Foods Your Gut Will Love (And How to Give It Extra Support)

We've all heard the saying "you are what you eat" - but the truth goes a little deeper than that. You are, in many ways, what your gut can actually digest. Your digestive system is home to trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that collectively make up your gut microbiome. This remarkable ecosystem influences everything from your energy levels and mood to your skin, your immune system, and your overall sense of wellbeing.

The good news? What you put on your plate has a powerful impact on how well your gut functions. Eat the right things consistently, and your gut bacteria will thrive. Neglect it, through a poor diet, stress, or prolonged antibiotic use, and the balance can quickly tip in the wrong direction, leaving you bloated, sluggish, and uncomfortable.

So, let's talk about the foods your gut genuinely loves, and how you can give it a little extra support along the way.

Fermented Foods: Nature's Original Gut Boosters

Fermented foods have been part of human diets for thousands of years, and for good reason. Foods like live yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, and kombucha are rich in naturally occurring beneficial bacteria that can help support a healthy gut environment.

Kefir, in particular, has been well-studied for its positive effects on digestion ^[1]. A daily serving can help introduce beneficial microorganisms into the gut, potentially reducing bloating and improving regularity. If you're new to fermented foods, start small, a tablespoon of sauerkraut with your lunch or a small glass of kefir in the morning is a great place to begin.

Prebiotic-Rich Foods: Feeding the Good Guys

Whilst probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria, prebiotics are the food that keeps those bacteria alive and thriving. Think of them as fertiliser for your gut garden.

Some of the best prebiotic foods include ^[2]:

• Garlic and onions — packed with inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which selectively feed beneficial bacteria
• Leeks and asparagus — both excellent sources of prebiotic fibre
• Bananas — particularly when slightly underripe, as they contain resistant starch
• Oats — a brilliant British staple rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that feeds beneficial microbes
• Jerusalem artichokes — one of the most potent prebiotic foods available, though best introduced gradually!

Including a variety of these in your daily diet creates the conditions in which your beneficial gut bacteria can genuinely flourish.

Fibre, Fibre, Fibre

If there's one dietary change that makes the single biggest difference to gut health, it's increasing your fibre intake. Most adults in the UK consume far less than the recommended 30g of fibre per day ^[3], and our guts are paying the price.

Dietary fibre comes in two forms: soluble (found in oats, beans, lentils, and fruit) and insoluble (found in wholegrains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables). Both play vital roles. Soluble fibre forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that slows digestion and feeds beneficial bacteria. Insoluble fibre adds bulk to stools and keeps things moving along as they should.

Practical ways to up your fibre intake include swapping white bread for wholegrain, adding a handful of seeds to your porridge, loading your plate with vegetables at every meal, and making legumes — lentils, chickpeas, black beans — a regular feature of your cooking.

Polyphenol-Rich Foods: The Unsung Heroes

Polyphenols are plant compounds found in a wide range of colourful foods, and emerging research suggests they play a significant role in supporting a diverse gut microbiome ^[4]. Foods particularly rich in polyphenols include:

• Dark berries (blueberries, blackberries, cherries)
• Dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher)
• Green tea
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Red cabbage and beetroot

These compounds act as fuel for beneficial gut bacteria, and their anti-inflammatory properties may have wide-reaching effects — from supporting digestive comfort to promoting clearer skin.

What to Limit

Just as important as what you eat is what you cut back on. Ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, and artificial sweeteners have all been linked to reductions in gut bacteria diversity ^[5]. Excessive alcohol disrupts the gut lining and promotes the growth of harmful bacteria. And whilst the occasional takeaway isn't going to undo your good work, a diet dominated by processed, low-fibre foods creates an environment where harmful bacteria thrive at the expense of beneficial ones.

Stress, too, is a significant, and often underestimated, factor in gut health. The gut-brain axis means that chronic stress can directly alter the composition of your microbiome. Managing stress through sleep, movement, and mindfulness is as much a gut health strategy as anything you put on your plate.

Giving Your Gut Extra Support with JUVIA

Even with the best intentions, diet alone doesn't always tell the whole story. Years of a less-than-ideal diet, antibiotic use, or ongoing stress can leave the gut microbiome out of balance in ways that food alone may take a long time to correct. This is where JUVIA comes in.

JUVIA is a world-first gut supplement powered by ERME (Enzyme Rich Malt Extract), a natural ingredient derived from sustainable British barley. Unlike standard probiotics, which simply add foreign bacteria into the gut, JUVIA works with your unique microbiome, helping to rebalance it from within. It contains over 15 natural enzymes that break down food before it causes problems in the lower gut, meaning less bloating, less discomfort, and more regularity.

What makes ERME genuinely remarkable is that, unlike many digestive enzyme supplements, its enzymes survive stomach acid, meaning they actually reach the gut where they're needed most. Over ten years of research has demonstrated that ERME supports healthy gut bacteria diversity, reduces harmful bacteria, and promotes the beneficial strains that protect your gut wall and reduce inflammation.

The benefits extend well beyond digestion. ERME is naturally rich in Vitamin B12, which supports energy metabolism, reduces tiredness and fatigue, and contributes to healthy immune function. Given the well-established connection between gut health and skin — known as the gut-skin axis, many JUVIA users also report improvements in skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

JUVIA is vegan, made in Britain, and incredibly easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Simply take 10ml (two teaspoons) three times a day, just before meals, straight off the spoon, mixed with a little water, or stirred into food.

The supplement has been developed with the expertise of Professor John Hunter, Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, and an internationally recognised authority on conditions including IBS, Crohn's disease, and colitis. With over 150 published research papers to his name, the science behind JUVIA is as robust as it gets.

A Whole-Gut Approach

The best results come from combining gut-loving foods with consistent, targeted support. Fill your plate with fibre, fermented foods, and polyphenol-rich vegetables. Drink plenty of water. Manage your stress. And if you want to give your microbiome a meaningful, evidence-based boost, JUVIA offers a risk-free way to do exactly that, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Your gut works incredibly hard for you every single day. It's about time you returned the favour.

Try JUVIA today and start your journey to a happier, healthier gut.