If you want to have a healthy body, you want to start by creating a healthy gut. And to achieve that, you need to be aware of what you put into your gut.

We all eat food every day, but often don’t know what it does to our insides. It can act as medicine or poison, depending on what you consume. Here, we’ll look at foods that are good for your gut health.

Bone broth 

It might sound icky, but bone broth is simply a type of broth that is made using animal bones. It’s how our parents and grandparents used to make stock! But it isn’t just tasty. Broth is also full of nutrients that support gut health and general wellbeing.

The most important nutrient for gut healing is bone broth is collagen. This protein can help to heal any damage to the gut lining. When the gut lining is strong and supported, you are less likely to experience issues such as food intolerances. In fact, poor gut integrity can even be the starting point of autoimmune disease.

 My favourite way to make bone broth is using the slow cooker, as you can set it and leave it. To increase the nutrient levels in the broth, add a tablespoon of vinegar into the water with your bones. This will help to leach the amino acids and minerals out of the bones.

Vegetarian broth doesn’t offer these specific benefits. But it can be an excellent source of minerals and antioxidants that support general health.

Leafy greens

If I could recommend one addition to the diet that can support every area of health, leafy greens would be it. Leafy greens are nutrient-dense foods – they offer a lot of micro-nutrients, but with very few calories. 

There are many nutrients that can support gut health in leafy greens. They are high in fibre, and are packed to the brim with antioxidants. Antioxidants help to repair any damage in the gut and protect against any nasties. 

Try adding a handful of greens to most meals. If you’re not used to greens, start off with spinach, as it has a mild flavour. You can add it to smoothie, omelettes, stir-fries, salads, egg muffins, soups – the list is endless.

Fermented foods

One of the best ways to boost your gut health is to fill it up with good bacteria. And the easiest way to do that is adding fermented foods in. Fermented foods are packed full of probiotics – the good micro-organisms that support your body. 

Try including:

• Natural unsweetened yoghurt 
• Milk kefir
• Water kefir
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Pickled vegetables 

High-fibre foods

High-fibre foods have double benefits for the gut. Firstly, high-fibre foods often contain pre-biotics – fibres that feed the good bacteria in the gut. But fibre also helps to keep you regular. So high-fibre foods are a must for a healthy gut diet.

The highest fibre foods are usually fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Nuts and seeds are good sources of fibre as well. So if you include plenty of natural whole foods in your diet, you’re on your way to a happy tummy.

These foods can all support gut health. But it’s important to remember that everyone is different, and some people may react to these foods. If you are looking for a personalised food plan to support a happy, healthy gut, Dr. Rebecca Farthing (osteopath & naturopath) can make a personalised meal plan that is right for you. 

Phone: (03) 9773 8085