Gut nutrition

Nutritional therapist Julia FitzGerald offers easy tips for healthier living. This week: how to look after your gut

We each carry more than two pounds of bacteria in our digestive systems. Most of it is "friendly", lining the gut and acting as a filter that allows nutrients through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream, while keeping undigested food and waste out.

A woman buys bananas
Bananas are excellent for promoting good bacteria

These bacteria produce vitamins B and K and other nutrients that nourish and protect the gut lining, helping to reduce the risk of colon cancer. They also counterbalance the "bad" bacteria, which could otherwise cause diarrhoea.

The growth of parasites, yeast and harmful bacteria in the gut are stimulated by diets high in sugar or alcohol. Antibiotic use, stress and air travel can disrupt this delicate balance, which leads to bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and food sensitivities.

(Interestingly, healthy gut flora in babies is linked with a reduced incidence of eczema.) To avoid these symptoms and look after your gut flora, follow these simple dietary tips:

Eat foods such as onions, leeks, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, bananas, asparagus, beans, peas, oats and soybeans, which contain inulin, a fibre that good bacteria feed on.
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Add garlic to your diet: it is an antimicrobial that kills certain types of bacteria and reduces the level of yeast in your gut.

Avoid so-called probiotic drinks - yogurt marketed as dietary supplements - because they contain added sugars or sweeteners. They're expensive, too.

Instead, choose cultured foods such as live yogurt, which contains good bacteria; try Yeo Valley Organic Whole Milk Natural Yogurt (£1.39, 500g, available from supermarkets nationwide).

Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates and sugar (white bread, pasta, pastries, cakes) as they promote yeast growth. Replace them with high-fibre alternatives, such as vegetables, seeds and whole grains.