Your digestive system plays a very important role in your overall health. You need it to be functioning well so that you are able to absorb all of the nutrients and vitamins required to stay healthy. It also needs to be able to easily remove waste from your body.
Aside from the mechanical side of digestion, if your body is unable to digest things with ease, you will probably be experiencing some sort of discomfort. This usually manifests itself in the form of diarrhea or constipation. Digestive health can be improved through a few simple additions to your diet, for example, a lack of fibre or probiotic-rich foods in your diet can be easily fixed.
In addition, you may want to add some of the foods below to your diet. Not only are these foods good for you, they’re also delicious. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find something that you love to eat.
1. Yogurt
You may or may not be aware that yogurt is full of bacteria. Good bacteria that is. Yogurt is full of a friendly bacteria that are known as probiotics. By adding yogurt to your weekly shopping list, you will be giving your digestive tract a boost of the bacteria that exist naturally in your gut. If you suffer from bloating, constipation or diarrhea this may be the solution that you are looking for.
2. Fennel
This is a plant that is often used to flavour food or soups in particular. It is very high in fibre so you will be able to enjoy a more regular bathroom schedule. Fennel also is antispasmodic, this means that it will help to calm the muscles in your gut to help with bloating, flatulence and cramping.
3. Apples
In case you haven’t guessed yet, fibre is very important for your digestive health. Apples are packed full of fibre. An apple a day will keep you regular and is often very helpful for relieving constipation. Adding this very tasty fruit to your diet will have a very positive impact on your overall health as well as your digestive system.
4. Kimchi
This staple of the Korean diet is absolutely fantastic for your health. Commonly made with fermented cabbage it is full of probiotics that help with digestion in a similar way to yogurt. There is also a lot of fibre in kimchi so you are getting a double whammy of digestive health with this food.
5. Kombucha
This is a fermented tea and is full of, yes you guessed it, good bacteria. Different strains of bacteria, sugar and yeast are added to black or green tea. The mixture is then fermented to give the sensation of drinking a carbonated drink.
6. Whole Grains
You may have heard that whole grains are good for you, but what exactly is a whole grain. During the processing of some foods, grains can become broken and lose a great deal of their nutritional value. To be classified as a whole grain, it must contain 100% of the kernel including the bran, germ and endosperm. Examples of whole grains are oats, quinoa and farro.
7. Green vegetables
Specifically dark green vegetables. These are a great source of fibre and add bulk to your stool which makes to passage through your digestive system much easier. Spinach, brussels sprouts and broccoli are good examples of green vegetables that you should strongly consider adding to your diet. The best part is that these can really make a meal healthy and balanced.
