Improve your gut health
Why does gut health matter?
Maintaining a healthy gut is essential for your overall well-being, it plays a central role in everything from your digestion to your mental health.
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, collectively known as the guy microbiome. Your gut microbiome plays a critical role in digesting food, absorbing nutrients, and protecting the body from diseases. If your microbiome is imbalanced, known as dysbiosis, this can contribute to digestive problems, inflammation, obesity and diabetes.
How to create a healthy gut?
To support a balanced, healthy microbiome, it is important to nourish the good bacteria in your gut. These beneficial bacteria thrive on fibre from plant-based foods. Different bacteria prefer different types of fibre, so the more variety in your diet, the more diverse and robust your microbiome becomes and research suggests that consuming 30 different plant foods each week can dramatically improve the diversity of your gut microbiome.
The benefits of a diverse plant-based diet
We now know aiming for at least 30 different plant-based foods a week gives us a diverse microbiome but what are the benefits:
Better Digestion
Eating a wide range of fibre-rich plant-based foods supports our digestion system by feeding the good bacteria that help break down food. Fibre also helps regulate our bowel movements, reducing the risk of constipation and bloating.
Weight Management
Eating more plants can help with weight management by promoting feelings of fullness and therefore preventing overeating. This is because the fibre in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds slows down digestion, keeping you satisfied for longer and helping to regulate blood sugar levels.
better mental health
Your gut and brain are closely connected through the gut-brain axis, a communication pathway that links your central nervous system with your digestive system. Studies have shown that a diverse, plant-rich diet can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by supporting a healthy gut-brain connection.
microbial diversity
As the gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria that thrive on different types of fibre the more diverse our fibre intake leads to a more diverse microbiome which is linked to a better immune system and lower inflammation.
Protects against disease
A diverse microbiome has been linked to lower risks of chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancers. By improving your gut health you are supporting your overall health and reducing your disease risk.
Tips to eat more plant-based foods in your diet
Start your day with a plant-packed breakfast: Natural yoghurt with fruit, nuts and mixed seeds, smoothies with chia seeds or avocado, tomato and mixed seeds on wholemeal toast are great options.
Boost your salads: experiment with different coloured and new veggies and top with nuts, seeds and fresh herbs.
Add herbs and spices: don’t forget that herbs and spices count towards your 30 different plant-based foods so add them to your foods for added flavour and gut-boosting benefits.
Snack on plants: make your snacks count, and grab some olives and walnuts, veggie sticks and hummus for nutrient-packed snacks.
Plant-based protein: swap animal protein for plant-based protein. Try lentils, beans, chickpeas or quinoa which are all packed with protein.
Support to make it happen
Now you know why it is important to eat a wide variety of plant-based foods why not take part in my 7-day challenge to eat 30 different plant-based foods starting next Monday? Watch out for my daily social media posts for recipe ideas and handy tips.
Download your FREE TRACKER to keep you motivated and measure your progress.
Remember, by increasing the diversity of your plant intake, you will improve your digestion, boost your immunity, reduce inflammation, and feel more energised.