Foods that support gut health

These feed the microbes already in your colon and add the bulk most routines are missing.

Yogurt with live cultures, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and tempeh. A small daily portion beats a large occasional one. Check labels: many supermarket sauerkrauts are pasteurized, which removes the live cultures.

Berries, extra-virgin olive oil, green tea, cocoa, turmeric, ginger and baobab. Polyphenols partly behave like prebiotics and are widely included for their role in supporting a healthy inflammatory response.

Fiber without fluid can make things worse, not better. Soluble fiber needs water to form the gel that softens stool. If you add fiber and feel more backed up, water is the first thing to check.

Aim for 30 different plant foods across a week rather than more of the same five. Herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans all count individually.

• Keep a mixed bag of frozen berries — three plants in one pour.
• Buy a three-bean mix instead of one can of beans.
• Throw seeds and herbs on food you already make. They count.
• Rotate one new plant into the cart each shop.

Real food first. But most weeks have travel days, late nights and skipped lunches, and fiber is the first thing to fall off. A single measured serving — 13 g of soluble and prebiotic fiber with turmeric, ginger and baobab — keeps the baseline steady on the days your plate doesn't.