If you want to boost health and immunity, focus on nourishing your gut.
70% of the immune system is located in the gut. The foods we eat affect the bacteria in our gut, which in turn affect immune cells.
The microbiome and the immune system are intertwined, and diet plays a critical role to support both.
Here are the best food groups and specific foods to eat for optimal gut health:
High-Fiber Foods
Fiber helps with gut health by aiding digestion and preventing constipation. Some of the best high-fiber foods for gut health include:
Dark leafy greens (kale, arugula, spinach, chard)
Fruit (especially berries and apples and pears with the skin on)
Oats and oat bran
Beans and lentils
Nuts and seeds (especially walnuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds)
Probiotic / Fermented Foods
Probiotic foods contain living microorganisms that can build up beneficial bacteria in your gut. These are excellent probiotic foods to include in your diet:
Yogurt (Low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt without added sugar is best)
Kefir (fermented milk that is similar to yogurt)
Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage)
Kimchi (fermented vegetables)
Prebiotic Foods
Prebiotic foods contain a type of soluble fiber that helps create good bacteria in the gut. Here are some of the best prebiotic foods:
Bananas (choose slightly green bananas to reap the benefits of resistant starch)
Asparagus
Onions
Oats
Garlic
Chicory root
Dandelion greens
Jerusalem artichokes
Polyphenols
Polyphenols can help promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut and help fight the bad bacteria. Foods high in polyphenols usually taste great too. These are all great sources of polyphenols:
Coffee
Tea
Dark Chocolate (at least 85% cocoa)
Berries
Red Wine
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Inflammation is linked with nearly every major disease, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Anti-inflammatory foods help keep chronic inflammation at bay while also supporting gut health. These are great examples of anti-inflammatory foods to eat regularly:
Fatty Fish (including salmon, sardines, herring, tuna, and mackeral)
Walnuts
Flax seeds
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Turmeric
Cherries and Pineapple
…
Those are all the important foods groups to support a healthy gut. An excellent strategy to feed your gut is to create meals combining all of the above elements.
For example, oatmeal (high fiber, prebiotics) with yogurt (probiotics), topped with walnuts (anti-inflammatory), blueberries (polyphenols) and bananas (prebiotics), enjoyed with a cup of coffee or green tea (polyphenols). That would be a fantastic breakfast for gut health.
Pick the foods you like best from the above groups and mix and match to optimally feed your gut.
And if you want to suggest these foods to others, take a look at the best video maker. It will help you to create and edit a prominent video of your diet which helps you in managing your gut health.