Foods To Improve Digestion

The digestive system plays a major role in our body, it breaks down the foods you eat into nutrients your body needs. Neglecting digestive health leads your body to experience several issues in absorbing those essential nutrients. 

Everyone experiences occasional digestive problems such as bloating, cramping, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation for a variety of reasons. When these problems occur frequently, they might lead to severe digestive issues such as Crohn’s Disease, diverticulitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and heartburn. 

Fortunately, diet or lifestyle changes can have a very positive effect on your gut health. Following a few steps to improve your digestive health can help your digestive system to function more efficiently and improve overall health and sense of well-being.

In order to keep indigestion at bay, start including the following foods in your diet to get your digestive system back in order.

8 Healthy Foods That Improve Digestion

When your stomach fails to digest the foods, it can easily damage the nerves which regulate the healthy functioning of the digestive system and prevent the muscles in the stomach. When this happens in your digestive system, the undigested food can ferment and lead to the cause of forming bacteria and lead to several health problems. Let’s see what foods help in improving healthy digestion.

Spinach is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals that helps to improve digestion. Adding huge amounts of fiber to your diet can quicken the pace of your stool through the digestive tract. It is also an excellent source of vitamins like K, C, A, minerals like magnesium, and folate.

Magnesium helps in relieving constipation by improving the muscle contractions in the intestinal tract. In addition, many types of research have shown that a specific type of sugar called ‘sulfoquinovose’ in spinach and other leafy greens increases the growth of healthy gut bacteria results in the healthy functioning of the digestive system.

Yogurt is made from milk that has been fermented by lactic acid bacteria. It also contains friendly bacteria called probiotics which are often found in our digestive tract which are called good bacteria that improves the proper functioning of the digestive system and keeps the gut healthy.

Probiotics also help in easing certain digestive problems such as diarrhea, bloating, constipation, diarrhea. However, not all yogurt contains probiotics so when shopping, it’s better to look out the label before adding it to your list.

Wheat is a staple food in many families all over the world. When this wonderful food is consumed as a whole grain, it is a source of multiple nutrients and dietary fibers. Often your body needs at least 25 grams of fiber per day. As wheat is high in fiber content, it aids in the smooth functioning of the digestive system.

The fiber in wheat adds bulk to the stool and can reduce constipation, and act as prebiotics and provide healthy bacteria to the gut.

Ginger is one of the most known traditional ingredients in eastern medicine that helps in preventing several health issues and improves digestion. It is known to have concrete effects on digestive functioning and in turn, relaxes the muscles of the intestine. 

Consuming ginger stimulates the salivary glands to produce enough saliva and gastric enzymes that assist in digestion and speed up the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine. It is also helpful in reducing nausea, heartburn, and stomach upset or discomfort in ayurvedic medicine.

Papaya is a luscious tropical fruit that contains a digestive enzyme called papain which helps in breaking down protein fibers that assist the proper functioning of the digestion process. Even though it is not required in the diet, it can aid the digestion of protein. 

This fruit is also known to ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, and constipation. Due to its gastrointestinal properties, papaya is also used as the main enzyme in providing digestive supplements.

Chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber, which causes them to be a gelatin-like substance in your stomach, once consumed. They work like prebiotics in your body and support the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut resulting in contributing to healthy digestion.

The fiber content in chia seeds also helps in promoting bowel regularity and healthy stools.

Salmon is an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids that often help in reducing inflammation in our body. Studies have shown that omega 3 fatty acids taken with plenty of fiber, probiotic foods, and a healthy diet can progress the diversity of the gut microbiome. 

People with inflammatory bowel disease, and other digestive disorders often have inflammation in the gut. Consuming it often reduces inflammation and promotes good intestinal health.

If you are one of those individuals suffering from bowel syndrome, then chicken breast is the one you must try in your diet. Chicken breast is loaded with proteins and essential amino acids. It also contains lean protein which is easily digestible and not fermented by gut bacteria.

Take Away

Apart from consuming healthy food, do some physical exercise because regular exercise improves digestion and helps to reduce stress and improves the digestive system, or practice yoga, hydrate yourself and adopt healthy eating practices to get rid of all digestive issues.