Foods that aid digestion. Products for digestion. Nutrition to improve the functioning of the digestive system. Not a single fiber
Against the background of diseases or individual characteristics, due to age or a sedentary lifestyle, the human digestive system often does not work properly.
You can understand this by discomfort and even pain in the stomach, which should be studied by a doctor. But after that, you can resort to folk remedies that will tell you how to improve digestion.
There are quite a few ways: this is the use of special enzymes, and super healthy products that speed up the digestion process, and special herbs on the verge of traditional medicine and healthy supplements.
But in any case, all this should be taken only after consultation with the doctor, since concomitant diseases can become a serious contraindication.
Pineapples, for example, are considered good for digestion, but with gastritis, bromelain, which is part of them, can worsen the situation.
Enzyme preparations are medicines that consist of enzymes to improve digestion..
They are used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Medications are prescribed during exacerbations and failures associated with the production of natural components.
There are 2 types of drug referrals:
- Enzymes that reduce pain and discomfort such as heaviness, swelling.
- Components that improve the functioning of the pancreas in exocrine insufficiency.
Enzymes can be used not only for various diseases of the stomach after consultation with the doctor, but also for diseases of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas.
Several other classification methods can be identified - according to the principle of the action of enzymes. However, their use is strongly discouraged without the advice of a doctor.
Proteolytic Enzymes
Preparations based on pepsin, which provides the process of fermentation and digestion. Compensates for its own enzymes of the mucous membrane, is prescribed for poor digestion of proteins.
This group of drugs includes: "Abomin", "Pepsidal", "Pepsin", "Acidin-pepsin".
Designed to break down complex sugars, support the proper functioning of the pancreas: Festal, Enzistal, Panzinorm.
After application of the secretion of the gallbladder and pancreas, intestinal motility is markedly improved.
The fiber included in the composition gently stimulates peristalsis. The flatulence is gone.
Preparations for the pancreas
They consist of pancreatin - the main enzyme for lightning-fast support of the digestive process. Additionally, there is trypsin, lipase and amylase: "Creon", "Mezim", "Pancreatin", "Penzital".
Special substances with protein enzymes in the composition. Accelerate the course of all reactions in the body, including metabolism.
Some products supply these enzymes to our body, but due to various reasons, enzymes must be taken separately to improve digestion: Pepfiz, Oraza, Solism, Festal, Unienzym.
Tablets with disaccharidases
This group of drugs includes medicines with beta-galactidase enzymes. They are necessary for the breakdown of lactose disaccharides: Lactade, Kerulak, Lactase.
One tablet in improving digestion is not enough. It is very important to start eating right, not only by eating the most useful foods to improve digestion, but also by following some specific recommendations.
In order to improve digestive processes, you should follow special diet rules:
If you want to make the right diet, rich in vitamins and natural enzymes, then the diet should not include fatty soups, fried, smoked and pickled.
There should be no grapes, cabbage, legumes, except for lentils. Any semi-finished products, canned food and sweets will also be banned, as well as coffee, cheese and soda.
Before using any of the products discussed below, you should enlist the support of a doctor. Of course, if there are no diseases, but you want to remove some discomfort or cleanse the body, then all of them can be consumed in moderation:
Regular inclusion in your diet in reasonable quantities of these products will help normalize digestion, remove discomfort, and in a few weeks you will be able to feel a surge of strength and lightness.
You can also make various smoothies! The main thing is not to get carried away. Look, because there are all the ingredients for this: you can add 1 glass of kefir with a banana and an apple, drink instead of 1 of the meals.
1 banana goes well with 1.5 cups of fresh pineapple, supplemented with ginger.
Any berry smoothie will improve the digestion process, fill you with strength and cleanse the body due to the content of antioxidants. Add lemon and cinnamon to green tea, as well as cayenne pepper on the tip of a knife, and you have a wonderful cocktail to stimulate digestion.
An important rule: do not drink more than 2 glasses of this drink per day.
After eating, you can do special exercises to improve digestion. It should be done 1.5-2 hours after eating:
You should start classes with 10-15 seconds of holding, gradually increasing the pace.
You can also improve digestion with folk remedies, such as herbs and oils. Sea buckthorn oil is very beneficial for the health of the entire gastrointestinal tract. It can be taken even with gastritis and ulcers.
A walnut mixed with honey will have no less benefit.. It is enough to take the components in equal parts, take 1-2 tbsp. l. before every meal.
You can prepare other medicines aimed at improving peristalsis:
- Aloe and wine. For 2 parts of Cahors or other red wine, take 2 parts of honey and 1 part of aloe. The stems need to be ground, combined with other components and mixed well. Take 1 tbsp. l. one hour before meals.
- Celery for digestion. Take the root, wash it and grind it. For 2 st. l. 1 liter of water is required. Leave overnight, then filter and take 30 ml 1 time per day.
Useful for improving digestion and bowel function, herbs that replace plain tea. Brewed either according to the instructions on the package, or to taste, but not less than 1 tsp. on a mug.
The most useful herbal ingredients for digestion are lemon balm, viburnum bark, peppermint, fennel, dill and licorice.
However, before using them, you need to find out all the contraindications, because natural products against the background of a super powerful effect can lead to unpleasant consequences.
It is necessary to act when stimulating the processes of digestion in several directions: select a special diet, take medicines with a doctor's prescription, and also use folk recipes.
Together, these comprehensive measures will help restore the normal process of assimilation and breakdown of nutrients, which will lead to an overall improvement in well-being.
Health
Digestion is carried out by the human digestive system. Unfortunately, there are a number of things that disrupt the digestive tract and cause unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, nausea, constipation, etc.
In this article, we will tell you how to improve the digestion process and avoid unpleasant complications in simple and affordable ways.
Binge eating
1. Apple cider vinegar
Natural apple cider vinegar has been shown to improve digestion and relieve colic and cramps. It helps to normalize the acidity of the stomach in order to digest food. In the first hours after overeating, you need to increase the secretion of the stomach to facilitate digestion. Try drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and honey in a glass of warm water. This will help increase the acidity and speed up the digestion of food.
2. Massage your belly
One of the most effective methods of restoring intestinal motility and combating constipation is abdominal massage. Massaging the abdomen helps to tone the muscles of the digestive system. With swelling of the internal organs during constipation, it is better to massage the abdomen in the supine position and perform movements in the direction of movement of food in the intestines, clockwise.
3. Breathing exercises
If you are stressed, it can negatively affect digestion. Under the influence of stress, the body throws all its strength into fighting it, and the entire digestive system suffers from this. Do breathing exercises to calm the nervous system. Before eating, take a few deep breaths in and out, this will help you relax and focus on eating.
Digestion problem
4. Drink enough water
Regular drinking of water improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and the whole body. If there is not enough water, cleansing is difficult and everything bad remains in our cells, intercellular fluid, intestines, and other organs, while poisoning our body.
Water not only helps to hydrate the colon and speed up the elimination of toxins and empty the intestines, but it is also the main nutrient for the mucous membrane, which supports the small intestine bacteria for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients.
5. Digestive enzymes
Our body needs 3 types of digestive enzymes to digest food - lipase - to break down fats, amylase - to digest carbohydrates and protease - to digest proteins.
Many people have these enzymes out of balance due to poor diet, over-medication, and poor diet. The use of additional enzymes in the short term will restore the work of the digestive tract. But you must understand that for a healthy function of the digestive system, it is better to consult a doctor and receive appropriate treatment.
6. Ginger
Like apple cider vinegar, ginger is good for overeating. Ginger contains phytoncides and essential oils. These substances slightly raise the body temperature and speed up the metabolism. Thus, the body begins to actively burn calories.
Many people suffer from digestive problems such as: constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, nausea, and so on. Especially often bodybuilders face these problems, since this sport involves the consumption of food in large quantities. Naturally, according to all the rules of a healthy diet, this is a very big stress for the stomach. To minimize or even eliminate the load on the stomach, you need to know some features of proper nutrition. It is about them that we will talk today.
How to improve gut health?
Without the right approach to nutrition, the problems with digestion of food that were listed above can occur. Most of these problems can be avoided by adding vegetable fibers, water, probiotics, and other equally beneficial substances to your daily diet. By adding all these necessary components, after a while you will feel a positive result on yourself.
It is important to understand that any changes in your diet should be made gradually. If you change your diet drastically, this can lead to some complications, such as bloating, nausea, and other unpleasant problems. Therefore, all the tips listed below must be implemented without haste.
Add Probiotics to Your Diet
Probiotics are microorganisms that are currently used for therapeutic purposes. They help improve digestion. Many nutritional supplements and common foods contain probiotics. This substance is mainly found in enzyme products: kefir, yogurt, soy milk, coconut water, tea mushroom etc. These products contain a large number of such bacteria, including lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are so necessary for improving digestion.
lactobacilli- help to digest various carbohydrates, including lactose into lactic acid. Many types of these bacteria have a very positive effect on the human digestive system.
bifidobacteria- These are very beneficial bacteria that make up almost 80-90% of the intestinal flora of children who are breastfed. Also, these bacteria inhibit the development of various microbes in the human body, and promote the digestion of various organic substances.
Ideally, you can start with 3 tablespoons of yogurt a day, which is about 45 ml. Although yogurt should definitely contain all the necessary components, you can still always check on the packaging which microorganisms this product contains.
Many studies have shown that probiotics can improve or even eliminate the symptoms of bloating, gas, and pain in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Moreover, these substances help in the fight against diarrhea and constipation.
Add Soluble and Insoluble Fibers to Your Diet
Most people neglect to get a very important nutritional component that improves digestion. We are talking about Fiber, which is found in large quantities in vegetables. If you're consuming small amounts of seeds, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, it's time to fix it! The sooner the better for you! Basically, the daily diet should consist of 70% of these products. First of all, this concerns notorious meat lovers, since foods high in fiber help in the digestion of meat and partially unload the digestive system.
Soluble fiber absorbs water and helps bulk up stools. Insoluble fiber acts like a giant toothbrush, cleaning and pushing all the food you eat through your digestive tract.
Soluble fiber is found in: carrots, cucumbers, lentils, oats and other cereals, as well as in various varieties of cabbage. They are also found in fruits such as: strawberry, pear, orange, apple and so on. In addition, these products are perfectly combined with various diets, preventing overeating and a constant feeling of hunger. These components absorb moisture, thereby allowing you to fill the stomach, satisfying a person’s hunger.
Insoluble fiber is found in nuts, various seeds, whole grains, brown rice, celery, bulgur, onions, and dark leafy vegetables. This type of dietary fiber does not absorb water. They help speed up the processes in the digestive system. The main task of insoluble fiber is to ensure regular emptying of the intestinal tract, as well as to prevent the development of dysbacteriosis.
The consumption of soluble and insoluble fiber will be very effective for people who are losing weight, as this substance satisfies hunger and contains a small amount of calories. In general, an ideal product for losing weight people. Why they say, when losing weight, eat a large amount of salads and fruits, and so on.
A diet high in fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of digestive system disease and is an excellent prophylaxis against ulcers, reflux, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Reduce Fat and Sugar Intake
Fats and sugar in our intestinal tract not only cause pain in the abdomen, they also slow down the digestive processes, thereby causing constipation. One of the effective ways to reduce sugar and fat is to reduce the amount of consumption of sweets, chips, crackers and other similar foods. Also, these products may contain hidden chemicals that negatively affect the general condition of the body as a whole.
Drink plenty of WATER
In most cases, low fluid intake is the cause of constipation. The combination of soluble fiber and water in the human body will increase the efficiency of your digestion. Most doctors recommend consuming approximately 1-2 liters of water per day. The volume depends on many factors, including what kind of lifestyle you lead, what time of the year it is outside, and so on. If you are actively involved in sports, then this figure can increase significantly, especially in the heat. To learn more about how much water you need to consume per day, I recommend reading this one.
Water also helps to rejuvenate the skin and prevent it from becoming saggy after losing weight. Therefore, if you consume enough water and fiber per day, you can safely forget about the question: "?".
Separate food is OUR EVERYTHING
Try to eat 4-6 times a day. The human body is much better at digesting food in SMALL PORTIONS. You need to calculate the approximate number of calories that you should consume per day, then break the resulting figure into several parts (meals). After you have decided on this, you need to stick to approximately the same meal schedule. So your body will be easier to adjust, and always follow the plan.
Protein is one of the most important components for the life of the human body. It must be consumed in sufficient quantity. However, in order not to complicate the life of your digestion, you need to eat boiled meat, fish, with a minimum fat content. Triglycerides (fats) are a natural substance that slows down the process of digestion of food, therefore, in the articles “nutrition before training” and “nutrition after training”, we have repeatedly mentioned that you should try to reduce the amount of fat consumed to a minimum.
What is good for the whole body is good for digestion. Physical activity is excellent for promoting weight loss. Loss of excess fat, also improves digestion person. Studies in people with chronic constipation showed that with daily moderate exercise, the symptoms of constipation decreased.
In addition, many studies suggest that regular exercise can reduce symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease due to its anti-inflammatory effects.
Avoid Alcohol and Cigarettes
Smoking has been directly linked to an increased risk of stomach ulcers and cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.
As for alcohol, it can increase the production of stomach acid and lead to heartburn, acid reflux, and stomach ulcers. Regular alcohol consumption has been associated with the occurrence of diseases in which bleeding occurs in the gastrointestinal tract.
Also avoid frequent consumption of coffee. It can lead to increased acidity in the stomach and further problems with the digestive tract.
Be less nervous and avoid stress
Stress has been shown in studies to cause weight gain, constipation, diarrhea and lower the immune system. During stressful situations, various hormones are released that negatively affect our digestive system. The human digestive system is directly related to the functioning of the brain. That is, processes that affect the brain can also affect digestion.
In such cases, you can avoid stress and improve the functioning of the digestive tract with the help of yoga, meditation, massage, baths and other well-known relaxation methods. Many studies show that various systems of meditation, acupuncture, level the symptoms of irritable bowel.
Start a Food Diary
Be sure to keep a notebook in which you will write what and how much you consumed today. This will help you keep track of your calorie intake and weight loss. If you follow any diet, then with the help of such a diary it will be possible to track the effectiveness of this diet. You can keep a diet diary, along with.
See your doctor regularly
If you eat relatively well, follow all the above tips, and still feel bad, the digestive processes are very slow and have some side effects (constipation, diarrhea, and so on), you should immediately contact your doctor. Perhaps this is the result of food poisoning, an allergy to any product.
Another effective way to help you improve your digestion is to consume green tea. Green tea is on the list and contains various antioxidants that help speed up the metabolism in the human body.
Also, if you want to lose weight or gain muscle mass, you need to use to see how many calories you need to consume in order to lose weight. Then go to this one and calculate the calorie content of your daily diet.
Before using these tips, you should also consult with your doctor and find out if you have any allergic reactions to one of the products listed above.
Eating right seems impossible for most of us - we are so busy with important things: work, study, career that we usually don’t have enough time to buy normal foods and cook them properly, and many even have the desire. However, later, when the pain in the stomach becomes unbearable, belching or heartburn torments, and the intestines do not want to work, we rush to the doctors for help, expecting that they will save us from problems, and everything will be as before.
Meanwhile, the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is not an easy and fast business - this is what any gastroenterologist will tell you. Therefore, in parallel with drug treatment and various procedures, doctors must prescribe therapeutic nutrition, which includes certain types of foods and methods of cooking to improve digestion.
Each specialist prescribes an individual diet to the patient, but the basic principles of dietary and proper nutrition for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are very similar: after all, if the stomach hurts, then the intestines will not work well; if the liver does not work well, then the stomach will also ache, etc. So proper nutrition is inevitable in any case. Why, then, bring your body to the disease, if you can just start eating right and not wait. when the doctor prescribes a strict forced diet.
We decided to write an article about products that improve and are useful for digestion. Read, dear, and eat right. This is your health and you need to take care of it every day.
Preparing foods for digestion
The best ways to prepare foods to improve digestion are boiling - in water or steaming, stewing and baking.
If you're cooking in a pan, choose Teflon-coated pans so you can cook without fat. The gastric mucosa in this case will not be irritated, and fats can be added to ready meals - in the form of fresh oil, vegetable or butter.
You can prepare sauces using cereal or weak vegetable broth; Bechamel sauce is also good.
Food should not be too hot or too cold, it should be cooked but not overcooked. Stews and baked dishes should also be fully cooked, but always soft. And of course, the food should be tasty, but at the same time it is necessary to use the minimum amount of salt, spices and spices.
Let us consider in more detail the methods of preparing various foods and dishes recommended by nutritionists for gastrointestinal diseases and to improve digestion.
Soups should be seasoned not with fat sauteing, but with flour slightly dried in a pan. In ready-made soups and sauces, put a little fresh oil. Mucous soups, puree soups will not mechanically irritate the stomach and intestines; in soups with chopped products, instead of browned vegetables, you should put slightly stewed carrots and white roots.
For proper digestion, fish and meat should be boiled in water, steamed, baked and fried in a Teflon pan. It is better to buy low-fat fish, fresh and frozen - silver carp, carp, pike perch, cod fillet; young meat - rabbit, chicken, turkey, lean pork and beef. From fats, you can use butter - butter and vegetable, and it is better to cook sauces without flour.
Vegetables can be eaten raw, boiled or stewed: it is better to stew them in their own juice, and add oil when serving. From raw and boiled vegetables, you can cook delicious salads and vinaigrettes that are good for digestion; tomatoes should only be eaten raw, dressing the salad with them with lemon juice, if the acidity of the stomach is not increased.
In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, patients usually tolerate dairy products well. You can add milk to tea or porridge, but some are more suitable for fermented milk products - kefir, fermented baked milk, acidophilus. In case of gastric ulcer, in any case, especially if acidity is increased, it is necessary to consume milk and cream, low-fat and semi-fat cottage cheese: you can cook dumplings, puddings, casseroles from it.
Cereal dishes are also useful for improving digestion: cereals, soups, casseroles; you can cook pilaf, krupenik, charlotte. If the inflammatory process aggravates, or diarrhea begins, then you need to eat rice and oat broths in water, without milk and fat - it is advisable to wipe them through a sieve, and add quite a bit of salt.
Compotes should be prepared from non-acidic fruits and berries; you can also eat them fresh, cook jelly and jelly.
You can season the dishes with spices, but those that do not irritate the stomach are cumin, bay leaf, dill, parsley. With exacerbation of gastritis, not cumin itself is added to dishes, but its decoction. If you eat cottage cheese with cumin, then pour boiling water over the spice before adding it to the dish.
What foods should you eat?
Which foods should be used more often to prepare dishes to improve digestion?
Mucous soups are prepared from cereals: oatmeal, rice; pureed - from potatoes, cabbage, carrots, celery; puree soups - from vegetables (pumpkin, cauliflower, zucchini, etc.) and meat, boiled in advance. Meat soups are prepared with fat-free broth - for example, with chicken giblets.
Meat to improve digestion
What meat to choose and how it is useful to cook it?
Veal - boil, stew with vegetables, cook minced meat from it and add to dishes; very tasty natural veal schnitzels, stews, casseroles and puddings.
Cutlets, soufflé, beef stroganoff, meat puree are prepared from beef; eat it boiled or baked after boiling; rubbed, chopped, steamed.
Pork for cooking is chosen young and lean; you can eat low-fat and unsalted pork ham.
Low-fat poultry meat is suitable: turkey and chicken, boiled, baked or stewed.
As for fish, it is good to bake it in foil: fillet of sea fish, pike perch, low-fat carp and carp. Fish can also be stewed, boiled, steamed - including in the form of steam cutlets.
Sauces should be prepared vegetable, sour cream, milk, but without sautéing flour - for example, bechamel, as well as sweet sauces with fruit.
Foods such as boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, boiled rice and pasta are great for garnishing. From vegetables to improve digestion, in addition to those already mentioned, you can take beets, green peas, fresh cucumbers.
Of the fruits, apples and apricots are most preferable: compotes and jelly are cooked from them, baked and jams are prepared - the grains are removed.
Sweet dishes should not be too sweet and fatty: you can cook mousses, creams, casseroles, cereals, puddings and buns, adding dried fruits, sour cream, cereals, cottage cheese to them.
Of the drinks, rosehip broth and fresh vegetable juices are good.
Improving digestion with honey
If we talk about treatment with the help of products, then the most famous remedy has always been honey: in folk medicine it is called "the best friend of the stomach." The process of digestion in the intestines is also accelerated by the use of honey - due to the content of iron and manganese in it, which contribute to better absorption of food, therefore honey is often prescribed for constipation.
Taking honey with water for 2 months helps relieve gastritis with high acidity. Take 3 times a day 2 hours before meals, dissolving 1 tbsp. honey in a glass of water. If the acidity is low, then you need to do the same, but immediately before eating. The duration of the course is the same.
A mixture of walnuts with honey (100 g per day) improves the functioning of the stomach and liver. It is necessary to eat the mixture in 3-4 doses.
Sea buckthorn oil is also a food product, although it is often used as a medicine - because it really heals wounds and ulcers. With a stomach ulcer and 12 duodenal ulcer, sea buckthorn oil is taken for 3-4 weeks, 1 tsp. 3 times a day half an hour before meals.
With gastrointestinal problems and diarrhea, a decoction of barley helps: grains (50 g) are poured with boiled water (0.5 l), infused for about 6 hours and boiled for 10 minutes. Then insist for another 30 minutes, filter and drink - ¾ cup 3-4 times a day.
Healthy Recipes
And now briefly about products that improve digestion and recipes with them.
A product useful for digestion is beets - raw or boiled, if eaten on an empty stomach, every day only 100-150 g, as well as apples - they must be eaten 2 per day (or at least one, but on an empty stomach, in the morning ).
Many foods that improve digestion help regulate stools. A decoction of rice or dried pears helps with diarrhea; for constipation, you need to take an onion tincture: chop the onion, put it in a 0.5-liter bottle so that it is 2/3 filled, and pour vodka. Infuse for 10 days, shaking occasionally. Take 10 drops before dinner.
Pumpkin pulp mixed with honey improves digestion and relieves constipation. In colitis with insufficient bowel movements, millet and pumpkin pulp porridge cooked with honey is very useful: it not only improves bowel function, but also has a mild diuretic effect.
Strawberry juice regulates the liver, if you drink it on an empty stomach - you can just eat a handful of berries.
How to eat right?
Everyone knows that diseases are easier to prevent than to cure, as well as the need to eat right.
- Drink water or juice should be no later than 20 minutes before eating. After eating, it is advisable not to drink for 2 hours, or at least as much time as you can.
- It is also not difficult to observe the principles of food compatibility - there is enough information about this today.
- Refined and thermally processed foods are not the best solution for those who want to maintain a healthy digestive system.
- You should not leave food "for later" so that you can warm it up - you need to eat only freshly prepared food.
- You can’t eat monotonous food for a long time, or the same product - this also applies to lovers of mono-diets.
- Without restrictions, you can eat vegetables, yogurt, drink vegetable juices. Potatoes, cabbage and beets will help to provide the body with vitamins, proteins and fiber.
Observations show that with the use of certain foods that are useful for digestion, recovery occurs faster, and the number of recovered is 15-20% more than with conventional drug treatment.
Treatment with honey is especially effective: it not only significantly reduces the period of exacerbation and improves the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, but also strengthens the entire body.
In people treated with honey, there was an improvement in the composition of the blood, a decrease in nervous excitability; the level of acidity of gastric juice also returns to normal much faster, and the general condition becomes calm and cheerful.
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Diet and its quality play an important role. There are foods to improve digestion, but we often carelessly prefer fast food, which, unfortunately, leads to atrophy of important functions of the digestive system. In addition, fast foods, fast food, sugary carbonated drinks, chemical additives lead to thinning of the intestinal walls and the entry of harmful substances into the blood, accompanied by such symptoms of intoxication as loss of strength, headache, irritability, etc., i.e. . worsen the quality of life and our health.
In addition, there are many other causes of indigestion, such as low fluid intake during the day, lack of movement, stress, certain diseases (low blood pressure, diabetes, etc.), side effects of drugs, etc.
How to reduce the load on the body during the consumption and digestion of food? What foods are good for digestion, and which ones should be avoided or limited? These questions have been of concern to nutritionists for a long time. Having studied this topic thoroughly, they came to the conclusion that not all products are equally beneficial for the body, some of them improve the functioning of the digestive system, while others, on the contrary, slow it down.
Light and heavy foods
Substances that inhibit the work of the stomach and intestines include heavy foods for digestion, a feature of which is high calorie content and difficulty in digestion. Such products include rich products from premium flour, meat and meat products, semi-finished products, sweets, pies and cookies, fatty dairy products. Heavy foods include some vegetables, fruits and berries: potatoes, corn, bananas, avocados, grapes. Nuts are considered heavy because of their calorie content.
Light foods for digestion, on the contrary, are distinguished by a reduced number of calories and ease of absorption. This is mainly the majority of vegetables, fruits and berries, as well as some types of meat (lean meat of turkey, chicken, quail, veal), low-fat dairy products, etc.
But in order to divide products into 2 types, it is necessary to take into account not only the chemical composition, but also the method of preparation of products. The same product can be light when boiled or baked and heavy when fried. For example, a soft-boiled egg has a low calorie content and is much easier to digest than scrambled eggs.
In addition, it is important to consider the combination of products during meals. For example, a cutlet or milk without bread is digested easier and faster than with it, and even more so with a bun, as in fast foods.
Top 10 Digestive Foods
And yet, it is impossible to say with certainty that light foods are foods to improve digestion, and heavy ones are not. It's not about calories, but about the presence and quantity of the main assistant of the digestive tract - fiber in the composition of the product. It is fiber that mainly contributes to the rapid and complete absorption of food and, in particular, nutrients.
Nutritionists identify 10 main foods that promote digestion:
- Bran and bread products made from wholemeal flour.
In terms of their prevalence and availability, they rank first among the products for improving digestion. A significant amount of fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals, make whole grain bread an invaluable aid to the digestive system. The most useful is rye bread, which is often included in diets to normalize digestion.
- Cereals.
Preference should be given to whole grains, in which there are more vitamins and nutrients. Alternatively, cereal can be used. The most common and healthy breakfast option is oatmeal cereal with fruit. A worthy substitute for it is flakes from a mixture of cereals, also rich in fiber and vitamins.
But germinated wheat is rightfully considered the most useful product for the health of the digestive system, as a source of youth and renewal of the whole organism.
- Legumes.
Beans, lentils, peas, beans are not only rich sources of dietary fiber, but also valuable suppliers of minerals necessary for our body, such as zinc, iron, calcium, etc.
- Nuts and seeds.
Despite their high calorie content, they are an indispensable source of fiber, unsaturated fats and nutrients. The optimal consumption rate is 100 g per day.
- Pear.
The sweet and tasty fruit known to everyone gives not only pleasure, but also great benefits, thanks to a significant amount of fiber and vitamins in ripe fruits. It not only promotes the digestion of food, but also has a fixing effect, which equates it to drugs for intestinal disorders in the form of diarrhea. A pear is also useful for the pancreas, facilitating its work. The sugar in this amazing fruit is presented in the form of fructose, which does not require insulin produced by the pancreas for its absorption.
- Avocado.
An exotic fruit rich in dietary fiber. A typical fruit contains approximately 12 g of dietary fiber. Avocado jam or puree improves the microflora and intestinal function, which is an excellent prevention of constipation.
- Flax-seed.
This inexpensive product has a number of useful properties. It contains two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble in sufficient quantities. Flaxseed oil is an excellent laxative, and the seeds themselves and products from them can reduce blood cholesterol levels. Seeds are also useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to the large amount of mucus secreted when it enters the body, flaxseed protects the walls of the esophagus and stomach from irritating factors, and prevents the absorption of toxic substances. Flax seeds help to remove undigested food residues and decay products, which helps to improve the situation with constipation or obesity.
- Berries.
Blueberries, strawberries, gooseberries, and raspberries are also high in fiber, with 2.5 grams or more. These are delicious and healthy foods to improve digestion.
- Dried fruits.
Dried apricots, prunes, raisins, figs, dates, dried apricots, etc. have a beneficial effect on bowel function. They are recommended to be taken between meals.
- Green vegetables.
Leafy vegetables are not only a valuable source of insoluble dietary fiber, they saturate the body with vitamins and minerals. But not only leafy vegetables are rich in fiber. Beets, many types of cabbage, radishes, cucumbers, zucchini, asparagus, carrots, celery are in no way inferior to their counterparts.
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Digestive foods for constipation
Very often, digestive problems are accompanied by such an unpleasant symptom as constipation. Difficulties with bowel movements not only cause discomfort, but also cause irreparable harm to our body. Stagnant feces contribute to the stretching of the large intestine, and it, in turn, squeezes other organs, which negatively affects their activity.
Harmful substances from feces (slags) enter the bloodstream, poisoning the entire body. This leads to the hard work of the liver, kidneys, lungs, glands and skin - the secondary organs of excretion. Working in an enhanced mode, they wear out quickly, immunity decreases and many different diseases arise, ranging from the simplest allergic reactions to dangerous oncological and cardiovascular diseases.
We conclude: we must fight constipation in order to protect our body. But how to do that? First, change your lifestyle from sedentary to active. Next, reconsider your attitude to nutrition, giving preference to foods that improve digestion. These foods are high in fiber, which aids in the rapid digestion of food and the removal of processed foods from the body.
Give preference to raw vegetables and fruits. In this regard, vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, beets, broccoli, spinach are very useful. In some gastric diseases, eating raw vegetables is undesirable. In this case, you can use sauerkraut and carrots. Cauliflower, spinach and beets are useful raw, baked and boiled, the main thing is not to expose them to a long heat treatment.
From fruits it is better to choose apples, avocados, peaches, tangerines, grapes, bananas. Pears in this situation are best consumed with the skin.
From dried fruits, prunes, as well as raisins and dried apricots, have a rather strong laxative effect.
Many fruit and vegetable juices have a laxative effect on constipation: apple, plum and grape juices, juice from asparagus, potatoes, cabbage, prunes drink.
Include flaxseed in your diet. Ground flax seeds with milk is an excellent remedy for constipation.
Limit your consumption of white bread, giving preference to products made from wholemeal flour or loaves with bran. Include bran products in your diet, which are now available in almost all stores. But do not forget that the use of fiber in large quantities requires an increase in the amount of water you drink. In any case, water consumption should be at least 2.5 liters per day.
Forget about snacks and dry food. Soups, borscht, weak meat and vegetable broths are suitable food for you with constipation. Avoid fast foods and fast food, which only complicate the situation.
Do not get carried away with drugs for constipation. Products to improve digestion contribute to the active work of the intestines to remove feces from the body, and medicines simply do this work for him, which leads to addiction. Subsequently, the body simply cannot do this work on its own.
If during or after eating you feel heaviness in the stomach or you already have problems with the stomach and pancreas, include foods that contain digestive enzymes in your diet. This will help the fast and high-quality processing of food and the absorption of nutrients contained in it, improve the intestinal microflora, strengthen immunity, remove toxins and free radicals that violate human DNA, which leads to genetic disorders and the occurrence of cancer.
So what foods can help our digestive system handle a heavy load with ease?
- Dairy products: kefir and yogurt.
- Sauerkraut in its own juice.
- Live kvass (you can easily cook it yourself on the basis of rye bread).
- Apple cider vinegar (add it to salads, marinades, sauces).
- Kombucha (used as a drink).
- Sprouted wheat in the form of cereals.
- Exotic fruits: papaya, pineapple, avocado, banana, mango.
- Various nuts, sesame, soy.
- Garlic, damn.
- Cowberry.
- Beef tripe.
- Malt.
- Cottonseed oil.
- Soy sauce.
As you can see, to help your body is quite in our power. Often digestive problems occur during the holidays with an abundance of fatty and heavy foods. Do not forget to include the above products in the menu, and the problem will be solved. If you suffer from gastrointestinal diseases, then products to improve digestion containing enzymes should always be present on your table.
And finally, let's dwell on a moment that will interest people who are overweight and women who strive to always be slim and beautiful.
There are 3 main ways to deal with excess weight:
- Through physical activity.
- Through strict or sparing diets.
- The natural way with the assistance of appropriate foods.
Let's take a look at the last method. Nutritionists recommend managing your weight by eating foods to speed up digestion. It is not only tasty, but also healthy, as it does not create an additional load on the body. Such products improve metabolism and help burn fat, contributing to weight loss and rejuvenation of the whole body.
Foods to improve digestion for weight management:
- Dairy products: yogurt, low-fat kefir, yogurt.
- Drinks: coffee, quality green tea.
- Almond nuts.
- Turkey meat.
- Fruits, especially grapefruit, apples, kiwi, lemon.
- Spinach.
- Beans.
- Broccoli.
- Spices and seasonings: ginger, curry, cinnamon, black pepper, bay leaf, turmeric, nutmeg.
- Soy milk.
- Oatmeal, bran.
It turns out that for a healthy diet and maintaining the body in a normal state, it is enough to eat healthy foods that are familiar to us and give up harmful and junk food. Then there is no need for medication.
Eat right, eat foods that improve digestion, and you can avoid many health problems.
