Every now and then we may feel some stomach problems, and the reason for digestive problems can be because you ate something bad, or it can even be the cause of an underlying disease. Whether you’re facing problems or not, for a healthy digestive system, you need to watch what you eat and make sure that you get an appropriate intake of healthy food that’ll help your stomach every day! Which is why, in this article, we’ll be giving you a round-up of top 10 foods for healthy digestion. Let’s get into it!
10. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are often considered a fad, but there’s no denying the very real health benefits the seeds carry, especially when it comes to digestion. Chia seeds are mainly made up of soluble fibers which can help slow down and improve the digestion process. They can be a great after-meal snack to help you digest a heavy meal, as they work well regardless of what you just ate. You can munch on chia seeds alone or you can incorporate them into your own recipes such as adding them to a smoothie, or a dessert such as pudding if you find chia seeds on their own hard to swallow. The fibers in chia seeds may additionally help lower your cholesterol levels, so overall, this is a fantastic food or ingredient that you should definitely try out or try to incorporate as much as you can.
9. Broth
Broths such as vegetable broth and bone broth are often already used by cultures around the world when a person is sick, whether it’s a sickness from indigestion or not. First of all, broths can be a nutritious way of being hydrated, something that’s essential in combating indigestion. They can be consumed no matter how bad of a state you’re in, as they are almost completely liquid. Broths can be quite effective in boosting the immune system, and both bone and vegetable broths contain essential amino acids that can improve your gastric juices and heal your stomach faster. One of the best things about broths is their versatility. Within your bone or vegetable broth, you can also incorporate many of the other ingredients we mention in our list to further help you improve your situation.
8. Apple
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? These delicious fruits already have a great reputation when it comes to their various health benefits, and for good reason. They’re low in calories, absolutely delicious, and contain some essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, and fiber. Similar to chia seeds, Apples can be a great source of soluble fibers, which, as you already know, can slow down and improve your digestive system as well as lower your cholesterol levels. One of the most important soluble fibers in apples is pectin, which can bypass digestion in your intestine and would then be broken down by bacteria in your colon. This will help you have a healthier stool and will also improve your colon’s health. The best thing about all of its health benefits is that you don’t have to taste something really bitter or unsettling, just a delicious apple.
7. Salmon
Salmon, in and of itself, is an extremely healthy source of protein and one of the best sources of fat you can get. Salmon can help improve your heart as it’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can also improve your brain performance, help you age better, and reduce inflammation. Another, often overlooked, health benefit of salmon, especially wild salmon, is its ability to improve digestion. The anti-inflammation properties of the omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation in your stomach, which leads to smoother and less painful digestion. Having salmon along with some fiber-rich foods such as brown rice can be a perfect, and delicious, way of going through that bad stomach day. There are countless salmon recipes you can find on the internet and many of them also include other ingredients that are mentioned in our list.
6. Pineapple
Pineapples are some of the most nutrient-dense fruits out there while also being quite low in calories. They’re also rich in antioxidants that can help combat various diseases such as heart disease or even cancer. When it comes to digestion, pineapples contain many enzymes that actively fight against indigestion, such as bromelain which breaks down protein and eases their absorption into your intestines. Pineapple is used best as an addition to protein-rich, usually already healthy foods, but having a pineapple pizza might also be a much better choice than having a traditional pizza if you’re facing any kind of stomach problems. Overall, you can’t go wrong with pineapples and they can be eaten on their own, as a smoothie, or in various dishes such as the aforementioned pizza, or even added as an ingredient to various desserts.
5. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of those miracle oils that seems to help you combat everything from hair fall to joint pain. While there certainly may be excessive “hype” surrounding coconut oil on the internet, all of it is well-deserved, as it really does help you in a lot of ways, including with digestion. Coconut oil has components such as magnesium and many different kinds of vitamins that help you digest different kinds of fats more easily. Coconut oil can also be great in aiding your body to help fight toxic bacteria and it can also prevent stomach inflammation and stomach ulcers. Coconut oil can be used as a replacement for your regular oil for cooking if the flaming point is as low as coconut oil, or it can be used as an extra ingredient used to add a little bit more health benefits to your food.
4. Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds can be seen as an eastern cousin of the already-mentioned chia seeds. In Indian culture, it’s customary to be served fennel seeds after a heavy meal to help digest the meal, and Indian food is known for messing up your stomach, so you can imagine how effective these seeds can be. It’s not just tradition, there’s scientific backing of fennel seeds’ effectiveness with digestion. Fennel seeds often contain anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce any kind of swelling or irritation you may be facing in your stomach or intestines. Traditionally, fennel seeds may be eaten raw or roasted, alone, after a meal. However, it’s also common to make fennel tea by just boiling a tablespoons’ worth of fennel seed with water and honey for a wonderful drink that’ll really help you with digestion.
3. Kombucha
Kombucha is one of the items on our list that isn’t just one ingredient but rather a drink carrying all kinds of different ingredients that are good for you and will help you with digestion. You may already know of Kombucha as the drink that recently went viral on the social media website TikTok, but if you don’t, it’s a fermented drink with black or green tea and originated in China in the early 20th century, where it’s known as “mushroom tea”. While there have been many different health benefits attributed to Kombucha, one that we know works is its ability to help with digestion as the tea is loaded with antioxidants and probiotics that improve the immune system and clean up the stomach. You can sweeten up the tea by adding other fruits, especially fruits like apples or pineapples to help the drink go down better.
2. Papaya
Papayas are one of the most famous fruits in the world when it comes to aiding digestion. Throughout the world, they’re used as a meat tenderizer due to their ability to effectively break down proteins and soften them. This is because papayas contain two important enzymes, papain and chymopapain, which are some of the most powerful enzymes in the world when it comes to breaking down proteins. Aside from their digestive abilities, they also help improve your immune system and are a great source of Vitamin A. Papayas are a delicious fruit to have on their own, but there are also multiple recipes you can follow to make some incredibly tasty dishes as papayas are widely consumed all across the world.
1. Yogurt
Whether it’s full-fat, low-fat, greek, or just plain old yogurt, all of it can be a very healthy and a very essential ingredient for all kinds of dishes, if not just eaten on its own. A tablespoon of yogurt would be the most nutrient-rich tablespoon you can consume, as it would have traces of almost every nutrient your body needs especially with high levels of calcium, protein, and vitamin B. All of this also makes yogurt a great ingredient to help you with digestion as yogurts are very rich in probiotics, which rapidly heal your stomach and intestines.
