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Poor gut health has been attributed to cancer, brain disease and cardiovascular disease, but a good diet can go a long way to offsetting health problems.
A healthy microbiome, the billions of bacteria living in the gut, fights risk factors for these diseases, experts say.
“Once the gut is healthy, it’s easier to maintain a normal weight, for example. There are fewer psychiatric disorders. Your mood would be better if your gut was healthier. Less heart disease, pretty much everything,” said Dr. Ronnie Porat Jankelson, a gastroenterologist at Maimonides Medical Center in New York.
Doctors recommend a diet rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
And you don’t need to spend all your savings to get what your gut needs.
Fermentation enthusiasts
Eating fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi provides gut-beneficial probiotics, Harvard Health researchers say. Friendly microorganisms block harmful pathogens.
These products can also be quite inexpensive: a jar of sauerkraut or kimchi costs around $4.
If you don’t like the sour taste of cabbage foods, a sweetened probiotic milk drink, like Yakult or Calpico, can provide a major probiotic boost. A five-pack of 2.7-ounce bottles costs less than $5 and contains more probiotics than regular yogurt.
While not all yogurt contains probiotics, you can get Icelandic Skyr yogurt or gut-healthy kefir drinks for just over $2 for a single serving.
Assorted vegetables
A diet rich in vegetables, fruits and nuts promotes good intestinal bacteria at low cost.
The fiber in these foods feeds intestinal bacteria. Nutritionists recommend 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day as part of a healthy diet.
Beans are a superior choice — white beans and black beans contain 20 and 15 grams of fiber, respectively, with 15-ounce cans costing less than $2.
Peas, Brussels sprouts and broccoli are also high in fiber. A 12-ounce bag of frozen peas costs just 99 cents, frozen broccoli costs less than $2, and Brussels sprouts sell for less than $4.
Each of these products contains just under 20g of fiber in the entire bag.
Fruits are also rich in fiber and raspberries in particular. An 8-ounce container of berries contains 16 grams of fiber for about $4.
Pantry Perfection
Some pantry staples are great for the gut thanks to their antioxidants: vitamins, minerals, and compounds that slow cell damage and feed good bacteria.
Green tea contains vitamin C which strengthens the immune system and vitamin B which provides energy.
Black tea is rich in polyphenols, plant chemicals that make up a major group of antioxidants.
Coffee lovers may see similar benefits because the beans contain polyphenols. It doesn’t matter if you drink decaf either.
“Polyphenols are found in both caffeinated and decaffeinated beans, but roasting is important because heat degrades these micronutrients,” Gabrielle Judd, a registered dietitian at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, said in a statement.
Darker roasts contain fewer polyphenols than lighter roasts.
Finally, chocolate – especially dark chocolate – is a sweet way to ensure your antioxidant intake. It also contains plant chemicals called flavanols, another group of antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease, according to UC Davis Health.
Hydration game
Drinking enough water plays a vital role in digestive health, but the volume varies depending on a person’s height, body mass, and activity level.
Water breaks down food and helps the body absorb nutrients. And the best? It’s free.
Exercise is another easy way to support your gut health. Being physically active helps the body expel unwanted waste and bacteria and speeds up metabolism. The latter process regulates both digestion and gut bacteria species.
Exercise helps combat sleep disorders that disrupt gut health, increasing the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer by causing inflammation and microbiome imbalance.
Jogging or walking, practicing yoga or cycling are some of the best free exercises for gut health, with benefits often felt in just 10 minutes, according to medical experts.
According to federal sleep standards, getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night is essential for adults. “When you sleep, your body, including the gut, repairs itself, breaks down waste, and strengthens your immune system,” Dr. Christina Lee, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said in a statement..
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