Foods for good gut health | Ways to eat for gut health program
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The lowdown on biotics for your microbiome and fibre for the win!
Probiotic and prebiotic power
You have probably heard that prebiotics and probiotics are good for gut health. Today we will talk about these in more detail and add some new terms to your gutionary:
- Probiotics are the live organisms known as bacteria and some yeasts that live throughout our gastrointestinal system to keep it balanced, happy, and healthy.
- Remember when we talked about feeding your good bugs so they can thrive? That’s where prebiotics come in. A prebiotic is a non-digestible food ingredient that selectively feeds these friendly organisms (probiotic strains). Prebiotics undergo bacterial fermentation that become the food and fuel helping them thrive and grow in abundance.
The easiest way to wrap your head around these two concepts is that: prebiotics (food) feed the probiotics (organisms).
Fibre for the win
Remember when we talked about plant foods? Here’s another reason to love them - fibre! Most adults should aim for around 30g of fibre per day to feed their gut bugs and keep regular. Inadequate fibre intake over the long term may have negative impacts on the gut bacteria as without fuel to grow and thrive, the good bacteria are no longer in balance.
Download our handy guide to dietary fibre for some common fibre levels of everyday foods.
Important note on fibre and fluid
When we consume fibre, it mixes with water to add bulk and help our stools move through the digestive tract. This means that a sudden change to fibre intake may be a shock to the system and if increased too rapidly, can result in unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. Our top tips:
- Gradually increase fibre over time
- Increase your fluid (aka water) intake at the same time
Drink more water
In our free program, we'll cover how much water your body actually needs, the best ways to stay hydrated and how to track your water intake.
Prebiotic and probiotic guide
We’ve talked a lot about plants and fibre so far so let’s dive into sources of probiotics and prebiotics. We’ve got you covered with this handy guide!
did you know
Everyone’s gut microbiome is unique, just like your fingerprint.
Let’s recap foods for good gut health:
Probiotics
The good bugs that help support health and keep the bad bugs in check. Use our probiotics guide and if you’re on a course of antibiotics, talk to your health professional about a probiotic supplement.
Prebiotics
The food source for your good gut bugs, they work together with the probiotics! Use our prebiotics guide and 30 plants in 7 days to up your prebiotic intake.
Dietary fibre
Aim for 30g of fibre per day and if you are increasing fibre, always increase your water intake along with it.
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This page is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. If you have any concerns or questions about your health you should consult with a health professional.