Strengthen your intestinal flora with the right diet

So that your gut flora and your digestion and your immune system For the gut to function properly, a healthy gut flora is essential. A healthy and balanced diet can play an important role in this. This is especially true in the gut. Dietary fiber They serve as fuel for the gut and help it stay active. Lactic acid bacteria also have a significant impact on your digestion. To help you and your gut reach new heights, we've listed six nutritional rules for you here, because Happy Gut, Happy You!

6 dietary rules for a healthy gut

1. Take your time for eating: The foundation of healthy eating habits is sitting down and eating calmly – without major distractions or stress. Chewing thoroughly is also very important, as this improves nutrient absorption, gives the body the necessary time to feel full, and reduces stress overall. Eating calmly is almost like anti-stress therapy.
   
   
   
2. Breakfast for Champions: Digestion is most active in the morning. When the intestines are working diligently, vitamins, proteins, and fiber are absorbed more efficiently. That's why you benefit most from a substantial breakfast. This is when the intestines can best process the beneficial nutrients and use them as fuel for the day!
   
   
   
3. Evening cravings : It's perfectly normal and not a bad thing to have a few extra snacks now and then. However, the largest meal should be eaten in the morning or at midday, and even for those with a sweet tooth, it's best to reach for the snack box right after lunch. This is because our digestive system slows down in the evening and doesn't start working again until around 3 a.m. It's best to avoid snacking during this quiet period.
   
   
   
4. Mindful Drinking: For those who enjoy drinking alcohol and indulging in a lot of food in the evening, it can't hurt to occasionally skip the alcohol and late dinner. This can help regulate hormone levels and give the digestive system a little "break".
   
   
   
5. Cooking properly: Proper preparation is indeed crucial, even with healthy foods. Cooking at excessively high temperatures can destroy all the beneficial vitamins and nutrients. Deep-fried foods aren't exactly gentle on the gut either. The rule here is: everyone deserves gentle treatment, including your gut and those delicious, nutrient-rich vegetables!
   
   
   
6. Drink up: Drinking enough fluids is key to a healthy body and good skin! But that doesn't mean soft drinks or their diet versions. Water and unsweetened teas are definitely the best choices!

In addition to these important basics, there are of course plenty of tips on the foods and nutrients that your gut particularly likes, or those that should only be consumed in moderation! Variety is absolutely essential for your gut flora. You can find out the rules for this here:

Rules for food and nutrients

Meat:

Studies have found that daily consumption of red meat, such as pork, beef, or lamb, leads to an increased risk of colorectal cancer compared to regular consumption of white meat, such as turkey or chicken. Some even say the risk increases by up to 2.5 times.Meat is an excellent source of protein; just 40g can cover our daily protein needs, which are especially important for muscles, organs, and bones. However, meat can also contain saturated fatty acids in addition to amino acids. Legumes, grains, and soy are excellent alternatives to meat, as these foods are superb protein sources!

Dietary fiber

Dietary fiber is particularly important for gut flora and digestion. We'll explain why here. The digestive enzymes responsible for breaking down food components are actually unable to break down dietary fiber. However, other bacteria in our gut are real fans of this fiber and even depend on it. If the dietary fiber reaches the large intestine undigested, our beneficial gut bacteria, i.e., Probiotics, They are responsible for utilizing them. Dietary fiber is like food for probiotics, allowing them to thrive and multiply in our gut. On average, one should consume about 30g of dietary fiber per day. This can be found in whole grain products, fruits, and vegetables. Oligofructose and resistant starches are also valuable energy sources for the gut bacteria that produce butyric acid (butyrate, the salt of butyric acid, is an important fuel for gut bacteria).

Fat

When it comes to fats, the source and quantity are crucial. Less is more. Those who want to supply their bodies with healthy fats should primarily focus on plant-based fats. These include avocados, olives, nuts, and flaxseeds. Animal products, such as cold-water fish, also contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids, which are healthy and essential in small amounts. Our bodies cannot produce them on their own. Omega-3 fatty acids improve blood flow, inhibit blood clotting, have anti-inflammatory effects, and can lower blood pressure. However, those who consume too much fat, especially saturated fatty acids, tend to be overweight. Being overweight, in turn, has a negative impact on the entire body, particularly on the gut flora.

Sugar

Sugars in the form of short-chain carbohydrates (monosaccharides: "simple sugars" and disaccharides: "double sugars") provide the body with incredibly fast energy, or rather, a rapid rise in blood sugar. However, they are also converted into fat very quickly. Therefore, it's essential to pay attention to the quantity consumed. Don't forget: sugar isn't necessarily bad! For example, fruit contains short-chain carbohydrates, and as we know, fruit is an indispensable part of a healthy diet.

Happy Gut Food & Spices

Probiotics

1. Sauerkraut: raw or pickled, it contains lactic acid bacteria which support digestion.
2. Yogurt: The lactic acid bacteria contained in yogurt also have a positive effect on the intestinal flora.

Prebiotics

1. Oligofructose and inulin: these are dietary fiber components found in fruits, vegetables, and grains. They serve as food for probiotics and are therefore absolutely essential for their growth.
2. Resistant starch: this substance is converted into butyric acid, which also serves as an important fuel for beneficial bacteria.
3. Dietary fiber (as mentioned above)

Miracle spices:

1. Turmeric: stimulates intestinal juices and can therefore help prevent colon cancer.
2. Ginger: has detoxifying and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Chili, oregano, thyme: all these delicious spices contain antibacterial properties. However, those who frequently suffer from heartburn and a sensitive stomach should not consume too much of them! This could negatively affect circulation and digestion.

We hope we were able to help you with the do's & Clear up the "don'ts"! Strengthening your gut flora isn't actually that difficult if you know what the good bacteria love and what things they shouldn't consume too much of!