If you’re someone who eats healthy and clean to stay in shape, but you don’t realize that nutrients from food aren’t being absorbed properly, then this blog is for you!
One must understand that just including foods that are packed with nutrients does not guarantee that the nutrients will be absorbed by the body properly. It is essential for him improve intestinal health THE absorb food, or your efforts may fail.
Our body needs nutrients to function properly. Our body gets the nutrition and energy it needs when food is broken down during digestion. It requires carbohydrates, proteins, fats and trace elements such as minerals and vitamins. During this process, macronutrients such as carbohydrates are broken down into glucose for energy and proteins into amino acids. We get nutrients from different foods to function well. And you absorb foodwe need a healthy gut.
You have to do some extra work to ensure optimal absorption of food. Here are 5 secrets to superior nutrient absorption and unbeatable gut health:
Variety in food is always key!
Eat meals or snacks that mix different types of food groups, such as vegetables, fruit, meat, seafood and dairy products. This is known as food variety. Consider eating a varied diet to prevent becoming dependent on a single nutrient or becoming nutrient deficient. Eating a wide variety of foods is beneficial for improving gut health as they help absorb food.
Make sure your diet has at least five colors of fruits and vegetables. Combine your iron-rich foods, such as spinach, dried fruit and nuts, with foods rich in vitamin C to increase iron absorption. Wine can be combined with meat (protein) for better absorption of zinc. Consumption of vitamins– Foods rich in D help for better absorption of calcium. Include healthy fats in your diet to use up fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Add digestive enzyme supplements into your daily routine for an extra boost. Remember that food combinations play a vital role in the absorption of nutrition. And a well-balanced diet from different food groups is essential for good gut health.
Probiotics and prebiotics work wonders!
The gut is home to many millions of good bacteria. These live microorganisms are called probiotics. Feeding your gut with probiotic food that contains good bacteria produces enzymes for better digestion. Good bacteria help break down food particles for better absorption. Probiotics help build immunity, strengthen bodily functions, regulate inflammation and relieve constipation. Whereas, prebiotics are non-living plant fibers that are food for probiotics. All fibrous foods are rich in prebiotic foods.
Some probiotic Indian foods are homemade yogurt (curd), cottage cheese (paneer), buttermilk, pickles, Idli and dosa. Fruits like apples, bananas, watermelon and papaya are the best probiotics for gut health. Papaya is a very useful fruit, which produces large amounts of necessary digestive enzymes. It soothes the intestines and helps in the digestion of fats and proteins. Dark chocolate is also an excellent source of probiotics. Some prebiotic foods are bananas, onions, apples, garlic, lentils, barley, oats, flax seeds and coffee. Apple cider vinegar is another great prebiotic food that helps with gut health. Try apple cider vinegar gums HOW gut health supplements.
Bring balance to your life!
We all have stress in our lives. We have goals we want to achieve, which leads to unnecessary stress. Stress is known to hinder the digestive process and can have a definite effect on the absorption of nutrients. Stress releases cortisol, a hormone that slows digestion and causes gas, bloating, stomach pain and weight gain. Avoid drinking tea or coffee near or during a meal as it interferes with the absorption of nutrients such as iron. Also, antibiotics can wipe out good bacteria along with bad bacteria.
Work on reducing your stress levels by changing the nature of how you react to stress. Invest time with friends and family, try to squeeze in more sleep, and increase your micronutrient intake through diet and exercise. gut health supplements. Always consume foods rich in vitamin B12; vegetarians can add dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese to their diet. Dried fruits such as peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts and dried figs have vitamin B12, but the amount is almost nothing.
Stay away from highly processed foods!
Processed foods are foods that have been transformed from their natural state into another state. It can be anything, such as wheat flour or home cooked meals. Highly processed foods contain high amounts of fat, sodium (salt), sugar and additives. These foods can throw you off your diet as you will eat more than usual because of the additives. But using preservatives to make them look attractive, taste better and extend their shelf life will make foods highly processed.
Processed foods are more easily digested than in their natural state. Therefore, your body burns fewer calories when it digests processed foods. Examples of highly processed foods are fast foods, canned foods, frozen foods, sugary drinks, syrups and jams, chips, ice cream, and frozen desserts. Highly processed foods can cause many life-threatening diseases such as cancer, heart attack and high blood pressure.
Drink and stay hydrated!
Did you know that water makes up most of your body weight? And that it is involved in many vital functions. Water is an essential part of our digestive system as it is required to flush out body waste and regulate body temperatures. It helps digestion by improving gut health. It also plays a role in brain function. Water is an essential component in saliva as it helps break down solid food and maintain your good oral health. It also helps absorb vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from food intake.
Staying hydrated is essential in maintaining body temperature. Our body loses water as sweat during physical activities in order to cool our body. If you don’t drink enough water to replenish the water you lose, your body will become dehydrated as it loses electrolytes and plasma, making you faint or dizzy.
Pro tip: if you are sweating more than usual, make sure to drink more water at regular intervals to avoid dehydration.
In the end
For better gut health, avoid highly processed foods, eat a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, and drink plenty of water. Increase your consumption of probiotic and prebiotic foods and try adding gummies acv OR digestive supplements to improve intestinal health. It’s just the little things best digestive enzyme supplements