You want to live a healthy life. The problem is your gut. Some of the foods your doctor recommends are not digesting that well. You feel uncomfortable every day, and it is not because of an intolerance or allergy. It is just the fact that your body is finding it hard to break down the foods.
There are also issues with acid reflux. You cannot seem to get rid of the burning sensation in your chest because your stomach constantly seems to be working.
You want something that is easy to digest. With a properly working digestive system, you feel like you can do more. You are not as sluggish or tired all the time, and you certainly are not in pain or discomfort. It is time to get more nutrients from your food because they break down and are released through the digestive lining better.
Here are ten foods that you will need to add to your list. They are all easy to digest and will offer a range of other health benefits. The great news is all are easy to find, although a couple will be in your international foods aisle.
Add More Yogurt to Your Diet
Unless you are lactose intolerant, have a dairy allergy, or are a vegan, yogurt will be something that you want to add to your shopping list. The downside to yogurt that we need to get out of the way first is that it is a dairy product. It is made with milk in most of cases.
However, you can get lactose and dairy free yogurts. They will be a little more expensive but usually use almond or soy milk to create instead. Just make sure they do not have added sugars thrown in to get the same taste and creaminess of other yogurts. In fact, when getting any yogurt, you will need to make sure it is plain. Those with sugars are not easily digested at all!
Back to the benefits. Yogurt is full of good bacteria. It will help to add the levels of good bacteria in your gut, meaning you can overpower the bad. Yes, there are good bacteria, which will help with the digesting process and support your immune system.
At the same time, yogurt is packed with calcium, protein, and other nutrients. Greek yogurt is especially good for you when you want to top up on the amount of protein you get in your diet, as it tends to remove the whey that causes many health problems. Just a couple of tablespoons as a base for your fruit smoothie will be enough to benefit considerably. You can also add a couple of tablespoons to whole fruit for a delicious and healthy dessert at the end of the day.
An Avocado a Day
While you have likely heard the saying “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away,” the rule is apter when it comes to avocados. This fruit tends to get a bad reputation because of its fatty nutrients, but it is the fat that is the healthy and good part. Fat makes this food easily digestible.
Avocados are full of unsaturated fats that will help to support the metabolic health. Your body can turn the unsaturated fats into ketones for energy, making it easier to absorb and use up the potassium, fiber, and other nutrients you add to the body.
On top of that, avocados are soft. They are easy on the stomach and do not raise the pH level. Your stomach does not need to create as much acid, so you do not suffer from as much acid reflux. Mash avocado to make it even easier for your digestive system. You can make your guacamole, which will help with sticking to a healthy diet.
Throw in More Chicken Breasts
Poultry is the best meat in the world. Chicken and turkey breasts are the ones that you want to focus on more in your diet, with some fish to break up the monotonous feeling. Make sure you get skinless chicken breasts to get rid of all the fat and only consume the proteins.
Lean protein does not have any protein. This can be beneficial. Fiber can sometimes clog up the digestive system if you get too much of it. If your diet is not used to fiber, you can feel uncomfortable and bloated from adding more in. Since you do not get the fiber, you do not get the downsides.
Make sure you chew your chicken fully. Unchewed poultry can be hard to break down, and your body will need to create more stomach acid to manage it. Opting for boiled, grilled and baked chicken is also more beneficial. You will get rid of the saturated fats that can cause havoc on your digestive system.
Try Salmon Now and Then
As mentioned, fish is a good way to balance out the boring poultry. It can also be one of the best foods to digest. Salmon especially offers a range of health benefits and is very easy on the whole body. You will get plenty of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which offers a range of other health benefits.
Fishes are full of protein, while being low in cholesterol and fat. While protein can take time to digest, that is not because it is difficult. It is just because it there is a lot more nutritious goodness to get through. Fish is light and crumbles easily, without raising the pH levels within the body.
You do not just need to rely on salmon, which can cost a lot. Opt for white fishes instead. Haddock, cod, and other non-oily fishes tend to be better for the digestive system. They do not have as many fats to process. Even too many healthy oils can be bad for you.
Start Your Day with Oatmeal
While too much fiber can cause some problems, not getting enough can also be an issue. One of the best ways to start your day is with a bowl of oatmeal. You will find that you are set up for the whole morning and will not feel the need to eat until closer to lunchtime.
Oatmeal is packed with fiber. It has no cholesterol and even helps to lower the bad cholesterol levels in your body. You will feel fuller for longer, without putting excess pressure on your intestines or colon.
The fiber in oatmeal is soluble. That means the water absorbs it in your body. It does not take up as much room as insoluble fiber, which can cause your digestive system to back up while trying to push through the waste. Soluble fiber will soften the stools easier, helping you get over constipation a lot sooner.
Worried that your oatmeal will be boring? Spicing it up is another way to helps support the digestive system. You can add plenty of fruit and spices to your porridge. Try some apple and cinnamon, some blueberries and raspberries, or banana with nutmeg. The extra ingredients will add more fiber and other nutrients to your diet. They are easy for the stomach to break down, especially if you chew every little bit.
Steel cut oats are the best for easy digestion.
Try More Brown Rice Dishes
Rice gets a bad reputation, but you want to stock up on brown rice. While you do have the carbs, you will get a helping of complex carbs. They are full of fiber, which means they do not have the instant effect on the blood sugar levels. In fact, because of the mixture of fiber and carbs, you get an instantly satisfying meal that will take time to leave the body. You eat less without feeling the issue in the gut like you do with white rice.
Brown rice also soaks in plenty of water. This helps with the digestive process. Your body needs water to be able to soak up the soluble fiber. The water will also help to remove waste from the system, making it easier for the whole digestive system to work effectively. There is also the benefit of water helping to balance the strong pH levels in the stomach.
There is no need to add anything special to your brown rice. Prepare it as you would with white rice. You can add other herbs in if you want. The downside is brown rice needs longer to cook fully, as the fiber can keep it a little harder.
Try More Egg Dishes
Most people will be able to eat eggs. It is only vegans who avoid them. You can eat both the white and yolk of an egg without suffering from many digestive complaints. If you want to avoid the calories, then the whites are the best part, but the yolk tends to have the most protein.
While you likely think of chicken eggs first, you can also get duck and goose eggs. Any type is easy for the body to digest and gain all the nutrients from them. Larger eggs do have more nutrients and are still easy for the digestive system.
Scramble, poach or boil your eggs for easier digestion. They tend to have more liquids in them to support the digestive process. Fried eggs will also have the fats to think about, which is the part that makes them harder to digest.
Try a Banana a Day for Good Digestion
You may have heard that bananas are bad for you. They are full of natural sugar, which tends to give them a bad reputation. However, they are also full of fiber, potassium, and many other nutrients. They are certainly worth adding to your diet, especially when you consider how easy they are on the digestive system. Humans have eaten a banana for millennia, and there are very few reported cases of digestive problems.
Most of the fruit is good for the digestive system, (except berries) but a banana is one of the best. You will get plenty of vitamin C to help support your immune system, and the potassium helps to rebalance electrolytes and prevent cramping in the muscles.
You just must peel a banana and eat it for the benefits. Of course, you can blend it down or mash it to make it easier on the digestive system. These two methods will also help release more of the nutrients into the body. Cooking a banana will make it harder to digest, as will adding it to other foods.
Opt for Sauerkraut for Something Different
Are you a little fed up with the same dishes repeatedly? How about adding a new ingredient? You want something easy to digest, so you will want to turn to the German ingredient sauerkraut. This is fermented cabbage, so you are getting plenty of nutrients while you include an ingredient that is super easy to digest.
Sauerkraut has lactic acid bacteria that helps to remove the bad bacteria from the gut, in a similar way to yogurt’s probiotics. You also get all the nutritional benefits of cabbage, which means plenty of fiber and nutrients for your body.
You can make your own sauerkraut by fermenting a cabbage. However, you can also buy it at the grocery store to make your life easier. It does not matter what type of cabbage you use. They are all the same!
Try Kimchi for Something Oriental
This may be food that you have not heard of, but that does not make it any less good for you. Kimchi is another fermented food and this time from Korean. It is also spicy, which speeds up the metabolism and helps with the digestive process. In fact, it is the spice that makes this food so easy to digest and you will find it much easier to lose weight.
Kimchi is often found in Korean restaurants, working as a palate cleanser between meals. It can also be added to soups and stews to add a little extra kick. Using it as a palate cleanser before your meal will help to get your digestive system working instantly, making your whole meal easier to get rid of.
Check your local Asian food market for the ingredient. You may also find it in the Oriental aisle in your grocery store.
Boost Your Digestive System with the Right Foods
The foods above are easy to digest, but they also make it easier to digest other foods. Your stomach and intestines are already working at getting rid of the waste in your system. When the rest of your meal is eaten, you will find that your digestive system finds it easier to gain all the nutrients from it and push the rest through as waste.
