8 Nutritional Tips For Healthy Digestion

2020-11-13Last Updated: 2022-01-09

0 3 minutes read

Feeling fatigue, headaches or stomach aches are very common health issues that we suffer often in our life. But did you know that these complaints can be caused by a bad digestion and intestinal flora?

The intestines are actually the engine of our body and affect the entire body. It ensures that you do not feel like eating when you are not feeling well. So when you are struggling with your health, it is good to take a look at the health of your intestines.

It is therefore very important to maintain your intestinal health and digestion through supplementing it with right nutrients.

Healthy Intestine Means Healthy Digestion

Before looking at proper nutrition for our gut, let’s take a look at our digestion.

Our intestines are part of the digestive process. Digestion is the process by which our body converts food into nutrients. These nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals , ensure that the body remains healthy. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates ensure, among other things, that our body is supplied with energy.

Healthy eating is therefore very important for good digestion and therefore also for our intestines.

Tips for healthy eating for good digestion

Eat Varied Type of Foods

There are hundred types of bacteria in your intestines. These bacteria all have different roles in your health and each need different nutrients to grow. It is therefore important to eat a varied diet. Include various types of foods enriched with varied types of essential nutrients.

Eat Fresh & Unprocessed Foods

Fresh, unprocessed foods contain nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Examples of fresh and unprocessed foods are fruit and vegetables from the fresh produce department, meat from the butcher and fish from the market.

Raw nuts, seeds and kernels and unsweetened tropical fruits also feed your body with healthy fats, proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals. You also make the tastiest dishes with it.

But if you are not able to cook healthy foods for you, diet plans like Nutrisystem offered premade, fresh and healthy meals delivered at your doorstep.

Eat More Veggies and Fruits

The best nutrients for a healthy intestinal flora are in vegetables and fruit. These are rich in fiber, which cannot be digested by your body.

This also applies to legumes and beans. Examples of these foods are raspberries, peas, lentils, broccoli and whole grains.

Drink Enough Water

It is important to drink enough water every day, preferably 2 liters per day. The bacteria in the intestines function better in a water-rich environment.

A shortage of moisture (water) can lead to blockages and thus delay digestion. In addition to water, water-rich foods such as vegetables and fruit are also important for the intestines.

Avoid Taking Sugar

It is now well known that sugars are not good for our body. Sugar serves as food for the bad bacteria and fungi in the intestines. You can take in the sugars that come from fruits and vegetables.

It mainly concerns the unnatural sugars such as soft drinks, candy and cookies. In addition, the carbohydrates in white bread and pastas such as macaroni and spaghetti also have a harmful effect. These foods imbalance the intestines and feed the harmful fungi.

Eat Fermented Products

Fermented products are very good for our intestines. Fermentation is a process that uses bacteria, fungi and yeast to make a food. Some examples of this are sauerkraut, yogurt or kefir.

Pay attention to how the product is prepared. This is because sugars are added to yogurt. It is best to opt for a natural yogurt.

Eat Whole Grains

Whole grains are high in fiber and non-digestible carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are not absorbed in the small intestine, but in the large intestine. The intestinal flora breaks down these carbohydrates here, so that the growth of certain bacteria is developed.

Eat Enough Fiber

With a healthy diet you feed your healthy intestinal bacteria. With processed foods such as junk food and sweets, you feed the bad, pathogenic intestinal bacteria.

In this case, fiber helps the good intestinal bacteria. Fiber supports the entire digestion and ensures that not too much remains remain in the intestinal wall.

For example, if you eat a lot of meat and few vegetables, it can happen that a lot of food remains in the intestinal wall. In this case you often suffer from difficult bowel movements.

In this case, fiber can help to remove these residues. In addition, fibers help to attract and retain moisture, so your stools remain flexible.

According to the Health Council, we need 30-40 grams of fiber per day. That doesn’t seem like much, but many people do not consume this amount.

Still, there are plenty of dishes with which you can easily get the required amount of fiber in a day. Think oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch and lots of vegetables on your plate for dinner.