There are so many diets fads around these days – vegetarian, carnivore, keto, paleo, vegan, low-fat, low-carb, Dukan, and Dash. So, how do you know which is the best option for you and your gut health?
Whether your goal is to to eat more veg, less meat, or reduce sugar and bad fats – the one focus all diets should share is lowering inflammation. Chronic inflammation is at the root of almost all diseases, so reducing it with your food choices is always in fashion. 1https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/inflammation-a-unifying-theory-of-disease
Science shows that your diet can influence the level of inflammation in your gut and around your body. 2https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/7/1287 If you’ve read our article Inflammation – friend or foe? you’ll know how it affects the body and can lead to a number of health conditions.
So what can you do to minimise your inflammatory load? We’ve made it simple for you!
Foods to increase:
A variety of fibre-rich foods such as legumes, grains, and nuts, feed the bacteria that produce anti-inflammatory substances such as butyrate.3https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/7/1287 Check out this article on fibre and how to incorporate more into your diet.
Antioxidant-rich foods such as bell peppers, citrus, broccoli, apples, green tea, dark chocolate, and blueberries.4https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/7/1287
Fermented foods such as Kefir. 5https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4401881/
Essential fats such as Omega-3: oily fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies, herring, and mackerel), as well as walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.6https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/7/1287
Plant protein (in place of animal protein) – for example, beans, lentils, nuts, tofu, and quinoa.7https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/7/1287
Foods to avoid:
Refined carbohydrates (biscuits, cakes, crisps, pastries).8https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/14035
Heavily-processed foods that are high in additives, sugar, and poor-quality fats. 9https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-diet-influences-gut-bacteria-and-inflammation#Unfriendly-bacteria10https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/7/1287
Saturated fat and animal products.11https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/14035
Omega 6 fatty acids found in meat, soy, and vegetable oils such as sunflower oil.12https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/7/1287
Burnt or blackened foods.13https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8199595/
Get the full plan
The Chuckling Goat Gut Health Diet, similar to the Mediterranean way of eating, is a great starting point for meal planning. Read more in our blog post, here: https://www.chucklinggoat.co.uk/what-is-a-gut-healthy-diet/
For more inspiration, you’ll find plenty of tasty recipes in our Gut Health Express blog!
Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat from 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays for bespoke advice on gut wellness.
References
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