How healthy is your gut?
The state of our gut has recently become a popular topic of interest, because of how important it is to our general wellbeing, both physically and mentally. An unhealthy gut can be the root cause of many health problems that range from obesity to asthma, allergies, lupus,multiple sclerosis,rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. The less extreme, more common side-effects of a bad gut usually include constipation, heartburn, irregular bowel movements, indigestion and other uncomfortable issues.
In order to keep our gut functioning properly, we need to make sure that the bacteria in it are good ones, and we want these healthy bacteria for a number of reasons. These bacteria help our digestive enzymes break down food and absorb nutrients and vitamins. They also help us fight off unwanted visitors by strengthening our immune system and removing toxins that are bad for us. Making your gut a healthy one isn’t difficult, here are 7 powerfulvegan foods for a healthy gut.
- Legumes
This includes a wide variety of beans such as chickpeas, lentil, kidney bean, soy beans and black beans. You can never go bored with legumes, because of the variety of dishes and different types of legumes you can alternate around with. Legumes are not only a good source of dietary fiber necessary for digestion, they also are known to help prevent and fight against cancer.
- Miso soup
The traditionally Japanese soybean soup is fermented usually with salt and a koji starter. This soup has been popular in Asia for sometime and now making its name in the west as well. The soup contains all the important amino acids that a human body needs. The fermentation process also creates for us probiotics which are the good live active bacteria for our gut. The Japanese have been drinking this highly beneficial soup with their meals for centuries, no wonder they have a very long life expectancy.
- Tamarind
Tamarind has been important in medicinal use since ancient times. The tropical plant is easy to find in countries such as India, Thailand and Myanmar. The tasty fruit can be eaten raw or made into a drink. The tamarind fruit offers dietary fiber, magnesium, iron, thiamin, phosphorus, as well as potent antioxidants that will cleanse your system. It truly is one of the super-fruits worth trying.
- Kombucha tea
Kombucha is fermented black or green tea, and the health benefits of this tea is bountiful to say the least. The taste is something to be acquired, with a vinegary after-taste. Most people mix some fruit juice together with it to make it more pleasant. Nonetheless it is a taste you want to try getting used to, because this drink has been around for over 2000 years with very good reason. The amount of probiotics (healthy bacteria) in this tea is incredible. Rich in antioxidants, it is believed to help those with Type 2 diabetes as well as reduce risk of a heart disease and protect against cancer.
- Tempeh
This is a food that originates in Indonesia and although it is similar to tofu, tempeh is less in fat and not as processed. It is made from fermented soybean, and like any other fermented foods, it is high in probiotics and also higher in protein than some other options of vegetables. Tempeh is also rich in nutrients such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. What makes this super-food even more appealing, is the variety of delicious ways it can be cooked and served. Ever heard of tempeh bacon? Yes, it’s real thing.
- Kimchi
This staple dish in Korea has made its way all over the world, with the rising popularity of Korean food. Its sour and spicy combination adds that extra kick of flavor to your dish, and can be eaten with a wide range of food. Kimchi is jam-packed with tasty ingredients such as fermented cabbage, onions, garlic and spices. This food is amazing for your gut, which is why Koreans eat it with almost every meal.
- Kefir
Do you think yoghurt is good for digestion? Kefir is better. It contains a higher percentage of probiotics and nutrients, with up to 61 strains of yeast and bacteria. For those that are lactose intolerant, you will be happy to know that kefir is low in lactose and in fact it can be made without dairy as well, although they will not have the exact same benefits of kefir with dairy.
Credit: May Thatun
