Improve Digestion By Using 12 Foods & Beverages
With the massive amounts of junk, processed and unhealthy food & drinks the current population is consuming, it is no wonder that the majority of people have minor as well as major digestive health-related issues.
From diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, stomach pain and gas to ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, people have all sorts of digestive problems.
So if you are looking to get rid of or at least reduce the amount of unhealthy food you are consuming right now and are looking for healthier alternatives, then here are 12 foods & beverages that will help you in enhancing your digestive health in a big way.
Yoghurt
The first food that comes to mind when it comes to boosting digestion is yoghurt.
Yoghurt is great for your digestive system, courtesy of the probiotics contained in it which stimulate proper digestion and a healthy digestive tract.
Research has shown that consumption of yoghurt can lead to inhibiting inflammatory bowel disease, diarrhoea, enhancement of bowel movement and decrease in the risk of colon cancer.
While buying yoghurt though, always look for the presence of ‘live and active cultures’ on the label, as all yoghurts may not have them.
Besides all its digestive benefits, it is a really full of health food that you should incorporate in your daily diet.
Whole grains
Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, sorghum, oats, whole-grain or whole-wheat bread are a rich source of dietary fibre, which is important for healthy digestion.
Fibre besides supporting a healthy digestive system and helping in the prevention of various digestive problems is also known to support proper bowel movement by adding bulk to the stools and afford nutrition to the good gut bacteria.
Fish
Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids are great for your digestive system as omega-3 fatty acids help decrease inflammation in the stomach or colon wall, thus helping in proper digestion & bowel movements.
Research has shown that the consumption of fishes containing ample quantities of omega-3 fatty acids can assist in decreasing the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.
Fishes you should be consuming are tuna, wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, halibut, herring, anchovies, rainbow trout and carp.
Kimchi
Kimchi, a staple Korean fermented food, is prepared with cabbage, radish, or onion, together with a good amount of spices.
By virtue of its fermented nature, like yoghurt, it also contains ample amounts of good gut bacteria, which aid in digestion by secreting digestive enzymes.
The principal ingredient in Kimchi, for the most part, is cabbage which is known to promote the growth of good bacteria in the colon.
Along with that, cabbage also contains fibre of a certain type which does not get digested, thus assisting in eliminating waste and in regular bowel movements.
Beetroot
Beetroot contains good amounts of fibre, magnesium, and potassium, which aid in proper digestive function while it also has antioxidants, helping remove toxins from the body.
Beetroot consumption is also known to spur bile production, while it also helps reduce inflammation through its anti-inflammatory properties.
Wheatgrass Juice
Wheatgrass juice is a truly health-giving beverage with a number of health benefits that will improve your health considerably if you consume it daily.
When it comes to digestive health-related benefits, it contains abundant amounts of enzymes which assist in digestion by helping in the breakdown of food and the absorption of nutrients.
Its detoxing nature helps clean intestines, leading to a reduction in bloating, abdominal discomfort and gas, while it is also known to assist in relieving digestive problems like constipation & irritable bowel syndrome.
Bananas
Bananas, with their high levels of fibre content and essential electrolytes, are a great pro-digestive food, helping restore proper bowel function and providing the required electrolytes for good digestive health.
They are known to help treat diarrhoea and also contain good amounts of pectin, which helps in carbohydrate digestion.
Avocado
Avocados are one of the topmost fibre-containing fruits along with having anti-inflammatory properties, thus aiding good digestive health by reducing inflammation.
Consumption of avocados is also known to assist in the treatment of various digestive health related problems like biliousness, colitis, and autointoxication.
Papaya
This tropical fleshy fruit has a host of digestive health benefits, making it a must in your diet if you are looking to boost your digestion.
First of all, it is a great source of the proteolytic enzymes papain and chymopapain, facilitating the breakdown of proteins in the stomach, thus leading to improved digestion & nutrient absorption.
These enzymes also have antimicrobial properties while papaya as a whole has anti-inflammatory properties, both of which help digestion.
It is known to promote appropriate bowel function, gets readily digested and helps assuage food allergies.
Papaya also helps in flushing out toxins from the body as a result of it containing abundant quantities of vitamins A, B, and C.
That’s a lot of digestive health benefits for a tasty mushy fruit.
Cumin
Cumin, a carminative herb which is primarily used as a flavouring agent (spice) contains a phytochemical called thymol that spurs the secretion of bile, enzymes, and acids to aid appropriate digestion.
It is known to help in alleviating digestive problems like stomach ache, dysentery, and diarrhoea, while it also possesses an abundance of healthful properties – antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiepileptic and antioxidant.
Fennel
Like cumin, fennel is also a carminative herb, which assists in the prevention of flatulence, bloating, intestinal gas, stomach ache, indigestion, colic in infants, etc.
Fennel seeds have a bounty of digestive benefits, with them containing a bioactive compound called fenchone which is known to relax the lining of the digestive tract, aiding in the cleansing of the colon, while they are also known to trigger the secretion of digestive juices and enhance absorption of nutrients.
Water
All these foods & beverages aside, adequate consumption of water is a must for being free of digestive problems.
The fibre which is so well known for improving digestion by regulating bowel movements is dependent on water for carrying out its work.
An absence of water would lead to fibre causing constipation.
So at least look to meet the minimum RDA of 3.7 litres (125 ounces) for men and 2.7 litres (91 ounces) for women by drinking water and other healthy fluids.
