A functional food is a food that provides additional advantages to its basic nutrition. It can be a food that’s enriched or enhanced. A functional food can decrease chronic disease risk. It can provide health and physiological advantages further than the traditional nutrients.
Beneficial Foods for Gut Health
Your brain and you gut are constantly communicating with each other. So if your gut health isn't up to par, then odds are your mental game isn't either. Improving your gut health can help:
Enhance mental clarity
Improve anxiety and depression
Enrich behavior
Here are examples of foods that benefit gut health:
Improving digestive function & reducing inflammation
Turmeric
Curcumin
Ginger
Gingerols and shogaols (also antioxidant properties)
Fatty fish
Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA)
Promoting gut microbiome diversity
Prebiotic fiber
Onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke, green bananas
Resistant starch
Cooked and cooled starch
Polyphenols
Green tea, blueberries, pomegranates
Anti-inflammatory properties that support the intestinal lining
Prebiotic and probiotic rich foods
Support gut barrier function
Glutamine-rich foods
Bone broth
Beef
Chicken
Fish
Omega-3 rich foods
Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)
Walnuts
Flaxseeds
Chia seeds
Additional information:
What are Polyphenols?
These are plant compounds that have been shown to promote bacterial diversity in the gut by acting as prebiotics. They can also help diversity in the gut by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and promoting the growth of beneficial ones. They have been shown to produce anti-inflammatory effects, which can increase the support of gut health and diversity in the gut.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that confer a benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts (definition from World Health Organization). They are found in many dairy products, such as yogurt, kefir, and some aged cheeses (blue, parmesan, gouda), but it may vary. They also can be found in fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut, although amounts may vary.
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