Dr. Paul Deglmann
Meghan Feir Walker
What if certain foods could speed up gut healing? While they might not be magic bullets, there are certain foods that can help your body heal faster because of the specific nutrients they offer. We call them superfoods, and the top 10 superfoods for gut health in this article can make a noticeable difference in gut healing when consumed regularly.
At Restorative Health Solutions, we understand that gut health is so often the key to better overall health and wellness. That’s why we often help patients reset their gut microbiome after thorough testing and carefully looking at their symptoms and history.
What is a superfood?
A superfood is a food that’s packed with nutrients and natural compounds that work together to boost your body’s energy, balance, and overall health. Think of it as a healing food that helps your body function at its best!
The following includes 10 of our favorite superfoods that can help support a more balanced microbiome, healthy gut lining, and your overall digestive health function.
No. 1: Kimchi
Fermented foods are rich in probiotics, helping support the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Eating fermented foods like kimchi is a great way to incorporate a food-based probiotic source into your everyday diet.
Regularly consuming kimchi can, over time, help rebalance your gut flora, meaning it could help with bloating, irregular bowel movements, and poor digestive health.
You can add it to your favorite dishes, like using it as a topping for tacos and sandwiches, or as a side dish to the rest of your meal.
No. 2: Sauerkraut
Cabbage itself is known to be helpful and healing to the gut lining, so it’s no surprise that its fermented form is even more effective.
Sauerkraut is created when various lactic acid bacteria ferment cabbage and salt.
Filled with probiotics, fiber, vitamins (like vitamin C, K, and B complex), and minerals, sauerkraut is an impressive aid in reducing bloating and bowel movement irregularity and supporting the immune system and gut flora.
Closely related to kimchi, sauerkraut is great on meat, sandwiches, with eggs, or served as a side dish.
No. 3: Kefir
Kefir, like other probiotics, helps with probiotic diversity in your gut and can help restore gut flora, particularly during and after taking antibiotics, when dealing with constipation and/or diarrhea, or just for daily gut maintenance.
Kefir is also delicious, making it an easy way to get more probiotics into your daily routine. You can drink it straight, add it to smoothies, or find other delicious ways to incorporate it.
Please note that kefir is, most of the time, made with dairy, so those with dairy issues should look for either a plant-based kefir (such as one made from coconuts or cashews) or avoid this option altogether.
No. 4: Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are a great prebiotic/fiber source and also contain polyphenols, which serve as great antioxidants. Polyphenols also support detoxification pathways and promote hormonal balance.
Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, bok choy, arugula, radishes, turnips, watercress, mustard greens, and horseradish.
These vegetables are filled with fiber and glucosinolates. Fiber helps your body stay regular and also helps feed beneficial bacteria. Glucosinolates break down and help reduce inflammation, which also benefits the gut lining.
Whether used in main or side dishes, these vegetables are immensely versatile in how they can be prepared. Keep in mind that preparing them at certain temperatures will sometimes minimize or maximize certain benefits of their compounds.
No. 5: Ginger
Related to turmeric and cardamom, ginger has been used medicinally and for its spicy taste in cooking and baking for thousands of years.
Particularly well known for helping improve nausea and upset stomachs, ginger is anti-inflammatory and has compounds called gingerols that give it its healing properties and signature taste.
Whether you grate fresh or pickled ginger into teas, main or side dishes, or add it to smoothies, there are innumerable healthy, gut-supporting ways to consume and incorporate ginger.
No. 6: Olive oil
Olive oil is a wonderful source of healthy fat and anti-inflammatory polyphenols and can help improve sluggish digestion.
You can drizzle olive oil over salads, roasted vegetables, bread, or a variety of other food combinations.
Please make sure your olive oil is from a good source.
No. 7: Berries
One of my all-time favorite superfoods is berries. From blueberries to raspberries, strawberries to lingonberries, berries are lower in sugar and provide loads of antioxidants. They are also a great source of fiber/prebiotics that help feed the beneficial bacteria of the microbiome.
Thanks to their anti-inflammatory antioxidants, berries have been known to help lower oxidative stress and aid with constipation.
Whether you eat them by themselves, add them to smoothies, sauces, yogurt, salads, meats, or a variety of other dishes, berries add an incredible flavor to almost anything.
No. 8: Garlic
While it might not be great at improving your breath, garlic provides a good source of prebiotics in the form of inulin and fructooligosaccharides and also has antimicrobial properties. It has long been known to support the immune system because of an antimicrobial and antioxidant compound known as allicin, which can stimulate the production of white blood cells. Garlic can also improve an imbalanced microbiota and mild digestive discomfort.
Garlic provides an incredible dimensionality to the taste profile of various dishes. You can add raw or roasted garlic to dressings, you can roast it with vegetables and meat, or sautée it in dishes.
No. 9: Chia seeds
Chia seeds are also a great source of soluble fiber and mucilage that help support the beneficial bacteria in the gut, motility, and digestion.
Beyond the gut, chia seeds help support heart, blood sugar, and bone health with their omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, minerals, and antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and reduce damage from free radicals.
If you’re having issues with constipation, try making a healthy chia pudding or adding it to smoothies.
No. 10: Avocados
Guacamole, anyone? Besides being incredibly versatile and delicious, avocados provide a good amount of healthy fats, fiber, and potassium. The healthy fats and fiber can help keep you satiated and help promote blood sugar balance. They’re also filled with prebiotics that support beneficial gut bacteria.
As an added bonus, avocados have anti-inflammatory compounds that can help reduce gut inflammation and also promote the production of short-chain fatty acids that benefit gut health by reducing inflammation and supporting immune system functions.
Whether it’s guacamole, avocado toast (on gluten-free/grain-free bread), avocados with meat, with eggs, with vegetables, in smoothies, in—honestly, really anything—avocados are the versatile king in cuisine.
Special notes
Always work with a functional medicine practitioner to know if these foods are right for you through thorough testing and looking at your health history. Certain foods, especially fermented, high-fiber, or high-histamine foods, can be problematic for certain conditions like SIBO, MCAS, and histamine issues, and can make digestive issues worse.
Key points on superfoods for gut health
Support your gut health with these key superfoods:
- Kimchi is rich in probiotics and fiber. Regularly consuming kimchi can, over time, help rebalance your gut flora, meaning it could help with bloating, irregular bowel movements, and poor digestive health.
- Sauerkraut is filled with probiotics, fiber, vitamins (like vitamin C, K, and B complex), and minerals. Sauerkraut is an impressive aid in reducing bloating and bowel movement irregularity and supporting the immune system and gut flora.
- Kefir, like other probiotics, helps with probiotic diversity in your gut and can help restore gut flora, particularly during and after taking antibiotics, when dealing with constipation and/or diarrhea, or just for daily gut maintenance.
- Cruciferous vegetables are a great prebiotic/fiber source and also contain polyphenols, which serve as great antioxidants. Polyphenols also support detoxification pathways and promote hormonal balance.
- Ginger is particularly well known for helping improve nausea and upset stomachs, is anti-inflammatory, and has compounds called gingerols that give it its healing properties and signature taste.
- Olive oil is a wonderful source of healthy fat and anti-inflammatory polyphenols and can help improve sluggish digestion.
- Berries are lower in sugar and provide loads of antioxidants. They are also a great source of fiber/prebiotics that help feed the beneficial bacteria of the microbiome. Thanks to their anti-inflammatory antioxidants, berries have been known to help lower oxidative stress and aid with constipation.
- Garlic provides a good source of prebiotics in the form of inulin and fructooligosaccharides and also has antimicrobial properties. It has long been known to support the immune system because of an antimicrobial and antioxidant compound known as allicin, which can stimulate the production of white blood cells. Garlic can also improve an imbalanced microbiota and mild digestive discomfort.
- Chia seeds are also a great source of soluble fiber and mucilage that help support the beneficial bacteria in the gut, motility, and digestion.
- Avocados provide a good amount of healthy fats, fiber, and potassium. The healthy fats and fiber can help keep us satiated and help promote blood sugar balance.
How Restorative Health Solutions can help your gut health
At RHS, we take into account your history and symptoms, along with following the “Test, don’t guess” approach.
When it comes to your gut health, we test thoroughly by doing comprehensive tests like stool tests and organic acid testing (OAT). Outside of these tests, we also consider food allergy/food sensitivity testing, toxin overload testing, nutritional deficiencies testing, and more.
After the results are in, we combine your history with your test results and put together a personalized protocol for you that includes dietary modifications, lifestyle adjustments, and an individualized supplement protocol based on the test results and your history. This is a very one-size-fits-one protocol, and this is where working with an experienced functional medicine practitioner can make all the difference.
Ready to support your gut? We can help
By learning more about your gut health and the reasons why it became imbalanced, you can take proactive steps toward enhancing your whole-body health and overall quality of life.
Are you ready to improve your gut health? Read more on our blog about gut health, or schedule your free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Paul to explore a personalized, functional approach for a helpful and effective path to recovery.
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