Superfoods are like the superheroes of our diet, especially when it comes to supporting gut health. These nutrient-dense foods are full of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds that support your digestive tract to function at its best. And you know what else? They taste delicious and are easy to incorporate into any menu. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, even the most finicky of eaters!
So, what are these superfoods, and how do they work?
Keep reading to learn more about the superpowers these foods hold and why they are so beneficial to your gut health and overall well-being!
What Are Superfoods?
Superfoods may not have an official definition, but they are celebrated for their health benefits. They play a crucial role in supporting gut health and your immune system. Filled with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant properties, superfoods are vital for supporting overall well-being.
For example, superfoods’ antioxidant properties help support cell health and detoxification when exposed to toxins. These toxins can be found in various places, such as food, water, air, and household products. They can also come from natural sources like plants and algae or from human-made sources like industrial chemicals and pollutants. They produce free radicals, highly reactive molecules that can damage cells and tissues. Superfoods help support the processes in your body that help neutralize and eliminate these potentially harmful compounds so you can stay healthy.
Eating a variety of these superfoods daily as part of a balanced diet can also support the energy you need to keep pace in a busy world. The great part is that they pack all this punch while being tasty and relatively low in calories!
Why Are Superfoods Important For Gut Health?
Superfoods are foods good for gut flora—bacteria—and are essential for gut health. They contain nutrients that help support a healthy balance of these bacteria in the gut.
Your gut is home to trillions of tiny bacteria called microbiota, including both good and bad. These bacteria call your gut’s microbiome home. Having the right balance of these bacteria in your microbiome is vital for your overall health. Having more good than harmful bacteria supports digestion, immune system health, and emotional balance through your gut-brain axis.
Like you need food to live, microbiota also need food to thrive to help support your health—they need fiber. For example, dietary fibers like fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are found in foods such as onions, garlic, and bananas. These fibers are called prebiotics. Your body can’t digest prebiotics, but they serve as food for good gut bacteria that can digest them. In particular, FOS supports the growth of intestinal microflora and mineral absorption, which supports overall gut health. Additionally, eating a high-fiber diet that contains prebiotics like FOS can help support your digestive tract to support normal and healthy bowel movements.(1)
Superfoods also support healthy inflammatory responses in your gut. Many contain polyphenols, natural compounds found in plants with antioxidant properties, to support healthy detoxification and inflammatory responses. These compounds help support a healthy gut microbiome and the growth of good bacteria.
Overall, superfoods are important for gut health because they help support:
- Prebiotic activity: Superfoods like garlic and bananas contain probiotics, which feed good gut bacteria and promote a healthy microbiome.
- Healthy digestion: High-fiber superfoods support healthy and regular bowel movements and healthy digestion.(2)
- Normal inflammatory responses: The antioxidant properties in superfoods help support healthy inflammatory responses in your gut.
- Healthy immune system function: Probiotic superfoods support overall immune system health.
- Mineral absorption: Superfoods support mineral absorption, so your body gets the essential nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
What 3 Foods Are Good For Your Gut?
3 superfoods are considered standouts when it comes to their prebiotic, probiotic, and polyphenol properties that are particularly supportive of gut health:
1. Yogurt
Yogurt contains probiotics that help support a healthy balance of gut bacteria.(3) Probiotics are live bacteria that help support the right balance of gut flora or microbiota. The difference between probiotics and prebiotics is that prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that feed and support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, while probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that can be ingested to support the gut microbiome.
Common probiotics include Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium animalis, and Streptococcus thermophilus. Consuming yogurt can also help support a healthy weight and keep your visceral fat in check.† Visceral fat is a type of fat that is stored deep inside your abdomen and surrounds your internal organs like the liver, stomach, and intestines and can be dangerous to your health.(4)
2. Bananas
Bananas contain prebiotic fibers like FOS and are excellent for gut health because they contain other important nutrients that support a healthy digestive system. The fiber in bananas supports regular bowel movements, so your body eliminates what it needs to.
Daily consumption of bananas—the greener, the better—supports healthy levels of bifidobacteria in your gut, which are important for a healthy gut microbiome.(5) Additionally, bananas help support the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate during digestion, which also supports gut health and healthy inflammatory responses.(6)
And—drumroll, please—our favorite is…….
3. Garlic
Garlic is our FAVORITE superfood for gut health for many reasons, along with making tons of recipes taste savory and delicious!(7,8)
What Other Superfoods Are Good For Your Gut?
Besides yogurt, bananas, and garlic, several other superfoods are good gut health foods that support your digestive system. These foods also contain nutrients like fiber, antioxidant properties, and healthy bacteria that support a healthy gut. Eating a variety of these superfoods as part of a balanced diet can support the good bacteria in your intestines and help keep your digestive system running smoothly.
These other superfoods include:
- Berries (like blueberries and strawberries). Berries contain fiber, vitamins, polyphenols, and antioxidant properties that help support healthy gut bacteria and normal inflammatory responses in the digestive tract.(10)
- Leafy greens (such as spinach and kale). Leafy greens contain fiber and unique healthy sugars called oligosaccharides. They act as prebiotics that feed beneficial gut bacteria and support a balanced gut microbiome.(11)
- Nuts (especially almonds and walnuts). Nuts contain fiber, healthy fats, and polyphenols, which can support the diversity of beneficial gut bacteria for overall gut health.(12)
- Seeds (like chia and flax). Chia and flaxseeds are considered superfoods because they contain essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, which support digestion, healthy inflammatory responses, and heart health.(13)
- Fermented foods (like kimchi and sauerkraut). Fermented foods are high in probiotics to support the gut microbiome for healthy digestion. The fermentation process breaks down sugars and other nutrients in food, resulting in the production of probiotics.(14)
- Whole grains (such as oats and quinoa). Whole grains are high in fiber, which helps feed beneficial gut bacteria and supports regular bowel movements.(15)
- Legumes (like lentils and chickpeas). Legumes contain fiber and plant-based protein, which can help support the balance of gut bacteria in your microbiome and support overall digestive health.(16)
How Do You Incorporate Superfoods Into Your Diet?
Incorporating superfoods into your diet can be simple yet delicious! You can also express your creativity by trying new ways to get superfoods into your daily menu.
Incorporating these superfoods into your diet can allow you to enjoy their numerous health benefits while adding variety and flavor to any meal.
What Else Can You Do To Support Gut Health?
By making conscious efforts to support gut health in addition to eating superfoods, you can support a diverse and thriving microbiome, which supports healthy digestion, stable energy levels, and overall good health.
By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome and support your overall health and well-being.†
Seeking Health® Gut Health Supplements
Prioritize your gut health with our line of gut health supplements! Our gut health supports work with a healthy diet and lifestyle to ensure your body has the nutrients it needs to support a healthy and diverse gut microbiota and microbiome for normal intestinal function, immune system health, and a healthy gastrointestinal tract.†
- Gut Nutrients is a peach-flavored powder that mixes easily with water to provide comprehensive, nutrient-dense gut health support. It includes a blend of herbs and nutrients synergistically supporting healthy digestion, GI barrier, and immune system function.†
- ProBiota HistaminX is a histamine-friendly probiotic formulated without strains known to produce high histamine levels. It contains strains like Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus salivarus, and Lactobacillus plantarum.†
- Saccharomyces Boulardii contains 5 billion CFUs (colony forming units) in each capsule, supporting a healthy population and balance of good gastrointestinal tract bacteria, especially when traveling.†
- Probiota Bifidobacterium contains bifidobacterium species only and is ideal for anyone who reacts negatively to lactobacillus.†
Still trying to decide what to choose? Our gut health bundle makes it easy! We’ve included everything you need to get started supporting your gut health holistically, and we’ve made it affordable, too.† By bundling, you’ll save 20% off retail and receive a free copy of Dr. Ben Lynch’s best-selling book, “Dirty Genes,” so you can get the inside scoop on how to eat and what supplements to take to challenge your genetic destiny!
The Bottom Line
Superfoods are a great way to support your gut health. Eating gut-friendly foods like yogurt, bananas, our favorite garlic, and other nutrient-rich options can help keep your gut happy and your body healthy. Start adding these superfoods to your diet today and feel the difference!
While superfoods are great for your gut, they work best with other healthy habits, such as a nutritious diet and good lifestyle habits like exercising, getting plenty of healthy sleep, and supporting emotional balance. They are designed to support the healthy things you already do for your well-being.
You can also choose from our line of gut health supplements to ensure your gut gets the nutrition it needs to stay healthy. Even when you practice healthy habits, it’s not foolproof, and there are times when you can use a little help, like when traveling. Our supplements are designed to fill those gaps in your diet where you need extra support to keep your gut health on track.†
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38024360/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19335713/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35114943/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36076876/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31146437/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38792581/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36661532/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32010325/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30619868/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35630763/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36211488/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37237848/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30400274/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35406140/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23038174/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33562498/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32937839/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29041989/
† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.