Though legend has it that hot girls have stomach issues, that doesn’t make the uncomfortable digestion and sometimes more serious problems associated with it feel any better. So what if the key to a healthy gut isn’t only about what you eat but when you eat it, too? The most important meal for gut health, it turns out, is breakfast.
“A new morning is a blank slate for your gut,” says sports dietitian Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD. “What you feed yourself first thing directly affects gut health, which is linked to nearly every other system in the body, including your skin, heart, brain and immune health.”
Real Nutrition founder Amy Shapiro, RD, adds, “It’s also simply an easy, low-effort opportunity to consistently feed your microbiome the fibre and diversity it needs to thrive.”
Ingredients to look for (and avoid)
Shapiro says to look for three things in a breakfast that will benefit your gut: fibre, fermented foods and diverse plant sources. She explains that fibre feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, acting as a prebiotic that helps them thrive, while fermented foods introduce live probiotics directly into your gut microbiome. Eating a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains and seeds feeds a wider range of bacteria for a healthier, more resilient microbiome. Ehsani says omega-3s are good to look for, as they can help reduce inflammation in the gut and protect the GI tract’s mucus barrier. “Breakfast is often the most carb- or sugar-heavy meal of the day for most people, so it’s actually a great opportunity to correct course early and set your gut up well before the rest of the day happens,” Shapiro adds.
And don’t forget about water and staying hydrated. “Drinking enough water at breakfast can help your gut keep things moving and prevent constipation,” Ehsani says.
As for foods to avoid, try to bypass anything rich in saturated fat and sugar; Ehsani says they are linked to increased inflammation, reduced gut-microbiome diversity and overall harm to gut health.
Best breakfasts for gut health
If you’re looking for some reccs, both experts say these are the best breakfasts for gut health:
Greek yoghurt topped with fruits and nuts
An easy, filling option, Greek yoghurt provides you (and your gut) with the probiotics you need, Ehsani says. When you pair it with fruits, you’ll also get the added benefit of other vital nutrients. She points to berries, which are packed with fibre and antioxidants. Shapiro adds that bananas (especially slightly underripe ones) contain resistant starch, a type of fibre that ferments in the colon and supports good gut bacteria.
As for nuts, Shapiro says they provide fibre, healthy fats and polyphenols. Ehsani recommends something like walnuts, which are rich in omega-3s and fibre.
A power smoothie
When made with whole foods and little to no added sugars, a smoothie is another way to get many vital nutrients to support gut health. Ehsani recommends mixing kefir, which contains more live and active culture than a cup of yoghurt and makes for a great smoothie base, with fruits like pineapple, mango and flaxseeds. The fruits will give you fibre and antioxidants while the flaxseeds will give you added fibre and omega-3s.
Oatmeal
Ehsani explains that oats are a great source of whole grains and fibre. Mixing your oatmeal with Greek yoghurt, fresh fruit and walnuts gives you probiotics, fresh fruit and antioxidants to support your gut. Shapiro suggests fruits like apples, which contain pectin, a fibre that promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria.