30-Minute Gut Healthy Dinners Meal Plan (October 16)

Why is a Healthy Gut Important?

A healthy gut does more than reduce the risk of digestive issues, it plays an essential role in overall health. Studies are finding that a healthy gut can affect your body in a variety of ways, from improving your sleep to reducing your risk of anxiety and depression.

The Australian government’s Better Health Channel says, “The gut breaks down the foods you eat and absorbs nutrients that support your body’s functions. The importance of the gut to our overall health is a topic of increasing research in the medical community. Research is showing us that our gut microbiome can affect every organ in our body.”

Best Foods for Gut Health

EatingWell explains, “According to a large 2019 review in the journal Nutrients, what you eat directly influences the makeup of bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut helps keep chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer at bay, reduces inflammation, keeps your brain healthy and helps you maintain a healthy weight.”

What to Eat to Improve Gut Health

• Eat more: Probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, polyphenols and fermented foods
• Eat less: Artificial sweeteners, red meat, processed foods, and alcohol.

Good Probiotic Foods

• Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, miso, tempeh, and yogurt

Good Prebiotic Foods

What do prebiotic foods do for your gut? “Prebiotics are fibers that feed the beneficial probiotics in your gut,” says Dianne Rishikof, M.S., RDN, LDN, IFNCP, a registered dietitian.

In other words, focus on a variety of whole foods. “It’s all about diversity, getting as much variety of plant-based foods as possible and hitting our recommended fiber intake of 30 g per day,” says Megan Rossi, Ph.D., B.H.Sc., RD, APD.

Here are a few examples of good probiotic foods:

• Jerusalem artichokes
• Leeks
• Onions
• Raspberries
• Beans and legumes
• Asparagus
• Garlic
• Bananas
• Pears