Here is a list of ingredients essential for gut health according to a gastroenterologist

There is no doubt now, the gut microbiota is at the heart of our well-being. But how do we take care of keeping our second brain healthy? Thanks to the diet, answers the American gastroenterologist Will Bulasiewicz. In an episode of the podcast Diary of a CEOPosted online at 1^er In January, the doctor lists the ingredients needed for gut health, and groups them under the acronym “F-GOALS.” Translated from English, the acronym includes the following foods: fruits and fermented products, green vegetables and grains, omega-3, herbs, legumes, algae, sulforaphane and mushrooms.

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“Gut health is not only important for digestion, it also affects other parts and functions of the body, including the immune system, mental health and cognition, metabolism and hormones,” recalls the expert behind the podcast microphone. He explains that each food “nourishes and stimulates specific families of microbes.” Hence the importance of taking care of your diet, not by limiting yourself, but by varying the contents of the plate as much as possible.

Change the bacteria

Among the things necessary for the health of our microbiota: first of all omega-3, which especially helps to control the types and quantity of bacteria in the intestine, underlines the gastroenterologist. As a reminder, these fatty acids are found in certain vegetable oils, nuts, flax and chia seeds, or fatty fish like mackerel or sardines.

As for fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut or pickles, they increase the diversity of bacteria present in the microbiome, according to a 2021 study conducted by Stanford University and cited by Dr. This is also the case for fiber and resistant starch, widely present in green vegetables and whole grains. Oats, rye, rice, barley, buckwheat…

Protect yourself from diseases

Fruits protect us from diabetes, experts also suggest. “A study conducted in 2023 showed that people who ate an extra 300 grams of fruit per day over a three-year period had an 8.2% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” he says.

As for beans, he says they are “food for longevity.” “Eating it helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases,” he says. Like herbs, such as onions, garlic and shallots, which both protect our heart but also reduce the risk of cancer, while “helping to control high blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels”.

Finally, Will Bulsiewicz recommends consuming algae and mushrooms for preventive action against cancer, as well as sulforaphane, which is present in certain vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli. “Every meal is an opportunity to add variety to our plate,” he encourages at the end. And to permanently change your eating habits, gastroenterologists recommend starting with foods you enjoy.