Sam Wood: How to trust your gut feeling

Gut health is a very in vogue topic, but there is a reason for this. Inflammation, bloating and related tummy troubles are a real thing and there are some simple but effective foods that we can introduce to our diet to ensure our gut is happy and healthy. To get to the bottom of this, I sat down with 28’s head nutritionist Steph Wearne to get the lowdown on the best foods for your gut health.

“Your gut microbiome consists of the trillions of micro-organisms that live in your intestinal tract. These micro-organisms are made up mainly of bacteria and play an important role in your overall health and wellbeing,” Wearne says.

So, not only do they play a vital role in breaking down food for digestion and absorbing nutrients, they also play a key part in a number of important processes that go well beyond maintaining our gut health.

Wearne also notes that “there are a number of different factors that can affect the type and amount of good and bad bacteria we host and while you will belong to what’s known as an ‘enteroptype’  [like a blood type but for your gut] every individual has their own unique set of bacteria”.

The good news is this means you can improve your gut health at any time. Wholefoods are the best for our gut health, especially those that are high in fibre, antioxidants and healthy fats such as veggies, fruits, legumes, wholegrains, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish, yoghurt and dairy. However, below are some other popular products that Wearne recommends for some extra gut lovin’.

Kimchi
Kimchi is a Korean staple that consists of spicy fermented cabbage and other vegetables. There are a number of ways to change the flavour of kimchi but it always has a base of cabbage. Kimchi is a fermented food, meaning the lactic acid produced by the bacteria inhibits the growth of other micro-organisms, leading to preservation. This bacteria produced means plenty of healthy probiotics that can improve your gut health by reducing the number of disease-causing bacteria in your intestines. The healthy probiotics in kimchi can help maintain a functioning digestive system as part of a balanced diet.

Kombucha
Although not technically a food, this drink has become hugely popular in the last couple of years. Kombucha is a fermented tea that is made up of SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) water and organic sugar. The scoby ferments the sugar and you end up with an effervescent liquid that could be described as diluted apple cider vinegar but full of beneficial bacteria. As more studies look into the benefits of good gut health there are reasons to believe that there are links between a healthy digestive system and your immune function.

Resistant Starch
About 95 per cent of our gut bacteria is found in the large bowel. According to the CSIRO, eating resistance starch can help with our bowels to support a number of functions including absorption of nutrients from the foods we consume. Resistant starch passes undigested through the small intestine into the large intestine where it is fermented by the bacteria and the gas produced is helpful for the integrity of the lining of our gut. Foods containing resistant starch include oats, brown rice, legumes, cooked and cooled potatoes, green bananas and slightly undercooked pasta.

Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is freshly fermented cabbage and it’s another super easy way to add more friendly bacteria to your gut. Fresh sauerkraut, kept refrigerated, has live bacteria and enzymes that help keep your gut happy.

So there you have it, some simple ways to give your gut some of the good stuff.

• 28bysamwood.com