"You are what you eat."—People have been saying this ever since but who would have thought that this golden adage holds the key to a healthy and well life?  A growing body of research suggests that the bacteria and microorganisms living in our digestive system play a crucial role in our mental and physical health.

Why is gut health so important?

Health professionals often call the gut the second brain and that is because the bacteria and microorganisms living in our digestive system play a very important role in our mental and physical health journey. Our gut directly affects our mood, sleep patterns, hormones, immune and nervous system. Our digestion system is responsible for breaking down food into nutrients, which our body uses for energy, growth and cell repair.

A healthy gut contains healthy bacteria and immune cells that ward off infectious agents like bacteria, viruses and fungi. A healthy gut also communicates with the brain through nerves and hormones, which helps maintain general health and well-being.

Diet tips to promote good gut health

What we choose to eat can either nourish and support or disrupt the balance of our gut health. 

Key things to consider to improve gut health overall:

• Eat a high fibre diet including plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, nuts and seeds and legumes. This will ensure you are getting different types of fibre including soluble, insoluble and resistant starch. The Transform nutrition guide promotes high fibre foods.
• Add fermented foods like natural cultured yoghurt, kefir, miso, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi and quality sourdough to your diet. The fermentation process increases the amount of good bacteria known as probiotics in these foods (more information below).
• Avoid ultra-processed foods, which are high in unwanted food additives and preservatives that disrupt the healthy bacteria in the gut.
• Limit red meat to 300g cooked red meat per week and avoid processed meat like ham, bacon, salami and sausages completely. Direct links to processed meat intake and bowel cancer have been shown.
• Limit sugar and artificial sweeteners as per the Transform Program guidelines. High intakes of these have been linked to growth of negative strains of bacteria.
• Variety is the key! Eating a wide range of foods can lead to a diverse microbiome, which is an indicator of good gut health. Aim for more than 30 types of plant fibres a week – this means include lots of different coloured vegetables, eat different fruit from day to day. Don’t just eat almonds – get variety and add other nuts and seeds. Try other grains like brown rice, oats, barley, buckwheat or quinoa.
• Avoid juicing your fruits and veg. Traditional juicing removes the fibre of the plant where the important prebiotics are. Fruit juices are high in sugar too without being filling. Go for a small smoothie which maintains the fibre. Or better yet, eat the whole piece of fruit or vegetable.
• Opt for oily fish. Omega 3 fats from oily fish like salmon are great for reducing inflammation in the gut and encouraging the growth of certain bacteria.
• Include legumes at least 2 – 3 times per week. Lentils, chickpeas, soy/edamame, kidney beans are all example of high fibre legumes that will add diversity to your diet.
• Limit alcohol consumption as heavy drinking can disrupt the good bacteria.
• Drink plenty of water, at least 2 litres per day. Water promotes regular bowel movements and will keep everything moving regularly. Being dehydrated and not drinking enough water can lead to a build-up of waste, meaning it’s more likely our gut will be overrun by bad bacteria.
• Chew your food mindfully and slow down your eating at mealtimes - digestion starts in the mouth!