Blog /
You know a nutritional trend has officially gone mainstream when it finds its way to the soda aisle. There are now multiple brands of soft drinks that claim to be good for your gut, because gut health is a hot topic. And for good reason. More and more is being discovered about how the health of your gut is linked to health, like your disease risk, mental health, and even your weight.
What makes a gut healthy? It comes down to the trillions of microorganisms like bacteria that live in your gut, primarily your intestines. What matters is not only how many are “good” bugs versus “bad” but also how many different kinds you have (spoiler: bug diversity is a good thing!).
Gut health might seem a little mysterious. You can’t tell from looking at your belly whether it’s rich with good-for-you microorganisms, and there’s no simple test to give you quick answers. But your overall digestive health offers some clues. For instance, digestive problems like constipation, bloating, and gas can signal that things might be out of balance.
Here are four easy things you can do to get a better gut:
Snack on yogurt. And sip on kefir. And pile sauerkraut on your sandwich. These are all fermented foods, which means they’re naturally preserved by bacteria, and can help good bacteria populate your gut. Other fermented foods include miso, tempeh, and genuine sourdough bread.
Look for simple ingredient lists. Ultra-processed foods — the kind that contain more additives and are farther from their original source (think gummy fruit snacks versus a piece of fruit) — might lead to more unhealthy bacteria flourishing in the gut. It’s not realistic to avoid all ultraprocessed foods forever, but keep it in mind when shopping and see if you can reduce the number of those foods where you can.
Buy better cereal and bread. Look at labels to find brands with more fiber, something that literally feeds healthy bugs in your gut. A good rule of thumb: Look for breads with at least 3 grams of fiber per slice and cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Try the 30 Plants Challenge. Research has found that eating at least 30 different kinds of plant foods a week equals a greater diversity of bacteria in the gut. That might sound like a lot, but plants include things like fruits, vegetables, oats, wheat, nuts, seeds, and spices. Try jotting down every kind of plant food you eat in a week and see where you are. It’s not something to obsess about, but it might encourage you to choose meals with more plant diversity (like a stir-fry or a big mixed salad) over a more basic meat-potatoes-veggie situation.
And what about those gut-friendly sodas? They usually contain probiotics and/or prebiotics (which are a fiber that feeds healthy bacteria). They’re typically lower in sugar than regular soda and might contain sweeteners like stevia. If you’re drinking soda anyway, they’re not a bad choice. But you should also try to get gut-friendly nutrients through real food, too.
