The human gut contains tens of trillions of different bacteria. These bacteria help the human body to function properly, as they aid in the digestion of food.
An unhealthy and undiversified diet can cause the gut microbiome to struggle. An unhealthy gut microbiome is linked to obesity, a decline in mental health, and inflammation within the body.
If you have been feeling “off” lately, the problem might be coming from your gut. Adding these microbiome superfoods to your diet can make a huge health difference!
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Signs of Unhealthy Gut
If you think your gut is causing your health problems, here are a few common signs to look out for.
Frequently feeling an upset stomach, eating a high sugar diet, struggling to sleep or always feeling tired are signs that your gut is struggling. Unintentional weight changes, skin irritations, or autoimmune diseases are also tell-tale signs of an unhealthy gut.
Include Foods High in Antioxidants
“Superfoods” usually describe foods that are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants or polyphenols are effectively digested by the human body, but the gut microbiota does break them down.
A diet high in antioxidants has been shown to help increase the levels of certain gut bacteria, as well as decrease inflammation in the body.
Buy Organic
The herbicides (weed killers) that are sprayed on conventionally grown foods have been shown to kill healthy gut bacteria.
Buying organic food can be beneficial because these foods are not sprayed with dangerous herbicides.
However, buying all of your food organic can get expensive. The EWG has created lists called “The Clean Fifteen” and “The Dirty Dozen” to help you. The Clean Fifteen lists the 15 “cleanest” foods to buy conventionally. The Dirty Dozen are the 12 that should always be purchased organic.
Increase Fiber Intake
Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains are all high in fiber. Fiber is another nutrient that isn’t digested by your body. Instead, it is digested by your gut bacteria, helping them to grow.
Pick Fermented Foods
Fermented foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha. Fermented foods have been shown to reduce inflammation, increase healthy gut bacteria, and decrease unhealthy gut bacteria.
Oftentimes, these foods can also be packed with sugars. It’s best to avoid these and look for all-natural sugar-free options. If you are looking for a more natural option, you can make your own yogurt and buy bravo probiotic yogurt kit now.
Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
Often times foods seem healthy because they are “sugar-free” however this can mean that they are filled with artificial sweeteners instead.
The artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose have been found to negatively impact the gut microbiome.
It has been found that people who eat large amounts of artificial sweeteners have increase levels of unhealthy bacteria in their guts.
Microbiome Superfoods
Improving your gut health starts with including the right microbiome superfoods in your diet. Whether you are noticing problems or not, everyone can benefit from trying to improve their gut health.
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