Maintaining a healthy gut is the cornerstone of good nutrition when it comes to optimizing your weight, health, and fitness. The gut microbiome, a complex community of microorganisms in our digestive system, is crucial to your digestion and how well your body absorbs nutrients and supports your immune system. A well-balanced gut can even impact your mental health.
Unfortunately, it's common to struggle with gut health issues. Studies show that at least 40% of Americans' daily lives are disrupted by digestive troubles.
Understanding Gut Health
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that make up the powerhouse of your gut microbiome. When all of these microorganisms interact with one another, they can impact your overall health, energy levels, and mood.
In the last few decades, we've also realized our gut is like another brain. When your gut microbiota is imbalanced, you'll likely experience digestion, inflammation, chronic illnesses, and weakened immune function. Fortunately, diet can help correct your gut health for the long-haul.
Better Snacks for a Healthy Gut
Snacks allow you to balance your gut while giving you more energy for your day. Pick and choose your favorite snacks designed with gut health in mind. You can also boost your body by adding a probiotic to your daily routine. Its blend of enzymes help support your immunity while fighting off colds, flu, improving digestion, and your overall gut health.
Dark Chocolate
What better way to indulge your sweet tooth and balance your gut than dark chocolate? Eaten in moderation, dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa polyphenols acts as a probiotic, supporting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Yogurt and Kefir
Fermented dairy products, including yogurt and kefir, contain live and active cultures that ultimately produce beneficial bacteria in your gut. Opt for plain, unsweetened options to cut down on added sugars. Need some flavor? Sweeten it all up with some berries and fruit.
Nuts and Seeds
If you crave crunchy foods, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds provide fiber and healthy fats that nourish your gut with essential nutrients. It also promotes a more diverse microbial community, which is what you want from gut-friendly snacks.
Kombucha
Fermented tea beverages like kombucha contain healthy probiotics for a healthy gut microbiome. Choose varieties with low sugar content as an alternative to sodas and sweetened teas. But if kombucha isn't your thing, you can also sip on herbal teas such as ginger, peppermint, or chamomile for a similar impact.
Pickles
If you love fermented food like pickles, you're in luck. They help aid digestion while providing a crunchy, tangy flavor that helps build up the good bacteria in your gut.
Apples, Berries, Bananas
Fiber-rich fruits, including apples, berries, and bananas, are great for digestion and gut bacteria. They also pair well with nuts and yogurt to amplify your favorite healthy gut snacks.
Whole Grain Snacks
Whole grain snacks, including air-popped popcorn, crackers, and oatmeal cookies, are fiber-rich for a healthy gut and stable blood sugar. Reach for probiotic-rich bars made with whole grains, oats, and seeds that are as tasty as they are healthy to add more gut-healthy foods to your day and satisfy your cravings.
Homemade Smoothies
Smoothies pack in so many gut-friendly probiotics that they can replace meal time. Blend gut-friendly fruits, plain yogurt, and a scoop of fiber-rich ground flaxseeds for a gut-nourishing snack. You can also pack in more protein to your gut-healthy smoothie with our Whey Protein supplement. Choose from:
- Chocolate
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Cookie Dough
- Strawberry Cheesecake
Beyond the added protein you're getting, you'll also pack in more flavor. Like our other supplements, our Whey Protein is easy to digest while aiding in muscle growth. It also contains glutathione, which helps give your immunity a boost while breaking down free radicals.
Next Steps
It's easy to indulge in your favorite probiotic-rich food to help build up your gut health. Ready to get even more probiotics in your day to supercharge your health? Start shopping our supplements or comprehensive health programs to pick up organic greens, multivitamins, probiotics, and more.
