5 Best Foods That Help Digestion
With all the pressures of modern life, it’s not surprising that more and more Americans are suffering from digestive complaints. Even if you do manage to eat healthily, which is not always easy, stress and lack of sleep can also cause a variety of stomach problems. There are countless OTC remedies for these complaints but the best method to a healthy gut is to try to eat foods that help digestion.
Below, we’ve made a list of 5 easy to digest foods that will help keep you regular.
1. Yogurt
Yogurt is one of those easily digestible foods that also improves digestion. It is made by fermenting milk using lactic acid bacteria. This makes it rich in probiotics, good bacteria that occur naturally in your gut and help keep it healthy.
Supplementing these good bacteria with yogurt can help with such digestive issues as bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Just make sure you purchase a “live culture” yogurt or it will not contain probiotics.
2. Apples
Among foods that help the digestive system, apples are often considered the best food for digestion. They are a rich source of essential vitamins and nutrients and also contain large quantities of pectin. This is a soluble fiber that remains undigested in the small intestine. Instead, it is broken down by healthy bacteria in the colon.
This helps to increase the volume of your stool which is beneficial in cases of constipation and diarrhea. Studies have shown it also decreases the risks of intestinal infection and inflammation of the colon.
3. Green Vegetables
Everybody knows that green vegetables are full of insoluble fiber. This helps you pass waste matter more quickly by adding bulk to your stool.
They are also high in magnesium. Magnesium helps relieve constipation by improving the contractions of the muscles in your intestines.
In addition to these benefits, a 2016 study discovered that sugar contained in green, leafy vegetables provides nutrition for the good bacteria in your gut, aiding digestion and helping fight off illness.
4. Fennel
Fennel is usually used as a flavoring for food. It is a plant with a pale bulb and long green stalks which has a delicate anise flavor. Its high fiber content helps to keep things passing smoothly through your digestive tract.
Fennel can also help with digestive issues such as wind, bloating and cramps. This is because it contains an antispasmodic agent that can help relax the muscles in your gut when they are overstimulated.
5. Kefir
Along with yogurt, Kefir is another one of the gut-friendly foods made using cultivated milk. The culture used to produce kefir is a combination of yeast and bacteria.
The benefits to your digestion are similar to those produced by yogurt. It stimulates the production of good bacteria in your gut and aids in the digestion of lactose. Kefir has also been shown to decrease intestinal inflammation.
Eating foods that aid digestion regularly will help to maintain healthy digestion. So will regular exercise and proper sleep. However, despite our best intentions, keeping to a healthy regime is not always possible. So the question is how to aid digestion when circumstances won’t allow for the above?
A.M.P. Floracel Aloe vera supplements help to maintain a healthy pH balance in the gut, promote the growth of good bacteria and help regularize your movements with their anti-inflammatory properties. Regular use will ensure that your body doesn’t suffer consequences in case you temporarily abandon your healthy eating habits (due to work, studying, etc.).
Please note that we are not advocating our supplements as an alternative to healthy eating, but merely an aid or occasional replacement.