Yet, equally important is choosing the right foods to eat.
“What do you put in your cart, Dr. readers and patients often ask.
The whole, unprocessed foods I recommend in my bookHappy Gutmean you get more nutrients from eating less food.
In other words, without counting calories, you will naturally consume more nutrient-dense foods and fewer calorie-dense foods.
Reset your gut
Sign up for our FREE ultimate gut health guide featuring healing recipes & tips.
Gut-healing diets have a reputation for being expensive.
Doing that takes a little know-how.
Two excellent sources are theEnvironmental Working Groups (EWGs) Dirty Dozen and Clean 15.
These lists, updated yearly, catalog the most- and least-contaminated produce.
If you cant afford to buy everything organic, this list will help you make the most-informed choices.
As much as possible, stay away from the “dirty dozen.”
you’re free to also shop sales at your local grocery store when gut-friendly items are marked down.
Keeping these things in mind, heres how I fill my cart for under $20.
I found 10 ounces of organic dandelion greens at my local market for $2.49.
Cruciferous vegetables
Another affordable, cant-go-wrong produce purchase.
I found organic broccoli on sale for $1.49 a pound.
Alternatives: pumpkin, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash.
The sweet potatoes I purchased were $1.38 for 2 pounds.
you might find coconut milk in BPA-free cans or cartons.
Cans are more economical.
Just double-check youre buying the full-fat version and dilute it with filtered water before you use it.
And avoid any products that contain the gut-inflammatory food additive carrageenan.
I found 10 ounces of organic frozen blueberries on sale at my market for $3.
Buy them whole and organic, grind in a coffee grinder, and keep them refrigerated.
Walnuts
Research5shows that walnuts help beneficially alter your gut microbial community.
These fiber-loaded nuts are rich in nutrients and anti-inflammatory alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
(And remember: Peanuts are a legume, not a nut.
So say no to peanuts!).
I got a quarter-pound of walnuts for just $0.99.
By shopping smartly you could find these and other gut-healing essentials without crashing your budget.
Food is my go-to first step toheal the gutand help my patients feel better.
Psst!These are the best and worst foods for gut health.
