There’s nothing worse than enjoying a meal, only to feel tired, bloated and lacking in concentration when you’re done. Nutritionist and founder of Naked and Fresh, Nila Oppedisano shares the best foods for good digestion.
To gain the full nutritional benefits from foods, they must be digested and absorbed properly in the gut. If you are someone who is struggling with good digestion, then I would suggest that you give fermented foods a try as they are by far the best foods to improve overall gut health, increase gut-friendly bacterias, and aid digestion.
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Here are some of my top picks and why I like them so much.
Apple cider vinegar
Drinking apple cider vinegar in water will help stimulate and improve your digestion. The vinegar stimulates gastric juices, helping your body breakdown the foods you are consuming. When choosing apple cider vinegar, always go for the organic brands that contain the ‘mother’. The ‘mother’ is full of prebiotics and other beneficial bacterias.
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut or kimchi
These tangy fermented veggies are full of probiotics. The fermentation process converts sugar into lactic acid. Lactic acid will help restore and promote growth of healthy bacteria in the GIT. Cabbage, which is commonly used in fermented products, also aids detoxification and increase bowel movement (due to fibre content).
Soy Miso
When choosing soy miso products, always go for the fermented option. Soy has become quite the controversial topic and most nutritionists would discourage the use of it. This is because soy is generally GMO, hard to digest, and nutritionally poor. However, fermented miso contains an abundance of probiotics. Because miso is fermented, it’s filled with beneficial, live probiotic cultures that can help repair the GIT. In addition to this, miso is a great source of protein and nutrients.
Grass Fed Butter
The nutritional profile of dairy products can be varied by what the cows ate. Grass-fed butter is naturally rich in vitamin K, omega-3 fatty acids, and an extensive list of nutrients. Grass-fed butter also contains butyric acid which provide anti-inflammatory and immune-regulatory benefits in the gut. Butyric acid is a short-chain fatty acid that is naturally found in the gut. IBS, leaky gut, and inflammation can prevent the production of butyric acid. As grass-fed butter is rich in butyric acid it can aid healing and promote GIT health.
