Knowing the best and worst foods for digestion is very helpful in achieving overall body health. A lack of digestive enzymes due to poor diet or high stress levels can cause your body to pull enzymes from other parts of your body in order to compensate for the deficiency. Over time, this could result to depletion of enzymes which are necessary for other bodily functions and processes.
To help you improve on your digestive health, below is our list of best and worst foods for digestion to guide you on what to eat and what to avoid.
Best Foods for Digestion
Whole Grains
On average, the human body needs about 20 to 30 grams of fiber each day, but the typical American diet only provides about 12 grams. Make sure you get the recommended serving of fiber through eating whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat bread or oats. They are rich in fiber and help promote healthy digestion and prevent constipation.
If you find that certain cereals and grains cause bloating, gas or IBS, consume your food slowly or get your fiber from fruits and vegetables instead.
Yogurt
Your gastrointestinal tract has naturally occurring flora, which are microorganisms that aid in digestion. Probiotic drinks like yogurt contain some of these healthy bacteria and can help with irritable bowel syndrome or diarrhea. Probiotic supplements may also be taken daily to replenish healthy bacteria in your gut.
Ginger
Remember how you were told to drink ginger tea when you had an upset stomach? There’s a reason behind that! Certain spices like ginger and turmeric have a calming effect on the stomach. Ginger has been used for years to treat gas, nausea, motion sickness, vomiting, loss of appetite and colic. Peppermint is also good for digestion.
Worst Foods for Digestion
Fried, Fatty and Processed Foods
Fatty foods take longer to digest and can lead to stomach pain and heartburn. This is also something you want to stay away from if you already suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. If you have to eat meat, go for lean meat and fish instead of red meats which tend to be fattier.
Spicy Food
Spicy food like your favorite hot curry or Buffalo wings not only burn your tongue, it also causes havoc on your digestive system too. Chili peppers irritate the esophagus and can trigger heartburn or acid reflux. It is a common trigger food for those with irritable bowel syndrome and chronic hearburn.
Alcohol, Soda and Caffeine
Drinking too much alcohol causes your esophageal sphincter to relax, resulting into acid reflux or heartburn. Alcohol can also irritate your stomach lining, impair certain stomach enzymes, affect nutrient absorption, and cause diarrhea or cramping. Make sure you limit alcoholic drinks to 1-2 per day.
Caffeinated and carbonated beverages may trigger acid reflux or act as a diuretic and cause diarrhea.
Corn
While corn is rich in fiber and is good for the body, it also contains an insoluble fiber called cellulose, which humans can’t break down easily. To work around this, make sure you chew corn longer. Otherwise, you might end up with gas and stomach pain.
Those are just some of the best and worst foods for digestion. Keep these tips in mind to ensure a balanced digestive health!
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