By Doug Cook, RD
Diet plays a vital role in supporting gut health, which is good news considering how closely gut health is tied to overall wellness. A healthy gut ensures optimal digestion, nutrient absorption, and motility and elimination, a.k.a. pooping. A healthy gut is foundational to robust immune function as about 70% of the immune system is located in the digestive tract.
But that’s not all. The concept of the gut-brain connection isn’t as unknown as it was 20 years ago. More and more people appreciate the role our digestive tract has in mental health.
So how does nutrition play a role in maintaining good gut health? Well, it all comes down to several key features found in several plant-sourced foods. Dietary components including fibre, prebiotics, polyphenols, and anti-inflammatory foods, work together to nourish the gut, the gut bacteria (microbiota), and support overall gut function.
The great news is there are plenty of Canadian-grown foods like oats, hemp seeds, barley, whole-grain wheat, lentils, dried peas, beans, and chickpeas which are rich in the very dietary components your gut is asking for.
The Role of Fibre in Gut Health
Fibre is essential for gut health. It promotes regular bowel movements, prevents constipation, and acts as food for beneficial microbiota. When these bacteria ferment fibre, they produce compounds which help reduce inflammation, support the gut lining, and maintain a happy gut overall.
Canadian foods like oats, barley, lentils, flax and chickpeas are rich in soluble fibre, which absorbs water to form a gel-like substance in the gut. Soluble fibre feeds gut bacteria, allowing them to flourish. Insoluble fibre from foods such as hemp seeds, beans, lentils, and dried peas adds bulk to stools, aiding in digestive health by promoting the motility and food and waste along the digestive tract.
Prebiotics: Feeding the Good Bacteria
Prebiotics are compounds found in foods that feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, helping them thrive. Prebiotics include polyphenols, and a subset of dietary fibre. They are the true food source for your microbiota. Foods rich in prebiotics help to increase the number of and enhance the diversity of gut bacteria, which is associated with better digestion, immunity, and even mood.
Canadian-grown options like barley, whole-grain wheat, lentils, chickpeas, and dried peas contain prebiotics. These compounds are not digested in the stomach or small intestine but are fermented in the colon, providing a food source to the trillions of gut microbes that reside there, and in doing so support a balanced microbiome.
Polyphenols: Gut-Boosting Antioxidants
Polyphenols are plant compounds with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Polyphenols are also prebiotics. Over 8000 different types of polyphenols have been identified and are found exclusively in plant-sourced foods.
Polyphenols can positively influence the gut by encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli while reducing harmful bacteria. Polyphenols are also metabolized by gut bacteria into bioactive compounds that benefit the gut lining and immune function.
While fruits, vegetables, and teas are classic sources of polyphenols, they’re found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices too. Again, Canadian crops like oats, barley, hemp seeds, flaxseed, dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas also contain these beneficial compounds, contributing to gut and overall health.
The Microbiome: The Heart of Gut Health
Your gut microbiome is a diverse community of trillions of microorganisms living in your digestive tract. A healthy microbiome is diverse, balanced, and rich in beneficial bacteria. Diet profoundly impacts the microbiome, and foods such as oats, barley, whole-grain wheat, hemp seeds, flaxseed, dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas can help foster a healthy microbial environment by feeding beneficial bacteria and creating a habitat for them to thrive.
Ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, are not ‘gut-friendly’ as they don’t have the beneficial dietary compounds including fibre, prebiotics, and polyphenols and may negatively impact the microbiota. Limiting your intake of these foods is a great way to support your gut.
Canadian-Sourced Foods for Gut Health
Canada is home to a variety of nutrient-dense foods that can powerfully support gut health:
- Oats: High in beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that supports healthy digestion, and feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
- Hemp Seeds: Rich in the plant form of omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid), protein, and insoluble fibre, they support gut motility and help to reduce inflammation.
- Barley: Packed with soluble fibre and prebiotics, barley helps maintain a healthy microbiome and reduces inflammation.
- Lentils: A great source of fibre, protein, prebiotics, and polyphenols, lentils promote microbial diversity and a healthy gut lining.
- Dried Peas and Beans: Loaded with resistant starch and fibre, these foods nourish good bacteria and help manage blood sugar and inflammation.
- Chickpeas: Contain soluble fibre and polyphenols, which support gut bacteria and protect the gut lining.
- Whole-grain wheat: High in insoluble fibre such as beta-glucan, and some components of the bran act as a prebiotic
By eating a variety of fibre-rich, prebiotic, and polyphenol-containing foods—many of which are grown in Canada—you can create a gut-friendly diet that promotes health, reduces inflammation, and supports a thriving microbiome.
