Common Foods That Lead to Gut Health Problems

Last Updated on December 5, 2022 by ImmuneshieldAdmin

Common Foods That Lead to Gut Health Problems

By now, you might have heard about the trillions of bacteria and other microbes inside your gut. You probably know that these bacteria living in the gastrointestinal tract are important for your health, and you must keep feeding them by eating the right types of food and avoiding any food that can harm them.

With a diverse and balanced gut microbiome, almost all your body systems will benefit. Conversely, an unbalanced gut microbiome can result in many health problems, including bloating, stomach pain, irregularity, Crohn’s disease, SIBO, irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestive health problems.

Common foods that lead to gut health problems include: 

Sugar

Sugar is good for your health, but you must moderate its consumption. Refined sugar, in particular, has a bad reputation, but all types of sugar should be taken with caution. There are many reasons why you should limit your sugar intake. One of the main reasons is that sugar harms good gut bacteria, which may result in inflammation. This can lead to other, bigger health complications.

Besides, refined sugar gets digested rapidly in the first part of the small intestine, leading to a spike in blood sugar levels and leaving the gut microbes famished. Refined sugars are table sugar (sucrose), corn syrup, soda and other sweetened beverages, and agave syrup. 

Processed Foods

It’s common knowledge that processed foods contain harmful elements like emulsifiers and are, therefore, not good for consumption. These foods are bad for both your gut and general health. Emulsifiers can disturb your gut microbiome to the extent that you can develop metabolic diseases and colitis.

It’s worth mentioning that about 74% of processed foods have added sugar. Some of them also contain unhealthy fats and artificial flavors and colors. All of this can hurt your health.

Dairy Products

As you may have known, you are not supposed to consume dairy products like milk if you are suffering from lactose intolerance. However, these products can cause stomach problems even for those who don’t suffer from this condition.

Dairy products are packed with calcium and protein, which are good for your health, but the problem is the lactose they contain. Lactose causes stomach problems for about 65% of humans. This is a group of people whose bodies can’t digest lactose properly, leaving them with symptoms like gas, gastric issues, fatigue, stomach pain, diarrhea, headaches, and bloating.

If your belly develops problems after you consume a dairy product, you should go for a lactose tolerance test or reduce your dairy consumption. But you can still enjoy probiotic dairy products like kefir and sugar-free yogurt. 

Legumes

Legumes are packed with nutrients, but, surprisingly, they are among the foods that cause gut problems. They are known to cause abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating, and gas. Legumes contain too many lectins, which interfere with the gut flora by interfering with the absorption of nutrients. That said, you can eliminate these problems by fermenting or soaking legumes before cooking. This will make them gut-friendly foods. 

Artificial Sweeteners

Many people believe artificial sugar is a healthy replacement for natural sugar. As a result, artificial sugar isn’t good for your gut health. These sugars can change your gut microbial flora, thus triggering inflammation, glucose intolerance, and metabolic diseases. So, if you want your gut to remain healthy, stay away from artificial sugars like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin, and all drinks that contain artificial sugar. 

Whole Grains

Whole grains have been praised for containing fiber that can help with weight loss. However, if you consume too much fiber, it can interfere with your digestive system, leading to stomach upset and gastric distress. Men are recommended to consume only 38 grams of fiber per day, while women should consume about 25 grams. Any amount beyond these figures can wreak havoc on your health. When consuming fiber, try to increase your water intake to help combat any fiber side effects. 

Cruciferous Vegetables

Raw vegetables are quite delicious, more so because of their crunchy texture. They are also rich in vitamins and other nutrients that are known to be good for boosting the immune system. However, cauliflower, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables can cause problems in your digestive system, particularly your gut. These vegetables contain too much insoluble fiber, which is responsible for causing stomach upset, cramping, gas, and bloating.

To avoid these problems, you can consume these vegetables in steamed, sauteed, or roasted form. Remember to limit the amount of these vegetables you eat in a single serving. 

Citrus Fruits 

Citrus fruits are popular for being rich in vitamin C. They are also delicious and nutritious fruits. Unfortunately, they are among the foods that can lead to gut health problems.

Citrus fruits are highly acidic, meaning they can cause stomach pain and acid reflux. If you experience these problems after consuming a citrus fruit (orange, lime, or lemon), try to replace it with other fruits that contain vitamin C but are less acidic, like blueberries, mangoes, bananas, or honeydew melon. 

Red Meat

Red meat has a bad name among all dietitians, for many reasons. Red meat encourages the growth of many bacterial strains that can negatively impact your health of many bacterial strains that can negatively impact your health. Red meat is bad for your gut health, emotions, immune function, and weight. 

Gluten

Grains like barley and wheat contain a protein called gluten. This protein has a bad reputation because it causes many health complications, especially among people with Celiac disease. Gluten can cause gut issues that may lead to fatigue, bloating, and stomach pain, even in people without the Celiac disease. Gluten is also known to cause obesity/weight gain, inflammation, and insulin resistance.

Eggs

Eggs are not only bad for your heart, but they are also bad for your guts. Some egg proteins encourage the growth of gut bacteria that produce chemicals that cause clotting. This can lead to stroke and heart attack.

Other foods that are not good for your gut health include:

  • Refined grains
  • Too much saturated fat
  • Fried foods
  • Genetically-modified organisms (GMOs)
  • Corn
  • Farmed fish
  • Nightshades
  • Factory-farmed meat 

Make Sure to Be Aware of What Foods You Regularly Eat

While some of the above foods aren’t good for your gut health, there’s no need to avoid them completely. What’s most important is to consume them in moderation. Make sure you only consume the daily recommended amounts. Above all, make sure you stick to high-quality products, such as organic soy (fermented), grass-fed, and organic dairy.

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