The best foods to help improve your digestive system

The digestive system breaks down the food you eat, allowing your body to absorb the energy and nutrients it contains. 

Your digestive system is made up of your gastrointestinal tract (including your mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus), liver, pancreas and gallbladder. So there are a lot of different organs and functions that need to work together. 

Many people suffer from digestive problems due to a variety of reasons, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Even if you generally have a healthy digestive system, you can experience bloating, cramping, gas, constipation and diarrhoea. 

Some problems with the digestive system can be triggered by what you eat eg if you aren’t getting enough fibre or probiotics in your diet. This is why it’s important to eat plenty of the foods that are good for your digestive system and avoid those that are bad for it. 

Here are some of the best foods to help your digestive system. 

Leafy greens

Leafy greens, such as kale or spinach, are great for your digestive system because they’re good sources of fibre. Fibre helps with bowel regularity, promoting healthy stools and contributes toward an ideal gut microbiome (the community of good bacteria that help you digest your food).

On top of being packed full of fibre, leafy greens are also great sources of nutrients including vitamin C, vitamin A and folate. While you can cook leafy greens, ideally you should do so as little as possible to help retain the nutrients within them.

Adding raw leaves to salads and smoothies is a great way to add more healthy fibre and nutrients to your diet.

Avocado

Avocado is full of potassium, which is important for healthy digestive function. Being low in fructose, it’s also less likely to cause gas.

However, it’s important to remember that while avocado is full of great nutrients, it’s also high in fat and should be eaten in moderation.

Whole grains

Whole grains add more fibre to your diet, which is important as your colon needs at least 25g of fibre a day to work well.

Whole grains, such as wholewheat bread and brown rice, have a lot more fibre than refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pasta, making them a better choice for your digestive health.

As well as being fibre-rich, whole grains are also great sources of nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids.

Yoghurt

Yoghurt contains probiotics, which are the good bacteria that live in your digestive tract. They’re vital for a healthy gut and help to improve digestion.

Probiotics also reduce problems such as constipation, bloating and diarrhoea. However, not all yoghurts contain probiotics so you should make sure you check the packaging before you buy. Alternatively, you can find probiotic drinks that will help the healthy bacteria in your gut.

Apples

An apple a day may not actually keep the doctor away but it can help with your digestive health. This is because apples are rich in pectin, which is a soluble fibre that gets broken down by the healthy bacteria in your gut.

Pectin can therefore help with diarrhoea and constipation as it helps bulk up your stools. It has also been linked to a reduced risk of intestinal infections.

Fermented cabbage

Whether it’s kimchi or sauerkraut, fermented cabbage is great for your gut. The fermentation process means it contains probiotics that help promote gut health. Cabbage also contains fibre so it’s doubly good for your digestive system.

Typically, the longer the cabbage ferments, the higher the concentration of probiotics. It’s also easy to ferment your own cabbage at home to ensure it’s packed with probiotics.

Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation. Digestive disorders, inflammatory bowel disease and food intolerances can all cause inflammation in the gut. Not only can eating more salmon help reduce discomfort, it can improve digestion.

Peppermint

Peppermint can help your digestive system in a few different ways, which is why it is often served after meals in tea. 

The oils in peppermint leaves contain menthol, which can help ease stomach discomfort, reduce bloating and help with bowel movements. On top of this, peppermint oil has a relaxing effect on the muscles throughout your digestive tract, which has been linked to improved digestion. 

If you suffer from indigestion, peppermint can also help by speeding up the movement of food through your digestive system. 

Ginger

Another common addition to teas, ginger has been found to help prevent nausea but it’s also great for your digestive system. Ginger helps food to move from your stomach to your small intestine faster, which can reduce your chances of heartburn, constipation and stomach discomfort.  

Ginger is available in different forms including in teas and supplements, however, fresh ginger is packed full of nutrients and is a good source of fibre.

Which foods are bad for your digestive system?

Just as there are good foods for your digestive system, there are also foods that can cause digestive problems. Some foods can put you at risk of constipation, bloating, heartburn and diarrhoea so they are best avoided or only consumed in moderation. 

The worst foods for your digestive system include:

• Alcohol
• Caffeinated drinks eg coffee, energy drinks and fizzy drinks
• Fatty, greasy foods eg fried foods and pizza
• Foods that are high in saturated fats eg cheese
• Refined carbohydrates eg white bread
• Spicy foods eg curries

You may also find that eating too fast or while lying down may affect your digestive system. 

Everyone is different and what affects one person may not affect another, so it’s a good idea to try different foods to see if they affect you negatively so you know what to avoid.