Romans, and in modern times. Some of the benefits of honey for digestion include:
- Supports appetite-regulating hormones
- Helps with indigestion
- Relieves nausea
- Natural prebiotics – supports the growth of good bacteria in the intestines
- Effective treatment for H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) the cause of many stomach ulcers
Warning: Raw honey carries a harmful bacteria called Clostridiu, botulinum which is dangerous for infants under 1 year old as it can cause botulism poisoning
Kombucha
A fermented beverage made from yeast and a culture of bacteria aka SCOBY and mixed with tea and sugar is the popular kombucha you hear about everywhere. Similar to the fermenting process for kimchi, kombucha ferments quickly (approx.. a week), however a small number of alcohol forms in this fizzy, sour drink.
Kombucha has a history of 2,000 years, first used in China and then Russia and Japan. In recent years it has been popular in America and can be found in most health food stores and supermarket shelves. Some of the digestive benefits of kombucha include:
- Helps with digestion
- Improves gut bacteria
- Antimicrobial properties
- Supports the health of intestinal cells
Chia Seeds
Once a major food crop in Guatemala and Mexico, chia seeds come from the Salvia hispaica L. plant. It has been used as food since 3500 B.C. and religiously offered to Aztec gods. These teeny tiny seeds pack quite a punch as a superfood, also known as a functional food. Just two tablespoons contain 4 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, 7 grams of unsaturated fat, in addition to calcium, zinc, copper. Looking for plant-sourced omega-3 fatty acids? Chia seeds are the richest plant-based in the world.
They benefit your gastrointestinal system:
- High insoluble fiber which helps with regularity
- Slows down digestion
- Can help prevent blood sugar spikes after eating
- Increase a feeling of fullness
- Supports health gut flora
Ginger
Used traditionally for culinary and medicinal purposes in China, Greece, India, and Rome; ginger has a long and well-known history. The ginger ale your mom gave you when you were sick wasn’t just an old wive’s tale – there is a science behind the digestive benefits of the rhizome root. From the same family as cardamom and turmeric, ginger is a root used in many different forms including fresh roots, dried roots, preserved, crystallized, and pickled. Described in ancient Chinese texts from 400 B.C., ginger was used traditionally for cold, fever, sore throats, arthritis, sprains, muscle pains, cramps, and more.
Ginger digestive benefits include:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-tumor
- Anti-ulcer
- Reduces nausea
- May prevent vomiting
- Helps with indigestion
- Helps with constipation
- Reduces belching and bloating
- Relieves gastric discomfort
Papaya
Native to Mexico Central America and South America (in the northern part), papayas also known as pawpaws are a sweet fruit that is used for breakfast, salads, pies, and juices in many countries. Papayas contain an enzyme called papain that helps with digestion.
- High in fiber and helps with regularity
- Helps to prevent constipation
- Supports healthy digestion
Beets
Beets originated as sea beets in the Mediterranean and were first cultivated for their leaves. By the 15th century, they were used for both their roots and their leaves. Beets grow in black, white, yellow, or red. Low in calories and high in water content, they have often been used for reducing appetite and promoting feelings of fullness.
- Keeps your bowel movements regular
- Fiber helps prevent constipation, IBS, hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis
- Lowers risk of bowel cancer because of the high fiber content
Miso
Originally from China, miso became a staple in Japan 1,300 years ago – spread by Buddhist priests. Used as a food preserver, the fermented mixture of salt, grain, and soybeans is with a rich culinary history in Japan. The starter used to create miso is called Aspergillus oryzae fungus and is the foundation of miso paste. Used to make sauces, spreads, and soup as well as to pickle meat and vegetables; miso is umami or a savory ingredient in many Japanese dishes.
Miso means “fermented beans” in Japanese and many people in Japan start their day with a bowl of miso soup. Along with being a good source of copper, manganese, vitamin K, protein, and zinc – miso supports digestive probiotic functions:
- Supports gut microbiota
- Rich in enzymes that add beneficial bacteria
- Supports digestion
- Helps with the absorption and assimilation of nutrients
- Supports overall intestinal flora
- Increases the health of your gut microbiome
- Supports immune function in the gut
Other foods that help with digestive health
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower are especially good choices. Research has shown that these vegetables may have the ability to increase the number of gut bacteria with myrosinase enzymes.
Spices and herbs - from reducing inflammation in the gut to aid in digestion – turmeric, fennel, and peppermint are all spices that your taste buds and the gastrointestinal system will thank you for.
Dark chocolate and red wine - drinking red wine in moderation have been shown to have a positive effect on intestinal bacteria because of the polyphenol compounds it contains. Bacteria in your gut turn cocoa into compounds that can lower the inflammation in your gut. When you told yourself your body needs chocolate you weren’t completely wrong, just make sure it is sometimes and it is the dark chocolate.
