From the moment you put food in your mouth, your digestive system is hard at work. Think of it as a choreographed ballet in which your body performs the many steps needed to break down the foods you eat and unlock the vitamins, minerals, calories, fats, carbs, and proteins you need. It then efficiently cleansweeps what’s left and sends it out of the body.
You likely don’t think about such complex mechanisms until something goes wrong. Fortunately, you can take steps to avoid issues like cramping, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. One of the easiest digestive health tips is to fuel up with foods that are good for digestion.
“When thinking of digestion, it’s good to look at avoiding foods that cause inflammation,” says Finkel. She suggests following an anti-inflammatory diet, which is beneficial to overall health, as well as digestion.
And there are more delicious foods good for digestion. Put the following nine “superfoods” on your plate and discover how with a little ingenuity, staying “regular” can be delicious.
7 Superfoods That Help Digestion
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Speed Digestion With Sauerkraut
“Fermented foods eaten as an appetizer are a staple of different traditional cultures because of how they prepare the GI tract for digestion,” says Finkel.
Get Loads of Fiber From Beans
Kiwi a Day Keeps Constipation Away
“We really want people to use whole foods to help their digestion, and kiwis are a great way to help yourself out,” says Finkel. “They’re tasty, enjoyable, and easy to eat.”
How to Cut It: Kiwi
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Reap the Gut-Friendly Benefits of Yogurt
“We encourage probiotics,” says the gastroenterologist Peter L. Moses, MD, a professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington.
If you’re not a yogurt fan, don’t fret: Dr. Moses says that some supplements contain better strains of probiotics, but he adds a disclaimer. “The evidence for a therapeutic effect of probiotics alone is lacking. Like any nonscientific therapeutic, probiotics are encouraged when they are part of a program that patients find clearly helpful for symptoms. Such a program may include prebiotic fiber and other proven recommendations.”
Lower Inflammation With Fish Rich in Omega-3s
Soothe Your Tummy With Turmeric
“Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory that can help soothe the digestive tract when you are suffering from an inflammation-related issue,” says Finkel.
Eat Some Ginger to Improve Digestion
Ease Indigestion With Stomach-Soothing Peppermint
Soothing, aromatic peppermint may help ease indigestion as well as some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, making it a go-to natural treatment for gastroenterologists. “It’s inexpensive, nonaddictive with little to no side-effects, and it’s highly effective,” says Brian Lacy, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
Stay Hydrated to Keep Things Moving
“Hydration and water are friends,” says Finkel. In fact, one of the easiest digestive tips to follow is to stay hydrated throughout the day. Water is a great choice to speed digestion, but almost any non-alcoholic fluid will do.
The Takeaway
- A healthy gut relies on a diverse, fiber-rich diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fermented foods to support a healthy gut microbiome and regular bowel movements.
- Foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, kiwi, beans, and peppermint can improve digestion through their probiotic content, fiber, or soothing and anti-inflammatory effects.
- Lifestyle habits such as staying hydrated also play a significant role in gut health.
Resources We Trust
- Mayo Clinic: Eat Well for Heart, Gut and Overall Health
- Cleveland Clinic: Gut Microbiome
- Harvard Health: Fermented Foods for Better Gut Health
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Five Foods to Improve Your Digestion
- Gastroenterology Consultants of San Antonio: The Top Foods to Avoid for a Healthy Gut
Additional reporting by Jordan M. Davidson.
Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN
Medical Reviewer
Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN, is the director of health promotion for Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois. She is also licensed as an exercise physiologist and certified in lifestyle medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her experience includes corporate wellness, teaching for the American College of Sports Medicine, sports nutrition, weight management, integrative medicine, oncology support, and dialysis.
She earned her master's in exercise and nutrition science at Lipscomb University.
Andrew has served as a president and board member of the Nashville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was recently elected a co-chair of the fitness and medicine group in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Madeline R. Vann, MPH, LPC
Author
Madeline Vann, MPH, LPC, is a freelance health and medical writer located in Williamsburg, Virginia. She has been writing for over 15 years and can present complicated health topics at any reading level. Her writing has appeared in HealthDay, the Huffington Post, Costco Connection, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Huntsville Times, and numerous academic publications.
She received her bachelor's degree from Trinity University, and has a master of public health degree from Tulane University. Her areas of interest include diet, fitness, chronic and infectious diseases, oral health, biotechnology, cancer, positive psychology, caregiving, end-of-life issues, and the intersection between environmental health and individual health.
Outside of writing, Vann is a licensed professional counselor and specializes in treating military and first responders coping with grief, loss, trauma, and addiction/recovery. She is a trauma specialist at the Farley Center, where she provides workshops on trauma, grief, and distress tolerance coping skills. She regularly practices yoga, loves to cook, and can’t decide between a Mediterranean style diet and an Asian-fusion approach.