Many people think that fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kombucha are the best foods for their gut. While these do provide beneficial strains of bacteria to the gut, ensuring that you are consuming lots of fibre is equally important!
Fibre is used by the bacteria as a food source which is also known as a prebiotic (something the bacteria ferment on to fuel them). Without adequate fibre they basically starve, upsetting the fine balance that occurs in the gut.
Foods shown to be pre-biotics include brown rice, carrots, cocoa, green tea, almonds and pistachios, so try and include these in your diet if you re trying to optimise your gut function or if you have been exposed to antibiotics, NSAIDS or proton pump inhibitors like nexium and somac which are all known to disrupt the microbiome. Other great sources of fibre the bacteria are sure to love include raspberries (1 cup =7g fibre), 1 medium of avocado (5g of fibre) and flaxseeds 3 tbsp (5.7g of fibre). Aim for at least 30g of total fibre per day.
