Having a healthy gut is essential for your overall health. The gut has healthy bacteria that help the body fight harmful yeast, bacteria, and helps with digestion. To improve your gut health, there are foods you can eat and avoid. Foods that enhance gut health feed healthy bacteria to the gut so that they can break down food more efficiently.
The effect of different foods on the gut depends on different factors, such as food sensitivity and an individual’s overall diet. Below are some of the worst foods that can ruin your gut health and other health problems.
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7 Foods Ruining your Gut Health
1. Alcohol
Alcohol is toxic, addictive, and it has many negative mental and physical effects when taken in large amounts. Excess alcohol consumption causes a reduction in microbial diversity and loss of healthy bacteria (Dysbiosis). However, research shows that the polyphenol content in red wine may offer a protective effect on gut bacteria when taken in moderation.
If you enjoy alcohol, do it in moderation; 1 drink for women and 2 drinks for men every day.
2. Sugar
Sugar is fuel for unhealthy gut bacteria. Most artificial sweeteners and sugary foods contain zero calories and have no sugar. They tend to pass through the body without being digested, yet get into contact with healthy microflora in your gut. Negatively, this changes the composition of bacteria in the gut which ruins your gut. Changes in bacteria composition in the gut can lead to other conditions such as glucose intolerance.
The more sugar you eat, the more you feed the unhealthy bacteria in the gut and they will crave for more. Try limiting artificial sweeteners or quit sugar completely to fix your unhealthy gut.
3. Foods with antibiotics
Antibiotics are essential medicines used to treat diseases caused by bacteria. These antibiotics work either by killing bacteria or prevent them from multiplying. However, one of their main drawbacks is that they affect both good and bad bacteria in the body. A single antibiotic treatment leads to harmful changes in the diversity and composition of gut bacteria.
One of the worst foods is dairy products. Most farmers give antibiotics to their animals to prevent infections and diseases. When you eat these foods, they come with healthy and harmful bacteria, giving the gut a lot of work taking in the good bacteria.
Related: 8 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut and how to Fix it
4. Processed foods
One of the best ways to fix your gut health is avoiding processed foods loaded with salt, additives, preservatives, and salt. All processed foods contain different ingredients with bad bacteria that will keep your gut craving for more once you get used to the foods. Processed foods lack fiber and important nutrients, and they are filled with sweeteners, salt, and preservatives.
Therefore, avoid processed and refined foods because they feed your gut unhealthy bacteria that will make it hard for the gut to do it’s work efficiently.
5. Fried foods
One of the hardest foods for the body to digest are fried foods. The main reason they are hard to digest is because they are cooked in oils rich in trans and saturated fats. These fats and oils irritate the stomach, causing gas, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
The worst thing about fried foods is that they promote the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the gut. These foods will feed your gut will unhealthy bacteria that will make you crave more fried foods. If you have issues with your liver, stay away from fried foods completely.
Examples of fried foods to avoid include:
- French fries
- Fish
- Cheese sticks
- Chicken strips.
Related: 10 Foods that will Improve your Gut Health
6. Soy products
Most of the soy products in the market are genetically modified and processed. Diets high in soy contain a diversity of harmful gut bacteria, making them unsuitable for your body.
7. Gluten
Gluten is a protein that helps foods maintain their shape. It is found in rye, barley, and wheat. Besides, gluten causes problems for individuals sensitive to it. It increases a leaky gut in people with celiac disease. Gluten can increase inflammation and weaken your gut lining.
Conclusion
There many foods you can avoid to ensure your gut is healthy. For instance, if it a must, you should take processed foods in moderation and cut avoid them later. Avoid artificial sweeteners, sugar, salt, foods with preservatives, and additives.