When people talk about their gut health, they mostly think about how they can lose weight by eating less. While it is important to have proper portion control, gut health is not only about weight. You could be skinny and have serious gut problems if you eat a lot of unhealthy foods. Here we will focus on the eight foods that can help you by developing good gut bacteria in your body:

1. Garlic

Not only does garlic have great prebiotic qualities, but it is also excellent for your overall health. While cooked garlic is good for your body, raw garlic is even better. If you can manage to add some of it to your diet, through supplements or the real deal, it will help you a lot.

2. Salmon

Wild salmon that is not mixed with any preservatives is excellent for your gut. It has the necessary omega-3 fatty acids that your body needs. These fatty acids have anti-inflammatory qualities that will be essential to heal your gut if it is inflamed or having other issues.

3. Coconut Oil

It is great as cooking oil, while you can even use it as a finishing oil in some dishes. Not only does coconut oil have a wonderfully distinct taste, but it is very good for your gut.

You will find that coconut oil has antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties that will help your entire body. The fatty acids in this oil will also kill off any harmful bacteria that may be causing problems in your stomach.

4. Sprouted Grains

Eating bread and other carbs that contain high levels of sprouted grains will be great for your body. It is important to move away from the white bread that has become a mainstay in our diet for so many years. White bread is okay in a pinch, but whole grain bread is so much better.

Not only do these bread control your blood sugar better, but the sprouted grains release enzymes that make them much easier on your gut compared to white bread or rice.

5. Kefir

People in the States may not know about kefir, but it is very popular in Europe and other parts of the world. It is a type of liquid yogurt that is used in certain dishes. It can also be eaten on its own. The reason why it is so great for your gut is that it has over ten live and active bacteria strains. All these strains are good for your gut, while the strains are higher in number compared to regular yogurt.

6. Yogurt

If you are not a fan of kefir, you may find regular yogurt a lot easier to get into your diet. Yes, it only has three active bacteria cultures compared to the 10 of kefir. But even three is very good for your body. You can go with non-dairy yogurt if you have issues digesting lactose.

7. Mangoes

Not only are mangoes a delicious dessert that you can enjoy after a meal, but they contain special bacteria that improve gut health, reduces body fat and helps to control your blood pressure. It contains many bioactive compounds that are good for your health.

8. Sauerkraut

A fun side that you can add to your sandwiches, sauerkraut has the Lactobacillus bacteria that is so famous for having healthy properties for the gut.