Wondering how you can best support gut health? What if we told you the answer is bacteria? While bacteria are often thought of as a bad thing, good-gut bacteria plays an essential role in keeping you healthy. This is especially so when it comes to gut health. Eating foods that support gut health is an excellent way to keep your body running at the top-notch. Curious to know which digestion-friendly foods are best? Keep scrolling as we walk you through the top foods for gut health.
Yogurt
If you're a fan of yogurt, then you're in luckit's excellent for your health! An invaluable source of healthy gut bacteria, a.k.a probiotics, eating yogurt regularly can help keep your gut biome in balance. When searching for the best yogurt for your health, we recommend keeping things natural. By opting for unsweetened and unflavored yogurt, you can bypass the unnatural additives usually found in this treat and create a dish that's just as great for you as it tastes. For natural ways to sweeten up your favorite yogurt, try out sweetener alternatives like honey, dates and fresh fruit.When it comes to a yogurt-based dish that will leave your gut feeling great, the options are endless. You can use yogurt to create an incredible breakfast, a refreshing treat, or a healthy dessert. Its naturally sweet flavor and creamy texture make the perfect base to combine with delicious additives like granola, fruit, nuts and seeds.Looking for a bit of inspo? Try out the delicious gut-friendly recipe below.
Doctor's Orders Booster
If you're eager to find a new way to boost your gut health, it's time to try what the doctor ordered and create this delicious yogurt-infused smoothie recipe! Smoothies make for the perfect meal any time of the day, but this smoothie is especially great when enjoyed pre or post-workout. Made with a gut-friendly combination of pomegranate juice, blueberries and Greek yogurt, our Almond Protein Powder gives this smoothie a healthy protein boost. A sweet, creamy and delicious treat, it's packed with nutrition and will leave you and your gut feeling better than ever.
Sourdough
You can't go wrong with sourdough, especially when you're sticking to a gut-healthy diet. When it comes to all-natural foods that support gut health, nearly all fermented foods are excellent. During the process of fermentation, good-for-you bacteria known as probiotics are formed. Adding these beneficial bacteria and enzymes to your meals can help balance out your intestinal flora and, in return, increase the health of your gut microbiome, digestive system and immune system.It's safe to say that one of our favorite fermented foods to enjoy daily is sourdough bread. When making sourdough bread, a starter is used to ferment the dough beforehand. The amount of probiotics found in sourdough bread is increased through fermentation, producing a loaf great for gut health. This specific fermentation process also creates a bread that may be easier to digest than conventional bread. Plus, because its energy releases slowly, it will help keep you fuller for longer.If you're searching for a healthy bread option that's easy on the stomach, we recommend purchasing freshly baked sourdough bread or making a delicious loaf yourself! While making sourdough bread from scratch might sound challenging, with the right recipe, it's not hard at all. If you're new to baking and are eager to make tasty sourdough bread at home, start with this simple Sourdough Starter. The perfect guidebook to building, maintaining and using sourdough starter, once mastered, you can use this recipe to create even more sourdough recipes.
Sourdough Biscuits
One of the best ways to support your gut health is by starting your day with a probiotic-rich breakfast. Beginning your day on a healthy note will help set the tone for the rest of your meals and keep your stomach feeling great until then. For a quick, easy and gut-friendly breakfast dish or side, make these tasty Sourdough Biscuits. Full of healthy bacteria and probiotics, these rich, flaky biscuits feature the tang of sourdough and taste best straight from the oven. Pair them with butter or jam and include the leftovers as a side to dinner. These biscuits also taste great when used as a burger bun or turned into a tasty ham sandwich.We're confident that once you make this recipe, you'll be eager to try more. Check out our list of sourdough bread recipes and create all kinds of delicious baked goods with them!
Almonds
When it comes to following a healthy diet, nuts like almonds are among the most popular and healthy foods to choose from. Just a handful of almonds can provide a wide assortment of vitamins and nutrients essential to your health. They're loaded with powerful nutrients, including calcium, niacin, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, protein, fiber and so much more. Plus, almonds are chock-full of healthy unsaturated fats. From boosting your protein levels to keeping you full in-between meals, almonds offer up a growing number of health benefits.One health benefit of almonds is their ability to support a healthy gut. Almonds and almond skins provide a significant amount of prebiotics. Prebiotics are a type of non-digestible carbohydrate that feeds the good bacteria in your gut. This makes almonds an excellent snack to munch on if you're looking to boost gut health.While munching on raw almonds is a delicious treat, eating almonds raw isn't the only way they can be enjoyed. Their pleasant flavor and unique texture make them an easy food to introduce to nearly any recipe. Top your favorite bowl of oats with a handful of almonds, blend them into your smoothie, or turn almonds into a plant-based milk alternative. The possibilities are endless!
Sweet and Salty Chocolate Almonds
For a grab-and-go snack that's loved by both children and adults, make these Sweet and Salty Chocolate Almonds. This recipe combines raw almonds with semi-sweet chocolate chips, cocoa powder and ground cinnamon. It's the perfect blend of all your favorite flavors, turned into one tasty treat. Prepped and made in under 15 minutes, keep this gut-friendly snack around the house to curb your sweet tooth, pack it to go, or bring it with you as an appetizer to share at your next small get-together. Made entirely wheat-free, it's a low allergy food that everyone will enjoy.
Olive Oil
Olive oil has long been deemed one of the healthiest foods around? And it's no surprise why people around the world enjoy it often. Aside from being incredibly tasty, olive oil is also delicious. It's used to bake desserts, as a salad dressing and even as a dip. But did you know that olive oil is excellent for your gut too?Your gut thrives off of a diet rich in fatty acids and polyphenols, and olive oil contains a bunch of them. Drizzling a bit of olive oil over your salads, veggies or sourdough bread will create a tasty treat that may help reduce gut inflammation and ease digestion.When choosing an olive oil to consume, reach for one that's unrefined. Stay away from olive oils that have been processed, mixed, heated or contain additives. Extra virgin olive oil is known to contain large amounts of monounsaturated fats and few polyunsaturated fats.
Herb and Ollie Olive Oil Popcorn
A healthy snack to munch on, this crispy popcorn is made with just four simple ingredients: White Popcorn, olive oil Herbes de Provence (a blend of dried herbs popular in French and Mediterranean cuisine) and salt!
Ginger
Are you struggling with stomach issues or stubborn bloat and can't figure out why? It may be your gut biome crying out for a bit of help. By loading up on probiotic-rich, gut-healthy foods, you can give your digestive system the boost it needs to get back on track.If you've noticed that many health-food smoothies and juices contain ginger, then you're on to something. Fresh ginger is an excellent option if you're searching for healthy food that will stimulate your digestive system. A long-term spice that has been used as food and medicine through the years, ginger has an extensive list of health benefits ranging from its anti-inflammatory properties to stomach calming capabilities. Many cultures and people around the world add ginger to their food and drinks daily. Whether you use it as a spice or a fun way to liven up your water, working ginger into your recipe roundup is excellent for you.Ginger helps aid in the production of stomach acid and works to stimulate the digestive system allowing food to keep moving through your gut more easily. Add ginger to your teas, soups, smoothies and stir-fries to boost your gut health and satisfy hunger at the same time.Stick to a gut health diet and begin adding the foods listed above to your everyday meals. From sourdough bread to ginger, each of these ingredients can be used in several ways to increase the good bacteria found in your gut and leave your tummy trouble-free. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, have a healthy and happy day!