Chronic digestive problems are the worst. They can be uncomfortable (if not painful), frustrating, and stressful. They’re enough to send you into a restrictive eating regimen or have an “I suck” conversation with your bestie. We’ve all been there. Sometimes having an unstable or swollen abdomen is completely normal, but everyday indigestion is not. So, how to curb the latter? Partly by minimizing dyspepsia. But beyond food, there are other practical habits you can adopt to improve your digestion—and we’ll take a closer look at these. Here are easy-to-digest foods to include in your daily diet. Soothes your stomach and leaves you happier and healthier.
Edie Horstman
Edie is the founder of nutritional coaching company Wellness with Edie. Drawing on her background and expertise, she specializes in women’s health, including fertility, hormonal balance, and postpartum health.
Why is healthy digestion important?
Digestion affects everything. Our digestive system is a key factor in our overall health and longevity. Being able to properly digest, absorb and remove what we ingest is Basic. In order for our organs to function properly, for our immune systems to thrive, and for our hormones to stay balanced, we need healthy digestion. Otherwise, we can experience a cascade of uncomfortable symptoms, including abdominal pain and bloating.
The gut is often called our “second brain.” That’s why optimal gut health and knowing how to improve it when needed is crucial.
Signs of Gut Health
So, how do you know if your gastrointestinal tract is functioning properly? There are several ways.
- Defecation 1-2 times a day. These should be well-formatted and easy to pass.
- No symptoms such as diarrhea and constipation.
- Minimal gas, bloating and rare abdominal pain.
- Free of skin diseases, autoimmune diseases and inflammation.
signs of indigestion
Physically, you can probably tell. Signs of indigestion include:
- Malaise, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn often occur.
- Feeling chronically tired and experiencing mood swings.
- Food cravings.
- Unexpected fluctuations in weight.
- Skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema.
- Autoimmune diseases.
5 steps to improve your gut health through diet
With optimal digestion as your goal, let’s dive into simple ways to improve your gut microbiome.
- Focus on a diverse diet. Specifically, foods rich in fiber and antioxidants. The more variety, the better. After all, different ingredients can lead to a more diverse microbiome.
- Prioritize the Mediterranean diet. There are many reasons to eat like a Mediterranean, but the main one is the emphasis on vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes. These are high-fiber, gut-friendly foods that encourage the growth of good bacteria. Research shows that eating a range of fresh, whole foods, mostly from plant sources, can improve gut health.
- Choose fermented foods. Fermented foods (or drinks!) like plain yogurt, kimchi, and tempeh can benefit your microbiome. They enhance its function and reduce the number of disease-causing bacteria in the intestines.
- Add prebiotics. Prebiotics are food for the gut microbiome. Many fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain prebiotics, such as starches. For example, eating cooked and cooled potatoes and rice converts some digestible starch into resistant starch.
- Increase probiotics. Fermented foods like yogurt, tempeh, and kimchi are all great. Otherwise, opt for a probiotic supplement.
12 Easy-to-Digest Foods
This goes without saying, but what you eat directly affects your gut bacteria. As mentioned before, we need a healthy gut to prevent chronic disease while reducing inflammation, maintaining mood stability, and helping you maintain optimal weight.
Good news: It’s never too late to improve your gut health! Research shows that a diverse diet can change your microbiome in as little as 24 hours. The best foods for gut health include asparagus, artichokes, chia seeds, coconut yogurt, leafy greens and sauerkraut. When it comes to gut health, remember how What you eat is just as important as what you eat What you eat.
What should you eat to maintain a healthy diet and avoid digestive issues? Let’s take a look at these 12 easy-to-digest foods that may help.
1. Banana
The riper the bananas, the easier they are to digest (note—if you have irritable bowel syndrome, they may be harder to digest than strawberries or grapes). Bananas are rich in carbohydrates, potassium and fiber. They also provide fluids, which is important for people with diarrhea or constipation. Last but not least, bananas are great for PMS. If possible, pair bananas with Greek yogurt (a source of protein and probiotics) and chia seeds to help balance blood sugar.
recipe: Chocolate Banana Almond Cream Smoothie
2. Bone Broth
Broth—especially bone broth—is nutritious and easy to digest. They contain amino acids, electrolytes, and collagen (all of which can soothe an upset stomach). The nutrients in broth vary, but many contain vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin K, vitamin A, zinc, and more. All of these can improve overall gut health and nervous system function.
recipe: Homemade Bone Broth
3. White rice
Fiber is generally a good thing when it comes to gut health, but for people with gastrointestinal issues, high-fiber foods may not be the best idea. Fiber is difficult to digest, which can be a problem for slow exercisers. Therefore, low-fiber foods such as white rice, potatoes, and low-fiber fruits (such as grapefruit) are easier on the stomach. If possible, pair white rice with a healthy fat (avocado or olive oil) and a high-quality protein. This will help with intestinal discomfort and blood sugar balance.
recipe: Spring Rice Salad
4. Yeast Bread
Like white rice, sourdough bread is a low-fiber food. Additionally, sourdough bread may be easier to digest than other refined grains. According to some studies, sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, meaning the fiber in the bread helps feed the good bacteria in your gut. These bacteria are important for maintaining a stable, healthy digestive system.
recipe: Ricotta Toast with Honey and Pistachios
5. Lean protein
Lean meats, high-quality proteins (poultry, fish, tofu, low-fat dairy, etc.) tend to be easily digested. This is partly because they are low in fiber. However, it’s also important not to overdo it with protein. If you eat too large a portion at one time, it may affect your ability to digest it quickly. Also, try limiting ultra-processed forms of protein, such as sausage and protein bars.
recipe: Spiced Chicken Thighs
6. Cooked vegetables
When it comes to vegetables, they need to be cooked first. Once cooked, their fiber is reduced. In other words, heat aids digestion. While cruciferous vegetables (green broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts) can cause digestive issues, produce like spinach, pumpkin, squash, and carrots are easier to digest. They have less fiber and are soft when cooked.
recipe: Roasted Vegetable Pasta
7. Applesauce
Fruit is rich in nutrients and antioxidants, but the fiber in fruit can cause digestive problems. Fortunately, the solution is simple. Like produce, cook it and puree it to break down the fiber and make it easier to digest. Applesauce is easy to digest, and it contains pectin, which may help treat some types of diarrhea.
recipe: Cinnamon Baked Apples
8. Eggs
Whether boiled, boiled or scrambled, eggs are rich in nutrients such as protein, choline, calcium, and phosphorus. They are easy to digest for most people. Serve eggs with sourdough toast for an extra dose of carbs. If making an omelette, use ghee instead of butter (or olive oil) as it may be more likely to upset your stomach. Because eggs contain sulfur able Helps with intestinal gas for some people, but they can be beneficial for other digestive symptoms.
recipe: Spicy Türkiye Egg Breakfast Bowl
9. Instant Oats
Love oatmeal but the fiber in it isn’t good for your gut? Try instant oatmeal. Instant oatmeal, also known as quick oats, are the most processed and broken down oats, making them easier to digest. To make it easier to digest, add chia seeds, stewed berries and a dollop of Greek yogurt. All these ingredients are good for your gut and Helps stabilize blood sugar in the morning.
recipe: Grain-Free Overnight Oats
10.Gelatin
Gelatin-rich soups and broths are also one of the key components of the GAPS diet, which is designed to heal the gut and promote healthy digestion. But what is gelatin? Gelatin is made from animal collagen, a protein that makes up connective tissue such as skin, tendons, ligaments and bones. Gelatin also absorbs water and helps maintain fluid in the digestive tract, promoting good intestinal transit and healthy bowel movements. If you can’t tolerate gelatin, consider adding a spoonful of collagen to your morning coffee or matcha. You won’t taste it!
recipe: Green tea latte
11. Low-fat Greek yogurt
Dealing with swelling? You may want to pay attention to texture The food you are eating. The texture of food often determines how bloated you feel after eating. If you suffer from bloating (or gastroparesis), you may find relief by eating soft foods such as yogurt, smoothies, soups, and pureed foods. Why drink low-fat yogurt? While full-fat yogurt is more likely to make you feel full, skim yogurt is more likely to irritate your stomach. It also gets bonus points for containing probiotics, which help promote digestive health in the long run.
recipe: Sheet Pan Sweet Potato and Chickpea Bowls
12. Salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, making it a nutrient-dense food. It’s also easy to digest. Salmon’s fatty acids help reduce inflammation. In turn, reducing our risk of digestive disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and more. Eating more salmon can not only help relieve discomfort but also improve overall digestion. Add grilled or poached salmon to your weekly recipes to support your gut health.
recipe: Grilled Salmon with Peach Salsa
difficult to digest food
As opposed to easily digestible foods, the standard American diet is not entirely filled with gut-supporting foods. Generally speaking, some of the worst intestinal offenders are:
These ingredients can have a huge impact on overfeeding yeast and candida in the body. This in turn, you guessed it, negatively affects the gut.
Not sure your digestive health is up to snuff? Rather than starting to reject certain ingredients, work with a functional medicine doctor or gastroenterologist to address the root cause of your gut issues.
