Which foods can help with overall gut and digestive health?
Gemma Stuart
Which foods can help with overall gut and digestive health?
Gemma Stuart, MSc Founder, Gut Wealth
Gemma Stuart, MSc, is the founder of Gut Wealth and a member of the GI Institute. A graduate of the University of Michigan's IBS Management programme, she is a regularly published gut health writer in The Times, Women's Health, BBC Radio and others, and serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Have you found yourself googling versions of these words?: "best foods gut health" "how to improve gut health" "improve digestion" "what is good for gut".
You're not alone. The NHS website says "around 4 in 10 people have at least one digestive symptom at any one time" - no wonder you're looking for help!
Gut health includes everything inside from chewing to pooing so it's the general condition of your digestive system. good gut health helps us fight off infections. But you might not know that good gut health contributes to the the outer appearance of our skin.
Gut issues can mean unusual bowel movements, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, bloating after meals, gas, stomach pain or cramps, food sensitivities or allergies, nausea, fatigue fever and more. Quite the list!
Most people understand that keeping their gut healthy is valuable to overall health. However, studies show that most people are in the dark about which foods to eat to maintain a healthy gut.
If it was easy, we'd all be able to introduce more of the best foods for gut health. So here's some thoughts to keep it simple.
Why we want the best foods for gut health
Most of us know that we need bacteria in our gut. They perform all kinds of tasks for our body. They help us digest and absorb nutrients, provide us with vitamins and protect us against pathogens.
A balanced gut microbiome also helps balance hormones and regulates inflammation (bloating).
Bacteria are used by the digestive system to produce enzymes needed to assist with digestion, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs help control inflammation throughout your body. They also inhibit the growth of unfriendly bacteria and vastly improve intestinal motility when lacking.
There are many ways to keep your gut healthy and improve gut health.
One of the easiest ways to heal your gut is through diet decisions.
You might look for good gut bacteria diets but to keep it simple, foods that are good for gut health include vegetables, legumes, fruits, herbs and spices, whole grains, nuts and seeds – and the key here is colour and variety!
What to eat for gut health 1: vegetables
Love them or hate them, our guts need the nutrients from veg. Vegetables are a rich source of fibre, vitamins and many other beneficial compounds. They help the gut microbiome to maintain homeostasis (balance) and also play a role in protecting against gut diseases.
If you don't think you're getting enough vital veg, to increase your intake, think about variety. Eat the best quality vegetables you can find, ideally from local sources.
Think about eating a range of colours and mix it up with soups, salads, stir fry, casseroles.
If you can't buy fresh, frozen vegetables are great too to have on hand to add into your meals, and can be a great time saver and helps reduce waste.
If you're still not getting enough, try green superfood powders to add to your smoothies. Bish, bash, bosh, done.
What to eat for gut health 2: fruit
Fruit is nature's sweet gift to our guts. Fruits contain fibre and their high water content is great for keeping things moving through the gut.
The digestive system is your gastrointestinal tract (GI) (a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube) plus your liver, pancreas and gallbladder - so anything you can do to help it work more effectively, is great.
The best time to get fruits are when they're in season as that's when they're the best quality. Fruit of different colours gives you a mix of all things good: vitamin C, antioxidants and polyphenols (which help prevent inflammation).
Adding fruit to your diet can be easy with on the go snacks, adding them to smoothies, making desserts with them, even adding fruit to savoury dishes, like salads. The possibilities are endless!
If you find it hard to add fruit and veg to your diet, we say - get fruity, smoothie and soup-y!
What to eat for gut health 3: fermented foods
Fermented foods are great for your gut. Yep, we said it.
Fermented foods are great sources of prebiotics, which feed our friendly bacteria, called probiotics. These then create postbiotics which are the good stuff that maintain digestive health.
The fermentation alters food to make it more digestible, boosts vitamin levels and creates lots of enzymes (converting food into nutrients), as well as breaking down proteins making them easier to absorb.
Top fermented foods: miso (fermented soybean paste); tempeh (fermented soybeans); kefir (fermented dairy drink similar to yoghurt but thinner) and kimchi (a Korean-style spicy sauerkraut salad). The best way is to make these yourself at home – much better than store bought, but you can also find these online from small artisans makers.
We love these artisanal fermented food brands: Edinburgh Fermentarium and Aye Pickled.
What to eat for gut health 4: Legumes
So legumes aren't really a word we use in day to day language.
Legumes (beans, lentils and peas), are great sources of fibre for the gut. Lentils in particular are very high in resistant starch which is difficult to digest but feeds friendly bacteria.
They're also a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre which help regulate your cholesterol levels. Our favourite thing about legumes how they can help you feel full after eating them so they can also help us stop overeating.
We like to use them as a swap for meat in dishes like chilli, bolognaise and shepherd's pie. We also like pasta alternatives made from legumes. An easy way to get some variety.
What to eat for gut health 5: nuts and seeds and whole grains
Get nut-ty for a good gut-ty (please don't judge us for this terrible pun)
Nuts and seeds are great sources of healthy fats and fibre. They're usually pretty cheap too so they're great for snacks on-the-go or adding to meals like salads and stir fries!
Most nuts contain resistant starch which is difficult to digest but feeds friendly bacteria. Seeds such as chia and flax also contain soluble and insoluble fibre that help regulate cholesterol levels.
Grains are often a trigger for people's guts not being in balance. But if you're fine with them then whole grains and in particular wholegrain breads, cereals and pasta can be a great source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. The benefit here again is regulation of cholesterol levels in your blood stream.
What to eat for gut health: Let's not forget about water!
And don't forget to think about what you're drinking. Are you really drinking enough water to keep everything working as it should?
Men should be drinking at least 2 litres and women should be drinking at least 1.6 litres of water a day. But if you're exercising, it should be more.
Start by making small good gut choices and add them to your daily routine.
That way, you can stop worrying about when and what to eat and drink for good gut health! You can also shop our Water Wealth electrolytes to help you replenish fluids or our Gut Wealth daily capsules to help improve your digestion.
Read more about simple ways to choose foods for gut health, such as focusing on which foods to include in your diet rather than foods to exclude.
Frequently asked questions
Does this mean I have to avoid other foods?
No. And thank goodness, because life is far too short to fear foods you love.
When we talk about the best foods for gut health, it does not mean you have to cut out everything else and live on kale, kefir and kelp.
For most people, the better question is: what can I add in?
Think “30 plant points”. More colour. More variety. More plants. More fibre. More water.
Studies have shown that more plants means better gut health.
That’s where the magic usually starts. If you know certain foods trigger symptoms for you, listen to your gut. But gut health does not have to mean restriction, rules, or never eating the fun stuff again.
Bish, bash, bosh - add the good stuff in.
How is fibre good for the gut?
Fibre is one of your gut’s favourite things. But most of us aren’t getting anywhere near enough fibre daily.
It helps keep things moving through your digestive system, which is very useful when your bowels are being dramatic.
Some types of fibre also feed your friendly gut bacteria. When those bacteria are well fed, they produce helpful compounds called short-chain fatty acids. These support the gut lining, help keep the gut environment balanced and can play a role in calming inflammation.
Think of it this way: fibre helps your gut do its job.
You’ll find it in veg, fruit, beans, lentils, oats, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Start small if your gut is sensitive, because going from zero to bean queen overnight can cause more bloating. Not ideal.
What’s the gut microbiome?
Your gut microbiome is the busy little world of bacteria, yeasts and other microbes living in your digestive system.
Sounds a bit weird. Is actually very important.
These microbes help break down food, support your immune system, produce certain vitamins, protect against unfriendly bacteria and generally keep the gut ticking along.
When your gut microbiome is balanced, your digestion is more likely to feel settled. When it’s out of balance, you might notice things like bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea or general gut grumbling.
Think of it like a garden. Feed it a mix of good things, give it water, don’t stress it out too much, and it’s more likely to behave itself.
Do electrolytes help with hydration?
Yes, they can.
Water is brilliant, obviously. But hydration is not just about drinking water and hoping for the best.
Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium that help your body hold onto and use fluids properly. They can be especially useful if you’re sweating, exercising, travelling, drinking more alcohol than usual, or dealing with diarrhoea.
So if your body is losing fluids, electrolytes can help you replenish what’s being lost.
That’s why we created Water Wealth to make hydration a bit easier, a bit tastier and a lot less boring. Think of it as an upgrade to your water.
Can other factors affect gut health?
Absolutely. Food matters, but it’s not the whole story.
Your gut can also be affected by stress, sleep, movement, hormones, alcohol, medication, illness, travel and even how quickly you eat.
Ever had a dodgy stomach before a big meeting? Exactly. The gut is listening.
So yes, eat the veg, drink the water, get the fibre in. But also look at the bigger picture. A calmer nervous system, better sleep, regular movement and simple daily habits can all support better gut days.
Gut health is not about being perfect. It’s about giving your body more of what helps, more often.
