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Foods to Promote Digestive Health
The foods we choose to eat can have a huge impact on the health of our digestive tract. Most of us find there are certain foods that ‘upset our tummy’. This can become more apparent with increasing age as our digestive system often becomes less efficient.
We can avoid eating the things that we notice to have a negative effect on our digestion but what can we eat that will help improve the health of our digestive system?
Fermented Foods such as sauerkraut, pickled vegetables in brine, yoghurt, buttermilk and kefir contain probiotic bacteria and prebiotic substances that help feed the beneficial bacteria which reside in our gut. This provides an environment that encourages the beneficial bacteria to multiply helping to maintain a healthy balance of microbes in the gut.
Fibre Rich Foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus and green beans help to soften the stool and keep things moving in the gut and may help relieve digestive discomfort and enhance overall digestive health. Soluble fibre also encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria.
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Raw Foods are rich in natural enzymes. Foods naturally contain enzymes that assist in their breakdown. Cooking denatures these enzymes meaning that our body needs to supply all the enzymes needed to break them down for absorption. Raw foods such as fresh fruit and salads may help our body to break foods down more thoroughly and easily. This may help to ease the burden on the digestive system and reduce symptoms.
Try eating some salad with every meal, either as a main, a side salad or as a starter. Replace desserts or snacks with fresh fruit or celery or carrot sticks.
Eating more raw foods will also help to increase the fibre content of your diet.
Bone Broth is beneficial for the gut and aids healthy digestion. The gelatin found in bone broth is a ‘hydrophilic colloid.’ This means it attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, enhancing digestion and aiding gut motility. Bone broths are also rich in glycine, an amino acid found in collagen, which is important in calming inflammation and maintaining a healthy gut lining. If you have a local butcher that will supply bones for broth then try making your own and using it as a base for soups stews, curries and other savory dishes. If you do not wish to make your own, there are powdered bone broth products available, such as Health Reach Bone Broth. This is a versatile product that can be added to sweet savory foods.
Healthy Fats including those found in oily fish, salmon, seafood, nuts and seeds, pasture raised meat, butter, avocado, coconut and pure, cold pressed oils, provide a readily available source of energy for the cells of the digestive system.
Rocket and Watercress have a bitter taste that stimulates the digestive organs including the stomach, pancreas and gallbladder to produce digestive juices. Try eating more bitter greens, such as rocket and watercress, by making side salads or starters with them. A rocket pesto can be made using rocket, olive oil, garlic, walnuts, sea salt and Parmesan cheese.
Fat molecules are a rich source of energy for the body and are essential for the absorption of many nutrients especially fat soluble vitamins.
If you find oily fish unpalatable, try taking a fish oil supplement. For those avoiding animal products there are many Vegan friendly alternatives available in my shop.
Jerusalem Artichoke contains inulin, a type of starch that is thought to promote the growth of our beneficial gut bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, which appear to have several important roles in the digestive process. Jerusalem artichokes can be boiled or mashed like potatoes, diced and added to stir-fries, used in soups, or even eaten raw, sliced thinly and added to salads. For those that find artichoke unpalatable or hard to find in the shops an inulin powder can be added to foods and drinks.
Flax Seeds (also known as linseeds) are rich in soluble fibre, containing up to seven times as much as other seeds and nuts. Fibre, as we know, supports healthy digestion and helps food to move through the digestive tract, so anyone with slow digestive transit may find them particularly beneficial.
Flax seeds can be ground and added to smoothies, sprinkled on cereals and salads or added to soups. Grinding them allows you to digest and absorb the other beneficial nutrients in the seeds, such as healthy omega-3 oils. You can make a healthy snack by cutting apples or pears into cubes or wedges then tossing in a bowl of flax seeds. The moisture in the fruit encourages the seeds to stick making a crunchy, nutty coating. (Please note that, once ground, the omega oils in flax degrade quite rapidly. Ground flax is best kept refrigerated in an airtight container and used up quickly)
Fennel is a versatile vegetable and can add great flavour to meals, as well as being good for your digestion. Like ginger, it has a long tradition of use for reducing gas, bloating, and intestinal spasms and cramps. Fennel may also help to reduce colic in breastfed babies when consumed by the mother, either as a tea made from crushed fennel seeds, or eaten fresh. Fennel bulb can be sliced into stir-fries or onto salads. It can be roasted or grilled, used in pasta dishes or in risotto. Fennel seeds also add wonderful flavour to salad dressings, or when used in stews with fish, pork or lamb. They can also be added to home-made breads. Fennel seeds make a delicious tea either on their own or with other herbs. Pucca 3 Fennel tea is my personal favorite.
Lemon Juice may help to improve the acidity of the stomach as well as encouraging production of other digestive juices.
Contrary to popular belief, indigestion symptoms can often be associated with low stomach acid rather than high. We need a good level of acid in our stomach, as it helps to break down proteins and ensures the next stages of the digestive process work properly. The acid in our stomach kills many microbes and is part of our bodies protection against ingested pathogens.
Add the juice of half a lemon to a small glass of water and sip with, or before meals. Lemon can be added to salad dressings, or squeezed over lettuce, rocket or watercress to have as a starter or accompaniment to a meal. Fresh lemon squeezed over fish enhances the flavour and improves digestion.
We are all different and thus react differently to foods. If you find that introducing any of the above foods into your diet makes you feel unwell it may be that they are not the right foods for you at this time. Do not keep eating something that does not agree with you just because you have read that it is good for you. Our bodies can take time to adjust to changes in our diet, so if you feel unwell, make the changes gradually. As your gut health improves you may find that you can tolerate things that you previously could not.
If you have found this interesting, and wish to find out more about what you can do to improve your digestive health, check out other articles in the digestion section such as ' Supplements for Digestive Health', 'Herbs and Spices to Aid Digestion' and 'Digestive Discomfort and IBS'