KNOW-HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR GUT HEALTH AS A CYCLIST
Prebiotics: This is the fuel for the probiotic bacteria to grow. The beneficial gut bacteria feed on the prebiotics that is a type of fibre which humans can’t digest. Prebiotics is a type of fibre found in legumes, fruits and vegetables.
Probiotics: They are the beneficial live bacteria found in supplements or certain foods that provide us with various health benefits. Some of the foods that are rich in probiotics are yoghurt, fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, etc. (the beneficial bacteria thrives on naturally occurring fibre or sugar in the food). Please note that pasteurisation kills the bacteria so choose unpasteurised fermented food products to benefit from probiotics.
Gut Flora/Gut microbiota = Prebiotics + Probiotics (They are responsible for various important functions. Thus eating balanced amounts of pre and probiotics is key to keeping up with our gut health.)
Foods to avoid: Food plays a major role in balancing your good and bad gut bacteria. A diet high in fat and sugar has negative effects on your gut bacteria. A gut flora which is less healthy and has harmful bacteria is directly linked to high BMI, insulin resistance and other health conditions. Therefore eat foods rich in pre and probiotics to keep a healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria in your gut.
Do’s and Don’ts To Follow
- Eat a variety of food items: Include different plant and animal sources in your diet as it leads to a diverse gut flora which is beneficial for our health.
- Eat fermented food items: They help to reduce the disease-causing bacteria and enhance the function of the beneficial gut bacteria.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners: They negatively affect your blood sugar levels and have a negative effect on the gut microbiota.
- Include polyphenol-rich foods in your diet: They are plant compounds that cannot be digested by the human cell but can be broken down by the gut bacteria. They help to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Include foods like green tea, red wine, almonds, broccoli, onions, cocoa, dark chocolate etc in your diet.
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