Eating the right foods can fuel the microorganisms that live in your gut, leading to a plethora of health benefits. And eating the wrong thing can have negative consequences on your gastrointestinal tract. Luckily, some of the best foods for gut health are delicious and easy to find.
The microorganisms that live in your gut are a type of beneficial bacteria, which help with digestion and absorbing nutrients. Having a diverse gut microbiome can also boosts other aspects of your wellbeing, from your immune system to your mental health.
TODAY.com chatted with two registered dietitians about the best get health foods.
What is gut health?
Gut health is all over TikTok and social media platforms, and it can mean a range of things. Generally speaking, the term “gut health” encompasses the trillions of microorganisms that make up the gut’s microbiome and their effect on a person’s health.
“The composition and health of the gut microbiota have been linked to a variety of health conditions, both GI and otherwise,” registered dietitian Tamara Duker Freuman tells TODAY.com. “(Poor gut health) is associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel diseases and digestive system cancers (especially colon cancer) and conditions like frailty, mood disorders and metabolic diseases, like Type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.”
On the other hand, a healthy gut can reduce your risk of obesity, diabetes, bowl diseases, heart disease and depression.
How do you make sure you have a healthy gut?
The foods you eat and those you leave out of your diet play a major role in your gut microbiome.
For example, the largest study on the human microbiome, referred to as the American Gut Project, found that eating a wide range of plants increases the diversity of microbes in the guy, Alyssa Lavy, registered dietitian and owner of Alyssa Lavy Nutrition & Wellness, tells TODAY.com.
Having more diverse…
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