Foods to restore damaged intestinal flora

The intestinal flora is an ecosystem of microbes or “good bacteria” that are beneficial for the health of the body. Each person has approximately 100,000 million microorganisms of more than 400 different species, and 95% of these bacteria live in the digestive tract, being more abundant in the intestines, where they can nest and multiply more quickly.

Certain conditions, such as diarrhea and the consumption of antibiotics, can cause the intestinal flora to vary and the “good bacteria” decrease in quantity, allowing the proliferation of harmful microorganisms for health. As we can see, the intestinal flora is an essential appendix of the immune system that helps the body defend itself against diseases, viruses, and germs. When our intestinal flora is altered, it is necessary to take actions to recover its bacterial composition and preserve our health, a very effective way to achieve this is through Food. For this reason, we invite you to continue reading this FastlyHealarticle, where you will be able to find out the best foods to recover damaged intestinal flora.

Probiotic foods

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), probiotics are living organisms of natural origin found in some foods. When consumed, it helps recover the damaged intestinal flora, increases the production of white blood cells, and, therefore, strengthens the immune system significantly. Additionally, probiotic foods can stimulate gastric juices and digestive enzymes to improve food digestion and combat stomach heaviness.

The best probiotic foods to restore intestinal flora

• Yogurt: the fermentation process of homemade yogurt stimulates the production of live microorganisms that increase the proliferation of good bacteria in the intestines, helping to restore the intestinal flora. In the market, you can also find a wide variety of yogurts enriched with Lactobacillus GG or Acidophilus, a “good bacteria” that helps fight “bad bacteria” within the body. Goat’s milk and cheese also offer the same probiotic properties as yogurt.
• Kefir: Kefir stands out among the probiotic foods to restore intestinal flora. This product made from fermented grains and goat’s milk is rich in lactobacilli, a microorganism that quickly proliferates in the intestinal mucosa and helps eliminate harmful bacteria from the body. It is recommended to buy kefir in organic stores.
• Miso Soup: This soup owes its probiotic property to fermented rye, beans, rice, and barley. It is a very beneficial food for the digestive system used in Japanese medicine. Miso contains a large number of Bifidus and lactobacilli bacteria.
• Algae: Green and blue algae, spirulina, and chlorella are probiotic foods that help to restore the bacterial flora of the entire digestive system.

Discover more options by consulting the Probiotic article Foods: Health Benefits.

Prebiotic foods

Prebiotics are substances containing indigestible vegetables or added that reach the intestine, serve as a food source for good bacteria and stimulate the proliferation thereof. Due to their ability to recover the intestinal flora, prebiotic foods are recommended to fight infections, pathogenic bacteria, and digestive system diseases. Prebiotics are dietary fiber, while probiotics are living microorganisms.

Prebiotic foods to restore intestinal flora

• Artichokes: Inulin is one of the most common prebiotics. Artichokes contain approximately 3% to 10% inulin. You can steam them and even have a cup of water where they were cooked to take advantage of their many benefits.
• Garlic: in addition to offering a powerful antibiotic effect, garlic contains around 15% inulin. This quality makes it one of the best prebiotic foods we can incorporate into our diet. Seasoning your meals and broths with garlic is an excellent option to take advantage of its health benefits.
• Onion: offers between 5% and 8% prebiotics when consumed raw or cooked. You can add onion to your broths or salads and take advantage of its antibiotic and diuretic effect.
• Wheat flour: it is present in bread, cakes, cookies, cakes, and cakes and offers up to 4.8% prebiotics. However, consuming excess wheat flour is not recommended due to its high caloric intake.
• Dried fruit: Dried fruits contain up to 5 times the amount of prebiotics as fresh fruits. Plums, raisins, raisins, dates, and fig bread are excellent sources of dietary fiber.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, cabbage, radishes, and cauliflower are vegetables that help protect the entire intestinal tract and contain prebiotics that increases the proliferation of good bacteria in the intestine. Consuming them also represents an essential contribution of antioxidants that help prevent cellular aging of the body and colon cancer.

Antibiotic foods

Many foods act in the body by exerting an antibiotic action that helps the immune system eliminate excess harmful bacteria or microorganisms responsible for viruses and diseases. When pathogenic bacteria decrease in number, the bacterial flora can adequately recover and increase its concentration of positive microbes.

Garlic and onion, as we mentioned earlier, represent the best natural antibiotics that we can ingest through our diet. In addition to fighting the proliferation of harmful bacteria, garlic and onion strengthen the immune system to fight infections more efficiently. Other foods with an antibiotic effect are:

• Ginger.
• Papaya.
• Pineapple.
• Laurel.
• Romero.
• Thyme.
• Clove.
• Cilantro.
• Anise.
• Pepper.

How to take care of the intestinal flora

In addition to knowing the best foods to recover damaged intestinal flora, you must be aware of some tips that will allow you to keep your bacterial flora in good condition to avoid diseases, infections, and harmful bacteria for your body. Follow the following recommendations and protect your intestinal health:

• When eating greens, vegetables, and greens, carefully wash such foods with water and vinegar to remove any harmful microorganisms.
• Fruits should also be washed carefully before consuming, even those you should eat without skin.
• Avoid eating very greasy foods or cooking with a lot of oil, as fat can significantly alter your intestinal flora.
• Healthily cook your food: steamed, baked, or grilled.
• Reduce the consumption of raw meats.
• Spice up your meals with natural dressings such as garlic, onion, bell peppers, and garlic porridge. Avoid consuming commercial seasonings.
• Refined sugar is a food source for harmful bacteria. Avoid its consumption and prefer brown sugar, honey, or paper.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Food to recover damaged intestinal flora , we recommend that you enter our Food category .

Alivia Nyhan

I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.