FOOD SENSITIVITIES

Pay attention to your body at all times, and if you think that you ought to take your food sensitivities more seriously, consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Food Sensitivities: 10 Best & Worst Foods for Your Tummy

Achieve a Healthy Digestive System

By Jennifer Gruenemay, Special to Lifescript

Published August 23, 2010

Gas, stomach aches, constipation and diarrhea are common 

signs your digestive system is off-kilter. But did you know that 

brittle hair and low energy can also point to tummy troubles? 

Find out which foods will keep your gut clogged or moving. 

Plus, test your yogurt IQ with our quiz…

A healthy digestive system begins with a good diet. Eat the right 

stuff and improve digestion. Eat badly, and you feel like a human 

garbage can. How you eat can affect the way you feel, too.

"If you don't digest your food properly, your cells don't get what 

they need to function optimally," says Liz Lipski, Ph.D., a clinical 

dietitian and author of Digestive Wellness (McGraw-Hill). 

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also home to our most precious 

disease-fighting resource: the immune system.

"Two-thirds of the immune system is in the digestive tract," 

Lipski says. "There are more neurotransmitters in the GI 

than in the brain and more nerve endings than in the 

spine," she adds. 

Your digestive system is vital to your health and happiness. 

So how do you keep it working well? For starters, avoid 

these 5 gut enemies: 

5 Worst Foods for Your Gut

1. Red meat

The more red meat you eat, the higher your risk 

of colorectal cancer risk. That's because it's typically high in 

saturated fat, which is tied to cancer of the small intestine, 

according to a 2008 Cancer Research study.

How to avoid it: Choose lean cuts of beef, lamb and pork. 

Eat more protein- and iron-rich legumes in place of red meat. 

Grill a Portobello mushroom instead of a burger; it's meaty 

flavor will fill you.

2. Processed meat

Lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages and 

other processed meats are packed with saturated fat, 

sodium and nitrates.

Processed meats have been linked to colon cancer, possibly 

because they are cooked at high temperatures, which can 

increase carcinogens.

How to avoid it: Stick to fresh, lean cuts and eat other 

forms of protein (legumes and grains) as much as possible.

3. Hydrogenated oils

Trans fats, created when liquid oils 

are hydrogenated (so they become solid at room temperature), 

aren't found in nature. They’re an inexpensive way to make 

fats last longer on supermarket shelves, but your body pays a 

high price: They’re tough to digest and have been linked to 

many health problems, including increased bad (LDL) 

cholesterol, decreased good (HDL) cholesterol and colon 

cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires trans fats 

to be labeled on food products. But, the federal agency also 

allows manufacturers to claim zero trans fats if there are 

fewer than 0.5 grams per serving. 

Don't be fooled: If a food lists hydrogenated oils as an 

ingredient, it contains trans fats.

How to avoid it: Get nutrients in foods that are fresh, 

whole and natural, and ditch the packaged, processed stuff.

4. Gluten

About 2 million Americans suffer from gluten 

intolerance, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, spelt, wheat and 

countless other foods such as processed meats, soy sauce, 

ice cream, cheese, cookies, pasta, ketchup, salad dressings 

and more.

Food sensitivities affect 10%-20% of us, and can cause lots 

of digestive complaints and stomach aches (gas, cramping, 

bloating, heartburn, indigestion) and other symptoms, 

including chronic headaches, aching joints and muscles, 

depression, concentration, memory problems and poor 

energy levels, Lipski says.

How to avoid it: A gluten-free diet is the only solution 

to this food sensitivity; it’s a challenge but possible. 

Check out 7 Gluten-Free Recipes. 

5. Lactose

Another cause of stomach aches is lactose, the principal 

sugar found in milk. Lactose intolerance affects 30-50 

million Americans, according to the NIH.

Avoiding milk will help, but you don't have to give up 

all dairy. Some lactose-intolerant people do fine with 

small amounts of milk.

How to avoid it: Drink lactose-free milk and eat 

cultured dairy products, like yogurt, which break 

down lactose. Aged cheeses (like Cheddar and Swiss) 

have less lactose and may be easier to digest.

5 Best Foods for Your Gut

1. Dietary fiber 

Our Pick: Prunes

Fiber keeps things moving through 

your digestive system and out. Otherwise, your colon is 

stuck with toxins that can build up and cause major 

health problems. 

Your body then begins reabsorbing toxins, hormones 

and other substances. 

"If you don’t have regular bowel movements, you're 

retaining wastes that your body has finished with," 

Lipski says. "It’s like not moving a stinky garbage bag 

out of your kitchen.”

A diet rich in fiber protects against colon cancer and 

cancers of the small intestine, according to a 2008

 study in the journal Gastroenterology.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all 

packed with healthy fiber. But when it comes to 

staying regular, prunes, because of their mild laxative 

effect, is the go-to fruit. They're also a great source of 

energy, nutrition and disease-fighting phenolic 

compounds.

2. Probiotics 

Our Pick: Yogurt 

Probiotics are those "good bugs" 

you hear health nuts raving about. Why would anyone 

willingly eat bacteria?

Because our intestinal flora is made up of trillions of 

good bacteria that aid in digestion and promote 

immunity and health. In fact, four pounds of our body 

weight comes from the bacteria that live in the 

digestive tract. 

The No. 1 probiotic food is yogurt. Yes, it's a dairy 

product – the bane of millions of lactose intolerant 

people – but eating yogurt calms digestive complaints. 

That's because it contains live cultures, typically 

Lactobacillusand Bifidobacterium, that help lactose 

digestion.

When choosing a yogurt, make sure the cultures are 
listed as "live" or "active." Yogurts with added fiber 
are even better.

But steer clear of yogurts with a lot of sugar, which 
hurts digestive health because it feeds the bad bacteria 
in your GI tract. Plain, unsweetened yogurt is best. Add 
some fiber-rich berries or honey, which has prebiotic 
properties, if you need to sweeten it up. 

3. Prebiotics 
Our Pick: Lentils
Prebiotics are food for probiotics. 

"Bacteria multiply very quickly but need food once 
they reach the intestines," Lipski says.

Prebiotics help good bacteria thrive while driving 
down the number of disease-producing bacteria trying 
to invade the digestive tract.

They also promote a more acidic intestinal environment, 
which helps the body absorb nutrients in food such as 
the minerals calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium.

Luckily, prebiotics are found in many of the foods we 
already eat.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin are two 
naturally occurring prebiotics in onions, garlic, leeks, 
legumes, bananas, asparagus, sunchokes (Jerusalem 
artichokes) and more. 

Lentils, a legume, are a great natural source of prebiotics 
and dietary fiber. They're a good substitute for red meat 
because of their high protein and iron content. To help 
your body better use the iron in lentils, prepare them 
with a vitamin C-rich food such as tomatoes.

4. Gluten-free grains
Our Pick: Quinoa
Gluten – a protein found in grains 
such as wheat, barley and rye – isn't necessarily bad 
for you. But it does cause stomach aches for many people.

Because of genetics, about 30% of us poorly digest 
gluten-containing grains, Lipski says. But many people, 
regardless of family history, feel better when they stop 
eating them.

Expanding your grain repertoire is a good idea whether 
or not you're gluten intolerant. Quinoa (pronounced 
"keen-wah") is an excellent option. This gluten-free grain 
is a complete protein, meaning it provides all eight essential 
amino acids. It's also fiber-rich and bursting with minerals. 

It cooks up like rice (two parts water to one part grain) and 
adds a unique texture (chewy yet crispy) to side salads, 
casseroles, soups and more.

5. Fermented foods
Our Pick: Sourdough 
Sometimes your GI tract just 
needs a break. Fermented foods are the solution.

"Fermenting or culturing makes food more digestible by 
actually 'predigesting' it for you," Lipski says.

Fermenting also increases our absorption of the other 

nutrients in the food. Pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, tempeh 

and Japanese tamari or soy sauce are all easy-to-digest 

fermented foods.

So is sourdough. It can sub in for wheat bread if you’re sensitive 

to gluten. Sourdough breads are often made with wheat flour, 

but the fermentation weakens the gluten. 

If you don't want wheat at all, many grocery stores offer 100% 

gluten-free sourdough.

Something to wash it all down

Don't forget the most essential "food" of all – water. 

Digestion can't occur without water, so be sure to drink eight 

8-ounce glasses throughout the day.

For more information, check out our Digestive Health Center.