The food you eat plays a key role in shaping your health, either nourishing your body or contributing to illness. But did you know that certain foods stay longer in the gut than others? Foods that linger longer not only cause bloating and discomfort; but can lead to serious long-term health issues, warns a nutritionist, urging people to make informed dietary choices.

Adrienne Benjamin, a gut health nutritionist at ProVen Biotics, has identified four common foods that can linger in the digestive system longer than expected, potentially impacting gut health. Surprisingly, one of these items is a good source of protein, suggesting that even seemingly healthy choices can have unintended effects if not properly balanced in the diet.

Red Meat:

Red meat is praised as an ideal source of protein, vitamins, iron, and other minerals essential for muscle building, immunity, and blood cell production. However, the digestion of this nutritionally dense food comes with an unexpected twist, it can stay in the gut for around three days.

"Red meat can take up to 72 hours to fully digest and exit the digestive system. Its prolonged digestion time can lead to bloating, discomfort, and sluggish digestion if consumed too frequently or if your body is producing lower levels of digestive enzymes and/or stomach acid," said Benjamin, as reported by Gloucestershire Live.

Complex carbs and fatty foods:

Slow digestion does not always mean a food should be avoided. While both complex carbs and fatty foods take longer to digest, their effects differ. Complex carbs help regulate blood sugar, while fatty foods linger in the gut, causing bloating, indigestion, and discomfort. Over time, this can disrupt gut bacteria, promote inflammation, and harm long-term gut health.

"The high levels of saturated and unhealthy fats in foods like burgers, fried chicken, fast-food pizzas, and Chinese takeaways, can impact digestion and lead to gut symptoms, such as bloating, sluggish digestion, discomfort, and maybe even diarrhea. In addition, excessive sodium and refined or artificial sugars and sweeteners will both impact digestive function," Benjamin said.

Sweetened/ Fizzy drinks

Sweets, fizzy drinks, and baked goods like doughnuts, cakes, and cookies should be limited, not only because they lack nutrition, but because they have high levels of refined sugars. This can fuel unhealthy gut bacteria, potentially leading to digestive imbalances and long-term health issues. "They tend to travel through the gut quicker, but the by-products and side-effects produced by the bacteria that feed on these processed foods can linger," Benjamin added.

What to eat instead:

To support digestion and overall gut health, Benjamin suggests incorporating gut-friendly foods into your diet. "Consider adding gut-friendly foods like ginger, which supports digestion, kefir, packed with probiotics, and high-fiber vegetables such as broccoli and sweet potatoes, all of which help keep things moving smoothly through your digestive system." Also, opting for healthy fats, quality protein, and complex carbohydrates can further promote a balanced and efficient digestive system.

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