10 Surprising Connections Between Your Gut & Your Brain & The 10 Best Gut-Supporting Foods

Do You Listen To Your Gut Feelings?

Your gut and your brain are intrinsically linked through something called the gut-brain axis. It can influence everything from your mood and stress levels to cravings and addictions. That's why it's so crucial to support your gut microbiome by eating the right foods. Here are 10 surprising ways your gut affects your brain and 10 foods to incorporate into your diet to support your microbiome.

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1. Mood Regulation

Are you someone who gets hangry? Your mood is more connected to your stomach than you might think. 90 percent of your serotonin comes from the gut.

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2. Cognition

Do you notice yourself feeling brain fog when you're hungry or just ate a junky meal? This is because an imbalanced gut can trigger inflammation, which affects cognitive processes. What's more, neurotransmitters produced in the gut play a role in memory, learning, and attention.

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3. Sleep Quality

The gut-brain axis affects your sleep quality because the sleep hormone melatonin is produced in the gut. A healthy gut helps regulate your circadian rhythm.

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4. Anxiety

Imbalances in the gut can increase stress hormones, which exacerbate anxiety symptoms. The gut is also where most of the body's serotonin is produced, which stabilizes your mood.

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5. Neurotransmitter ProductYour

Your gutneurotransmitter-producing powerhouse, making it an important component to maintaining your mental health. It's where most of your body's serotonin, dopamine, and anxiety-reducing Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) are made.

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6. Cravings & Food Choices

Microbes in your gut have a big say over your food choices. Certain bacteria thrive on sugar, fat, and carbs, and they can send signals to your brain that make you crave these things.

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7. Emotional Processing

Because of its role in the production of mood-regulating chemicals, your gut affects how you process emotions. An imbalanced gut can increase your stress hormone cortisol and cause inflammation, making you more moody.

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8. Pain Perception

Your gut health changes the way your brain perceives emotional and physical pain. This is because an imbalanced gut can cause inflammation and raise cortisol levels.

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9. Addiction Risk

Dopamine, the "reward" neurotransmitter, is produced in the gut. It's tied to cravings and reinforcements, and an imbalance can cause you to seek external rewards like drugs and alcohol.

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10. Neurodevelopment

The gut plays a large role in shaping the brain. The gut forms before the brain and helps shape your neural pathways, especially those connected to memory, emotions, and learning.

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Now that we've covered some of the most surprising psychological connections between the brain and the gut, let's talk about what foods are best for supporting your gut's microbiome.

1. Yogurt

You've probably heard about the benefits of probiotics found in yogurt. It can replace bad bacteria in the stomach with healthy bacteria, improving digestion, boosting immunity, and reducing inflammation.

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2. Bananas

Bananas are known to be extremely easy to digest for most people. They're also high in dietary fiber and prebiotics, which feed the healthy bacteria in your gut.

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3. Garlic

Garlic is a natural antibiotic and prebiotic. It promotes the growth of good bacteria and inhibits bad bacteria while boosting your immune system and reducing inflammation.

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4. Whole Grains

Whole grains are mostly celebrated for their high fiber content, which supports digestion. A gut supported by a variety of whole grains contains a more diverse gut microbiome, which is linked to enhanced immunity and mood regulation.

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5. Berries

Berries support the gut because of their incredible antioxidant content. They're also packed with fiber, which is beneficial for good gut bacteria.

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6. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a gut-friendly superfood high in fiber, prebiotics, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which support your gut. They help slow digestion, regulate blood sugar levels, and help promote more diversity in the gut microbiome.

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7. Beans

Beans really are a magical fruit. They're one of the best foods for your gut thanks to their fiber content. They improve digestion, stabilize blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and support a diverse microbiome.

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8. Tempeh

Tempeh is a fermented soybean product similar to tofu. Because it's fermented, it contains probioticwhichih add beneficial bacteria to your gut.

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9. Kefir

Kefir is like a drinkable yogurt. It's exceptionally good for your gut because of its high probiotic content, which helps break down nutrients and reduce inflammation.

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10. Kimchi

Kimchi is another fermented product that's incredibly beneficial for your gut. It's rich in probiotics, high in fiber, and antioxidants that can support your healthy gut bacteria and immunity.

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