Top Three Gut Health Foods for Women

Incorporating nutrient-rich foods into your meals promotes a healthy gut, crucial for digestion, immunity, and overall well-being. Let’s explore the powerhouse foods that make up the top three gut health foods for women.

Lentils

Versatile lentils only just nudged chickpeas out of the 3rd spot. Lentils are the Swiss Army knife of legumes and can be incorporated in just about any meal.

Lentils contain “resistant starches” a type of carbohydrate which resist digestion and pass through to the large intestine mostly intact and act similarly to fibre. Lentils supporting overall digestive health, adding bulk, having a more controlled impact on blood sugar levels and combatting constipation. For women looking to boost their protein intake, lentils are an excellent plant-based source. They are high in the amino acid lysine, supporting muscle health and repair. Lysine also plays a role in collagen synthesis, a protein that provides the all-important structure for maintaining elasticity of your skin, hair and connective tissue. In addition, lysine supports hormone regulation, and is thought to play a role in calcium absorption and bone metabolism, essential for maintaining bone density and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. As if that wasn’t enough lentils are a great gut friend, containing prebiotic fibres that promote a healthy gut microbiome.

Omega-3 fatty acids

At number 2, omega-3 fatty acids are essential for gut health and your body cannot produce them so you need them in your diet. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines) fish oils, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, chia seeds and walnuts. If you aren’t consuming these foods regularly in your diet an omega-3 supplement is a good idea.

Why are omega-3 fatty acids so important for your gut health? For starters, they help maintain the integrity of your gut barrier. They have potent anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce inflammation in the gut and alleviate symptoms of digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). They’re also essential for overall health including brain health. Emerging research suggests they may play a role in the gut-brain axis, influencing mood and cognitive function.

Now for the top gut health food women should be eating daily:

Flaxseeds – the superstar of the top three gut health foods for women

These little seeds may be small but are a gut health superstar and a powerhouse when it comes to general health and they’re also affordable. Flaxseeds are packed with fibre, omega -3 fatty acids and lignans – a crucial phytochemical and potent phytoestrogen boasting powerful antioxidant properties. This triple combination and the fact that numerous studies have shown the health benefits of flax, make this seed a clear winner when it comes to the top three gut health foods for women.

• Fibre – flaxseeds are an excellent source of dietary fibre, containing both soluble and insoluble fibre. One tablespoon of flax delivers around 2.5 grams of fibre, approximately TEN times more fibre than most vegetables. The high fibre content promotes healthy digestion and better pitstop frequency.
• Gut health – when it comes to fibre I like the adage – “fibre needs to gel to keep you well.” Flaxseeds have mucilaginous properties, meaning they form a gel-like substance when mixed with water. This gel coats your GI tract, soothing inflammation and promoting a healthy gut lining. The fibre in flaxseeds also acts as a prebiotic, supporting good gut bacteria and overall gut health.
• Omega-3 fatty acids –  flaxseeds are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plant sources. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed meets the daily recommended intake for most adult women of ALA. It’s still advisable to consume a variety of both plant and marine-based omega-3 sources to obtain the active eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) fatty acids.
• Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory – flaxseeds are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, including lignans and other phytochemicals, which safeguard against gut inflammation and potentially lower the risk of chronic diseases like cancer. Studies reveal that flaxseeds contain significantly higher levels of lignans—ranging from 75 to 800 times more—compared to other plant-based foods.
• Cancer prevention – studies suggest that the lignans in flaxseeds may play a role in preventing cancer, especially hormone-sensitive varieties like breast cancer. Research has shown that consuming a muffin containing two tablespoons (30 ml) of flaxseed led to a significant reduction in tumour growth in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Hormonal balance – studies also indicate that flaxseed may reduce hot flushes in menopausal women, potentially due to its lignan content and weak estrogenic properties.

Incorporating flaxseed into your diet can be a game-changer

Next time you’re at the supermarket, don’t miss out on stocking up on these three gut health superfoods. Load up on lentils in various hues, grab a couple of cans of mackerel packed in brine or olive oil, invest in a top-notch omega-3 supplement, and swing by your nearest health store to snag some bags of both golden and brown flaxseed, along with flaxseed oil. And hey, why not bust a dance move or two while you’re at it? Because a happy gut equals a happy you!
It’s as easy as tossing lentils into soups and salads, drizzling omega-3 oil over roasted veggies, and adding flaxseeds into your smoothies or sprinkling on your yogurt. Your gut will thank you!

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References:

Study : “Evaluation of the efficacy of flaxseed meal and flaxseed extract in reducing menopausal symptoms” (J Med Food. 2012)
Study: “The Role of Dietary Fiber in Gut Health” (Journal of Nutrition, 2019)
Study: “Effects of Lentil Consumption on Gut Microbiota Diversity” (Frontiers in Nutrition, 2020)
Study: “The Gut-Brain Axis: Interactions between Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Gut Microbiota” (Nutrients, 2018)
Study: “Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Gut Health: A Review of Current Evidence” (Current Nutrition Reports, 2021)
Study: “Dietary Flaxseed Supplementation Improves Gut Health” (Journal of Functional Foods, 2019)
Study: “The Impact of Flaxseed Consumption on Gut Microbiota Composition” (Nutrients, 2020)