Emma Miller
A cup of yogurt in the morning fills your intestines with beneficial bacteria. Breakfast does just that: it breaks the fast. Morning food is what gets us going in the morning-it gives us the fuel we need to get through the day.
That’s why there’s no better time than first thing in the morning to start treating your gut right by giving it the foods it loves and that will love you back.
The 4 best breakfast foods for gut health
Yogurt
These live bacteria, also known as probiotics, can have a positive impact on our health, especially our digestive system, as explained by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
One word of caution: avoid yogurts sweetened with artificial sugars such as saccharin and sucralose. Here’s why: A January 2019 Advances in Nutrition study reviewed previous clinical and experimental research and found that some sugar substitutes alter our gut bacteria – and not in a good way. Even stevia was found to have a negative effect.
Oatmeal
When it comes to gut health, oatmeal is one of the best ways to start your day. Oats are a prebiotic food, which means that they help to nourish probiotics, the beneficial bacteria in our gut.
Other sources of prebiotics include bananas, onions, garlic, and beans, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Oats contain a unique fiber called beta-glucan, and this particular fiber has been found to have a more pronounced effect on the microbial composition in the gut compared to other fibers.
Smoothies
To make a gut-friendly smoothie, include as many plant-based foods as possible (fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, whole grains).
One of the largest studies to date on the human microbiome found that eating 30 different plant-based foods per week was associated with a more diverse (healthier) gut microbiome.
When preparing a smoothie at home or assembling one on the go, avoid smoothies that contain ingredients such as juices, frozen yogurt, and sweetened milk, as they are usually very high in sugar.
Eggs
When it comes to gut health, whether eggs are “good” or “bad” really depends on the individual.
If you’re dealing with gut issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – which is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder, according to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Diseases – then you should proceed with caution.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, if your IBS leads to diarrhea, eggs can help “strengthen” you. But, if you experience the opposite effect (constipation), eggs can only make the situation worse.
The 3 worst breakfast foods for the gut
Bacon and sausage
Highly processed red meat is a problem not only for the heart but also for the intestines.
According to the guidelines, eating even small amounts of bacon, sausage, or other highly processed red meat is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Eating moderate or large amounts of red meat can, too.
According to the study, red meat also negatively affects the gut microbiota. It seems that the heme iron contained in red meat leads to a violation of the mucosal barrier function of our intestines.
Donut
Adding a doughnut to your coffee order may seem like a simple and harmless addition, but it’s not. Donuts are fried, which means they are high in fat. They are also made from refined grains and added sugar (read: almost no fiber).
This is a harmful duo for gut health. diets of African Americans who traditionally followed the Western diet (high in fat and low in fiber) were replaced by South Africans who followed the rural African diet (high in fiber and low in fat).
After just two weeks of eating the different diets, those on the high-fat, low-fiber diet experienced a significant increase in mucosal inflammation and negative changes in the microbiota, both risk factors for cancer.
Waffles and pancakes
Waffles and pancakes are traditionally made from refined grains such as wheat and barley flour. These types of grains actually have no real gut benefits, especially when compared to whole grains.
A clinical study showed that after six weeks, replacing whole grains with refined grains resulted in an increase in stool weight and frequency, as well as a moderately positive effect on the gut microbiota.
