
Since ancient times, we have been told that eating fresh fruits and vegetables has many health benefits, but we know relatively little about the effects of eating fresh foods on gut microbes and overall metabolic health. Here’s some insight into how certain fruits and vegetables can help. gut health. Read on to find out…
Why is gut health so important?
With the increasing awareness of health and wellness, people are gradually realizing the impact of food on metabolic health. One of the most important things that affects metabolism is intestinal health, but do you know why it is so important? Well, maintaining a healthy gut is crucial to overall health. This is because the gut is often referred to as the second brain, responsible for overall digestion, immunity, and better mental health.
Can food improve gut health?
What you eat or drink can determine the fate of your gut health. This is because the foods you eat can support or harm your gut microbes. Adding foods rich in fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics can help strengthen the good bacteria in your gut and help restore and improve metabolic health. Here are some common fruits and vegetables that are good for your gut health.
apple
Apples are a good source of soluble fiber like pectin, which is basically a prebiotic fiber that feeds the good bacteria in your gut and promotes a balanced gut microbiome. A healthy microbiome helps reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and may even help improve immune function. The high fiber content in apples helps keep bowel movements regular and prevents constipation. In addition to this, pectin nourishes the good bacteria in the colon and helps control bad bacteria. Finally, apples contain natural enzymes that help break down food and ensure healthy and smooth digestion.
banana
Bananas are rich in resistant starch, a type of fiber that resists digestion and acts as a prebiotic. They also contain pectin, similar to apples, which nourishes the good bacteria in your gut. Bananas are gentle on the stomach and can help relieve digestive discomfort, making them ideal for people with sensitive stomachs or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Resistant starch acts as food for probiotics, promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Bananas have natural soothing properties and are ideal for relieving acid reflux or an upset stomach.
The fiber in bananas helps regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.
green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins that help maintain a healthy gut. Green leafy vegetables are rich in magnesium, which helps maintain regular bowel movements and prevent constipation. Additionally, the high fiber content helps feed the good bacteria in your gut and promotes regularity. In addition to this, these green vegetables are also rich in antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and support overall gut health. The magnesium in green leafy vegetables helps the muscles of the digestive tract function properly and eases the movement of food through the intestines.
sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are rich in soluble fiber, which promotes healthy digestion. They also contain antioxidants such as beta-carotene and anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory properties. The fiber in sweet potatoes can help regulate intestinal motility and nourish beneficial gut bacteria. The fiber in sweet potatoes acts as a prebiotic, helping to feed the good bacteria in your gut. Additionally, the fiber and starch in sweet potatoes can help prevent constipation by increasing stool bulk. Additionally, the antioxidants in sweet potatoes help reduce intestinal inflammation, supporting overall health digestive health.
carrot
Carrots are rich in soluble fiber and beta-carotene, an antioxidant that supports immune function and helps reduce intestinal inflammation. The fiber content in carrots helps regulate digestion and supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. The fiber in carrots feeds the good bacteria in your gut, supporting a healthy microbiome. Apart from this, the soluble fiber in carrots helps keep bowel movements regular and can prevent constipation. Finally, beta-carotene present in carrots has antioxidant properties that help protect the intestinal lining from damage.
avocado
Avocados are rich in fiber, healthy fats, and prebiotic compounds that nourish your gut microbiome. The high monounsaturated fat content in avocados helps reduce inflammation, which is beneficial for people with digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Avocados are an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber, which aids digestion and supports intestinal health. The monounsaturated fats in avocados help reduce intestinal inflammation, promote healing and better digestion.
!(function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { function loadFBEvents(isFBCampaignActive) { if (!isFBCampaignActive) { return; } (function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { if (f.fbq) return; n = f.fbq = function() { n.callMethod ? n.callMethod(...arguments) : n.queue.push(arguments); }; if (!f._fbq) f._fbq = n; n.push = n; n.loaded = !0; n.version = '2.0'; n.queue = (); t = b.createElement(e); t.async = !0; t.defer = !0; t.src = v; s = b.getElementsByTagName(e)(0); s.parentNode.insertBefore(t, s); })(f, b, e, 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js', n, t, s); fbq('init', '593671331875494'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); };
function loadGtagEvents(isGoogleCampaignActive) { if (!isGoogleCampaignActive) { return; } var id = document.getElementById('toi-plus-google-campaign'); if (id) { return; } (function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { t = b.createElement(e); t.async = !0; t.defer = !0; t.src = v; t.id = 'toi-plus-google-campaign'; s = b.getElementsByTagName(e)(0); s.parentNode.insertBefore(t, s); })(f, b, e, 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=AW-877820074', n, t, s); };
function loadSurvicateJs(allowedSurvicateSections = ()){ const section = window.location.pathname.split('/')(1) const isHomePageAllowed = window.location.pathname === '/' && allowedSurvicateSections.includes('homepage')
if(allowedSurvicateSections.includes(section) || isHomePageAllowed){ (function(w) {
function setAttributes() { var prime_user_status = window.isPrime ? 'paid' : 'free' ; w._sva.setVisitorTraits({ toi_user_subscription_status : prime_user_status }); }
if (w._sva && w._sva.setVisitorTraits) { setAttributes(); } else { w.addEventListener("SurvicateReady", setAttributes); }
var s = document.createElement('script'); s.src="https://survey.survicate.com/workspaces/0be6ae9845d14a7c8ff08a7a00bd9b21/web_surveys.js"; s.async = true; var e = document.getElementsByTagName('script')(0); e.parentNode.insertBefore(s, e); })(window); }
}
window.TimesApps = window.TimesApps || {}; var TimesApps = window.TimesApps; TimesApps.toiPlusEvents = function(config) { var isConfigAvailable = "toiplus_site_settings" in f && "isFBCampaignActive" in f.toiplus_site_settings && "isGoogleCampaignActive" in f.toiplus_site_settings; var isPrimeUser = window.isPrime; var isPrimeUserLayout = window.isPrimeUserLayout; if (isConfigAvailable && !isPrimeUser) { loadGtagEvents(f.toiplus_site_settings.isGoogleCampaignActive); loadFBEvents(f.toiplus_site_settings.isFBCampaignActive); loadSurvicateJs(f.toiplus_site_settings.allowedSurvicateSections); } else { var JarvisUrl="https://jarvis.indiatimes.com/v1/feeds/toi_plus/site_settings/643526e21443833f0c454615?db_env=published"; window.getFromClient(JarvisUrl, function(config){ if (config) { const allowedSectionSuricate = (isPrimeUserLayout) ? config?.allowedSurvicatePrimeSections : config?.allowedSurvicateSections loadGtagEvents(config?.isGoogleCampaignActive); loadFBEvents(config?.isFBCampaignActive); loadSurvicateJs(allowedSectionSuricate); } }) } }; })( window, document, 'script', );