6 Foods To Improve Kids Gut Bacteria

Gut bacteria is essential for health and wellness from childhood to adulthood. These microbes aid digestion, breaking food into metabolites that can be taken by the body. Gut bacteria also influence immune and mental health, fighting disease-causing microbes while communicating to the brain. Without a surplus of healthy bacteria, you may suffer an increased risk of developing respiratory infections, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, and mental diseases. Fortunately, there are various foods rich in probiotics and gut bacteria. You can also purchase probiotics and live organisms to increase the supply of these microbes, which are usually passed to babies during birth and breastfeeding. Here's a quick overview of five foods you can take to increase the natural population of your kid's gut bacteria.

1. Probiotics

The number one choice for gut bacteria is probiotics. Food like yogurt, kombucha, and kefir all contain healthy gut bacteria that can supplement the existing supply. Parents can also purchase special probiotics, which are formulas that contain live organisms and key microbes needed to promote digestive and immune health. Probiotics are merely live bacteria and organisms that are good for your digestive system and overall health. They are safe to consume and nourish the gut flora, which results in various health benefits.

2. Fermented foods

Fermented foods are the natural source of probiotics. Popular examples include yogurt and kefir. The fermentation process occurs when you preserve food using yeast and bacteria, which use the sugar in the food and break it down to organic acids, gases, and alcohol. According to studies, giving your child fermented foods will increase the natural population of gut bacteria as they contain live organisms. They also contain food for the microbes, which is essential in their growth.

3. High-fiber foods

Oatmeal, bananas, oranges, apples, quinoa, and brown rice are great sources of fiber, a key component of the microbe biome. Gut bacteria love fiber and the more they can access, the healthier they will get. As such, it is essential to add foods with lots of fiber to your child's diet. This will nourish the healthy gut bacteria and help to aid digestion, encouraging regular bowel movements, and cleansing the colon. Foods rich in fiber include whole-wheat bread, cooked dried beans, lentils, split peas, grains, fruits, and vegetables.

4. Leafy greens and vegetables

Vegetables are some of the healthiest food classes available to humans and other animals, explaining the abundance of vegetation. In particular, Leafy greens are rich in fiber and special carbohydrates, which are nutrients for gut bacteria. Although they can be tough to sell to children, you can find recipes for delicious leafy green meals. Some of the best leafy greens for kids' gut health include kales, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, and arugula, among others. Sweet potatoes, asparagus, bell pepper, beets, cabbage, mushroom, and cucumber are also great for gut flora.

5. Whole grains

Whole grains, nuts, and seeds are rich in nutrients and also contain fiber for the microbes. The human body cannot break down fiber, so the gut bacteria do most of the work and thrive when there's a surplus of whole grains coming into the digestive tract. Brown rice and black rice, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and whole-grain tortilla are all great gut bacteria foods. You can also try less common grains like amaranth, bulgur, and barley.

6. Garlic and polyphenols

Garlic and polyphenols come from two different food classes but play similar roles pertaining to gut bacteria. Both garlic and foods rich in polyphenols, such as tea and coffee, are vital in fighting off bad gut bacteria, providing room for the healthy microbes to multiply. Red wine is also a polyphenol, but this is only for adults. Garlic has antimicrobial properties that target harmful bacteria but should be used in moderation. The same goes for foods rich in polyphenols.

Several other foods can improve your kid's gut bacteria, including Brussels sprouts, Miso, Kimchi, Saukraut, olive oil, almonds, and sourdough. However, the fastest way to introduce live organisms and gut bacteria to your kid is through probiotics like the one offered by sproutedbiome, you can buy from here. These are live gut bacteria and microbes known to promote digestive, immune, and mental health.

Summary

Like vegetables, some foods may not have the best of taste, so you can add them to the recipes your child love to ensure they take these essential nutrients. It is also important to avoid foods like meat, processed sugars, fried foods, caffeine, and foods rich in antibiotics as they can kill gut bacteria.

This is a guest blog entry.