What is Gut Health?
When it comes to gut health, studies find that what you do and do not eat can impact the health of your “gut,” aka your digestive system. Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria, which are often referred to as the human microbiome, and a well-balanced diet is what they need to thrive.
. While there is still a lot to learn about gut health, what’s clear is that having a wide diversity of bacteria in the gut seems to be beneficial. Including a variety of foods and beverages that contribute to this diversity is necessary.
For athletes, it’s important to know that the gut plays many important roles in the body, especially when it comes to metabolic and immune function. Researchers are examining the potential impact of gut health and athletes including maintaining proper hydration during exercise to prevent inflammation[1]. Studies have also connected that probiotics may enhance the immune responses of fatigued athletes, which could play a role in keeping you or getting you back into the game.[2]
[1] Endurance exercise and gut microbiotahttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254616300163
[2] Probiotics and athletic performance: A systematic reviewhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11932-007-0044-5
Foods to Fuel Your Performance and a Healthy Gut
When it comes to boosting your gut health, there are a couple of different areas to focus on, including fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Eating plenty of fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help to keep your gut healthy. While all fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are a source of fiber, it seems that certain types of fiber help the bacteria in our gut thrive. Foods that are high in these specific types of fiber, such as inulin and fructooligosaccharides are considered prebiotics, which feed the probiotics or good bacteria that are in our gut. Prebiotic-rich foods include garlic, leeks, onion, bananas, soy beans, whole-wheat foods, artichokes, and asparagus. Another potential benefit of prebiotics is that they may enhance calcium absorption.([1]
[1] Health Effects and Sources of Prebiotic Dietary Fiber
Justin L Carlson1 ∙ Jennifer M Erickson1 ∙ Beate B Lloyd2 ∙ Joanne L Slavin
Easy Tips to Incorporate More Prebiotic Foods Into Your Routine:
- Add minced garlic to stir fries, sauces and soups
- Top whole wheat bread with peanut butter and sliced bananas
- Make a yogurt parfait with granola and sliced bananas
- Use buttermilk as the base for homemade dressings
- Pair cheddar cheese with apple slices
- Start meals with miso soup
- Top Greek yogurt with sliced fruit and nuts
Another area to focus on for gut health involves eating a variety of probiotics often referred to as “good bacteria”, in meals and snacks Foods that deliver probiotics include yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, aged cheese (e.g. Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, Gouda), kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and more.
There are many potential benefits being linked between probiotics and health, including boosting immunity to management of allergy symptoms, and improvement of lactose intolerance.
The Bottom Line
The first step in supporting your gut health is to take closer look at your eating routine and identify where to make improvements. From there, start simple habits like including a variety of fiber-rich foods, along with sources of prebiotics and probiotics in daily meals and snacks. Trying experimenting with gut-health promoting recipes like this Tart Cherry Kefir Smoothie too!
