“F-GOALS”: here is the list of essential ingredients for intestinal health according to a gastroenterologist

There is no doubt, the intestinal microbiota is at the heart of our well-being. But how do we take care of our second brain to keep it healthy? Thanks to the diet, answers the American gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz. In an episode of the podcast The diary of a CEOpublished online on 1^er January, the doctor makes a list of essential ingredients for intestinal health, and groups them under the acronym “F-GOALS”. Translated from English, the acronym includes the following foods: fruits and fermented products, green vegetables and grains, omega-3, herbs, legumes, algae, sulforaphane and mushrooms.

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“Gut health is not only important for digestion, it is also thought to affect other parts and functions of the body, including the immune system, mental health and cognition, metabolism and hormones,” he recalls. the specialist behind the podcast microphone. Each food nourishes and stimulates “specific families of microbes,” he explains. Hence the importance of taking care of your diet, not to limit yourself, but rather varying the content of the plate as much as possible.

Vary the bacteria

Among the essentials for the health of our microbiota: first of all omega-3, which helps in particular to regulate the types and amount of bacteria in the intestine, underlines the gastroenterologist. To remember, these fatty acids are found in some vegetable oils, in nuts, flax and chia, or in fatty fish such as mackerel or sardines.

As for fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut or pickles, they increase the diversity of bacteria present in the microbiome, according to a study conducted in 2021 by Stanford University and cited by Dr. This is also the case for fibers and resistant starches, widely present in green vegetables and healthy grains. Oats, rye, rice, barley, buckwheat…

Protect yourself from diseases

The fruit protects us from diabetes, also indicates the specialist. “A study conducted in 2023 showed that people who ate an additional 300 grams of fruit per day, over a three-year period, had an 8.2% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” he says.

As for legumes, he says they are a “longevity food.” “Eating it helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” he says. Like herbs, such as onions, garlic and shallots, which protect our heart, but also reduce the risk of cancer, while “help control high blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels “.

Finally, Will Bulsiewicz recommends consuming algae and mushrooms for their fiber content, as well as sulforaphane, present in some vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, for their preventive action against cancer. “Every meal is an opportunity to add variety to our plate,” he finally encourages. And to change your eating habits in a lasting way, the gastroenterologist recommends starting with products that taste like you.