Top 10 Foods for Digestion

Since 70% of the body’s immune system dwells in the digestive tract, maintaining digestive health is crucial to the body’s overall well-being. Digestion is the process by which our food is broken down into a form that can be absorbed into the blood system and carried to cells throughout the body to provide nourishment and energy. Here are Health Fitness Revolution’s Top 10 Foods for Digestion:

• Red Beets: they are rich in fiber, potassium and magnesium, which help to remove intestinal waste.  All the nutrients present in beetroots also help to maintain a healthy digestive system. Also, the green tops of beetroot help to give significant relief to your stomach. They are rich in beta-carotene, iron and calcium. These excellent nutrients help maintain the health of the digestive tract lining and help in smooth movement of the muscle fiber which helps in the bowel movement. Do not over indulge in beet greens as they can weaken your teeth enamel since they contain acidic substance.
• Apples: The presence of pectin in apples helps to raise the good bacteria which help in proper functioning of the intestinal health. They are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, minerals, potassium and phosphorous. All these contents offer various digestive benefits like lowering constipation problems and improving satiety.
• Bananas: It is a must-have food if you are suffering with diarrhea, because it helps to restore the amount of electrolytes and potassium that are lost during the passing of stools.
• Avocados: We wrote about this fruit being a superfood here. It helps in maintaining digestive tract health and proper functioning of the gall blader and pancreas because its monosaturated fats are easy to digest. Digestion of avocado also converts beta-carotene into vitamin A which helps in developing a healthy mucosal lining in your GI tract.
• Sweet Potatoes: especially if consumed with their skins on, are a superb food for digestive health- they help in treating duodenal ulcers, peptic ulcers, and other serious bowel issues. They provide dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates and manganese.
• Oatmeal: Oats are rich in soluble fiber, selenium, thiamin, phosphorus, copper, vitamin E and zinc. The soluble fiber helps in proper functioning of the digestive system and extraction of waste and a good pace. If you think you are gluten intolerant, read our article here.
• Cantaloupe: This fruit is packed with vitamin A, vitamin C and myoinositol, in addition to a large amount of digestive enzymes. It also contains powerful agents that help to fight against intestinal cancer. Besides, it helps relieve anxiety, insomnia and prevents hardening of the arteries.
• Cod liver oil: is loaded with vitamin A and vitamin D. The presence of these vitamins is crucial to keep the digestive tract healthy and also prevents in the development of various digestive problems in the GI tract. Make sure the oil you get is from a reputable health food store and does not come from farmed cod but wild instead.
• Blueberries: These little berries are packed with Vitamin C, fiber, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. It is recommended to eat them whole versus drinking the juice so that the digestive tract can benefit from the fiber.
• Kiwi: People with digestive dysfunction should consume kiwi fruit, as it is loaded with linolenic acid, actinidin, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium and other fatty acids. All these elements together ease the functioning of digestion, as kiwi includes pepsin. Pepsin is substantially needed for the proper functioning of the digestive system.

BONUS: 

Papaya: This tropical fruit is excellent for digestive health in addition to other things, we even wrote an article about it here. Presence of papain helps in easy breakdown of proteins in the stomach, and this helps in good absorption of the nutrients and facilitates proper bowel functioning. People with upset tummies should eat papaya, as its anti-inflammatory properties help soothe the stomach. Besides, it helps in good digestion of food, dissolves fats instantly and also relieves heartburn and food allergies.