Nutritionist reveals FIVE simple diet tweaks that will transform your gut health

An Australian nutritionist has revealed her top five tricks to help transform your gut health through your diet.

From eating more greens to adding spices to your meals, Zoe Bingley-Pullin shared exactly how to enhance your health on her blog and said it’s important to take ‘small steps every day to eat a healthy balanced diet’.

‘Gut health has been a hot topic for some time now and rightfully so! After all our gut microbiota and overall environment can have a knock on effect on other areas of health,’ Zoe wrote.

Add walnuts to your afternoon snack 

Walnuts supply gut microbes ‘with a wide variety of substrates to feed off including healthy fats, fibre and polyphenols’.

Zoe said that this ‘turns into beneficial metabolites which have positive effects in the body and heart’.

Walnuts also have protein, fibre and healthy fats, which will make you feel fuller for a longer period of time.

Order a veggie and fruit box from local suppliers

‘The reason I like this idea is not only because it supports local suppliers but because it forces you to change the plants you are eating on a regular basis’, Zoe wrote. 

She continued: ‘We now know that diet diversity is key to supporting gut health and we should be aiming for up to 30 different plant foods per week.’

She said walnuts supply gut microbes ‘with a wide variety of substrates to feed off including healthy fats, fibre and polyphenols’ (stock image)

Add spices 

Spices are rich in polyphenols, which are micronutrients found in plant-based foods, and contain antioxidants.

‘Instead of reaching for packet sauces and seasoning, I encourage you to make your own spice mixes from scratch’, Zoe said.

‘Purchase a mix of ground spices or in seed/root form such as cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, ginger, sumac, chilli and mix with some extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, salt and pepper to create your very own flavour combination’.

Eat legumes at least one meal per week

Legumes, which contain fibre, protein, and are low in saturated fat, include beans, chickpeas, peanuts, and tamarind. 

‘Fibre helps to keep us regular and also helps to feed our good gut bacteria, which are needed to create a healthy gut’, Zoe said.

‘If you aren’t used to eating legumes, start slow because the high fibre content can lead to bloating or discomfort’, she explained.

Zoe also recommended adding flavour using spices because they contain antioxidants and are rich in polyphenols, which are micronutrients found in plant-based foods (stock image)

Go green

Adding leafy greens, such as spinach, rocket and kale, to your diet are beneficial for gut health as they provide energy for good bacteria. 

‘If you have a morning smoothie, add a handful of spinach or kale, at lunch toss some rocket on top of what you are eating and the same goes for dinnertime’, she said. 

Zoe added: ‘Come snack time, if you make your own dip such as hummus, try adding some kale or rocket or snack on kale chips’.