Gut Health Diets: The Best Eating Patterns for Your Microbiome (and the Ones to Skip)

Understanding the Impact of Diet on Gut Health

Our diet is literally what fuels our bodies to perform at their optimal levels. With the right diet, our bodies thrive; with the wrong diet, it can lead to detrimental health concerns. When it comes to our guts, the types of foods we consume can affect the diversity of the gut microbiome, which, in turn, can make us more susceptible to chronic disease and autoimmunity or keep us strong and healthy.

In our Western culture, it is not uncommon for individuals to experience general GI upset or uncomfortable symptoms from time to time. With intakes of highly processed, inflammatory foods, our guts may struggle to function optimally. Many individuals may even live with recurrent GI symptoms daily, like gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and reflux. While these are common, it shouldn’t be normal to have to live with these symptoms, and fortunately, sometimes all that is needed is a change in diet for relief.

Top 3 Diets to Add for Optimal Gut Health

The Mediterranean Diet: Rich in Fiber and Healthy Fats

The Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber and heart-healthy fats, which can support whole-body health. More notably, following a Mediterranean diet may reduce gut inflammation, restore healthy gut microbiota, and improve nutritional status in individuals. This is thought to be due to the high antioxidant and phytonutrient content of the Mediterranean diet, as well as the intake of fiber, which feeds healthy gut microbes.

The Plant-Based Diet: Diverse Fiber and Phytonutrients

A Plant-Based diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet but also includes a wider variety of whole foods, such as dairy and other animal proteins. It does not mean vegan or vegetarian, but the diet emphasizes non-starchy vegetables and plant proteins like legumes and whole grains. You would still benefit from the high levels of antioxidants and fiber, which reduce inflammation and boost healthy gut microbes.

The FODMAP-Friendly Approach: Identifying Trigger Foods

Some people may struggle to follow a Mediterranean or plant-based diet due to fiber intake. Therefore, taking note of high FODMAP foods and which ones you may react to is crucial for symptom relief. Often, individuals with IBS may experience higher amounts of gas, bloating, and abdominal pain alongside diarrhea and constipation with the consumption of some high FODMAP foods like onions, garlic, gluten/wheat, and dairy. All of these foods can be part of a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean and Plant-based diets, but for some people, they need to be limited, aka following a Low FODMAP diet. It’s key to work with a registered dietitian to track symptoms and make sure you’re consuming a well-balanced, nourishing diet.

3 Diets to Avoid (or Approach with Caution) for Gut Well-being

Highly Restrictive or Elimination Diets Without Guidance

While some people may benefit from more extensive diets, it is crucial to seek professional guidance to determine whether you are one of those individuals. Trying to eliminate food groups without guidance can be burdensome and may even negatively impact your nutritional status. You might be at a higher risk of developing nutritional deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, and your gut profile might also change. If you suspect you might benefit from an elimination diet, please discuss this with your health practitioner. They can guide you on this in a healthy way that optimizes your nutrition.

Diets High in Processed Foods, Sugars, and Unhealthy Fats

It is well established that highly processed foods high in saturated fats, inflammatory ingredients, and added sugars are not good for our guts. This can lead to dysbiosis of the gut microbiome, which can further enhance inflammation and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Try to limit your intake of added sugars and unhealthy fats to optimize your gut health.

Fad Diets Lacking Nutritional Balance

Social media may influence many people to follow a specific diet to optimize health, lose weight, or even build muscle. I think it is important to acknowledge that these methods may be helpful for some, but for many, they are not sustainable or safe to use without guidance and evidence to support the claims. I often find this in correlation with diets like intermittent fasting, ketogenic diet, carnivore diet, and even vegan diets.

Building a Sustainable Gut-Healthy Eating Plan

This year, focus on listening to your body and becoming attuned to how you specifically react to the foods you consume. If you’re noticing a trend or change in your bowel habits or overall health, it is important to seek help from a health professional to make dietary changes to optimize your health.

In general, the best advice I can give to everyone is to consume real, whole foods. Go to the grocery store or farmers' markets to get fresh produce, good sources of lean protein, and fiber-rich grains and fruits. Make food at home and limit the amount of highly processed, boxed food you consume, and you'll most likely notice a positive impact on your health! Food is medicine!

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2. _{Morariu, I., Avasilcai, L., Vieriu, M., Lupu, V. V., Morariu, B., Lupu, A., Morariu, P., Pop, O., Starcea, I. M., & Trandafir, L. (2023). Effects of a Low-FODMAP Diet on Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Both Children and Adults—A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 15(10), 2295. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15102295}

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