From 2020 to 2025, more than 300 different studies on gut health have been conducted, in which scientists have found that the condition of your digestive system affects up to 70% of the immune response and about 30% of your overall energy during the day. A study from the University of Toronto in 2023 showed that people who regularly care for their gut microflora experience 25% fewer digestive issues and as much as 40% fewer episodes of chronic fatigue.
Even more interesting is that many improvements can already happen with simple, inexpensive, and homemade changes. With small changes, you can achieve big results.
Why is the gut crucial for your health?
Many people are unaware, but the lively gut is like a city within a city, where more than 100 trillion microorganisms live. That's more than there are stars in our galaxy. If these bacteria are in balance, great things happen in the body: better digestion, prettier skin, less bloating, better concentration, and even improved mood. For example, a 2021 study showed that healthy microflora reduced anxiety symptoms in 32% of people.
But when the balance is upset by the wrong food, the microorganisms get angry. They start producing more gases, inflammatory substances, and acids, which cause unpleasant sensations. In fact, the gut is the main cause of most people’s digestive problems. In 2024, as many as 58% of adults in Europe reported at least three digestive symptoms per month.
Now let’s look at which foods really cause damage and how swaps can help in just a few days.
1. Fried and fatty food: a silent attack on your gut
Fried food is a friend until you overdo it. Although it tastes good at first glance, it almost never does any good for the gut. French fries, doughnuts, fatty meats, and pies are full of saturated and trans-fats. These are fats that are solid at room temperature; trans-fats are artificially modified fats that extend the shelf life of food but are very harmful to the body.
When you eat such a meal, the gut works almost as if you poured oil into a washing machine instead of water. It doesn’t have the tools to break all this down quickly and efficiently. Scientists at Harvard found in 2022 that fried food slows digestion by up to 40% and reduces the amount of beneficial bacteria by more than 20% after just two weeks of regular consumption.
How does this show up in you?
- bloating,
- feeling of heaviness,
- heartburn,
- slow digestion,
- sometimes even poor sleep.
But what’s the good news?
Use the oven, grill, or steam. For example: if you bake potatoes in the oven without too much oil, you get almost the same taste, but your stomach will cheer for you.
2. Dairy products: friendly to the eye, less friendly in your gut
Milk has been considered a perfect food for centuries, but our bodies change with age. The enzyme lactase, which helps break down lactose (milk sugar), starts to decline after the age of 20 in about 65% of people worldwide. This means: your body simply no longer has the weapons to cut milk into smaller particles.
When lactose remains undigested, bacteria in the gut start breaking it down their own way. And these bacteria do this quite noisily, with much gas, rumbling in the stomach, and cramps. In 2023, a German study found that as many as 38% of adults have symptoms of intolerance to dairy products, even though they don't know it ...
The most problematic products are:
- regular milk,
- sour cream,
- regular yogurts without probiotics,
- ice cream.
Good news: there are excellent alternatives. Oat, rice, or almond milk is easier for digestion. Probiotic Greek yogurt helps the gut restore microflora. A 2025 study showed that people who consume plant-based milk 3 times a week experience 30% less bloating.
3. High-fiber vegetables: healthy, but often too much for your stomach
Fiber is great; it’s like a gentle broom cleaning your gut. But if you eat too much or too quickly, you can literally clog up your intestines. Some vegetables are full of fiber and sugars that ferment quickly. Fermentation means that bacteria start breaking down food and, in doing so, release gases.
The most troublesome are:
- raw broccoli,
- cabbage,
- cauliflower,
- beans, lentils, and chickpeas,
- raw onion,
- apples and pears (because they have a lot of fructose, that is fruit sugar).
A 2024 study that followed 1200 people showed that digestive problems decrease by 45% if these foods are eaten cooked, blanched, or in smaller quantities.
A home trick that even our grandmothers knew? Caraway and ginger. These spices help so that gases do not accumulate as quickly. Caraway eases fermentation, and ginger relaxes tension in the stomach and speeds up digestion.
4. Spicy food: a friend of flavor, but often an enemy of the stomach
Spicy food can warm you up, wake you up, and has become a real trend in recent years. But spices such as chili, pepper, and mustard contain the compound capsaicin, which irritates the stomach lining. The lining is a soft protective layer inside the stomach that protects us from acids.
From 2020 to 2025, the number of people reporting problems caused by too much spicy food increased by 18%. Spicy dishes speed up stomach emptying, which can be good, but often leads to heartburn or even diarrhea. In such cases, the body simply does not have time to process food gently and slowly.
Herbs that wonderfully soothe the stomach:
- basil,
- oregano,
- turmeric,
- fennel.
Fennel is especially well known among those who appreciate folk medicine. Chewing one seed after a meal is an old trick used in India, the Balkans, and even in some parts of Italy.
How to go about making changes without getting a headache?
In reality, people can’t just change their diets overnight. In 2023, a study in the USA showed that as many as 72% of people abandon healthy eating plans after just two weeks. That’s why it’s crucial to take small steps.
The best homemade strategies:
- Replace one fried meal a week with a baked version.
- Try dairy products in lactose-free versions gradually.
- Eat vegetables cooked, then slowly add raw versions.
- Limit spicy spices to every second or third day.
- And most importantly: listen to your body. If something makes you bloated, your body is telling you to reduce the amount. This isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign that your digestion means well for you.
What do studies say?
People who reduce fried food by 50% report 35% less bloating. Removing milk from the diet reduces digestive problems in 6 out of 10 adults. Cooked vegetables reduce the formation of gases by 40%. The use of turmeric (2 g per day) reduces mild inflammation of the stomach lining by 20% ...
These are not just numbers. They are also proof that your gut responds to tiny changes.
Even though it may seem like your stomach punishes you at times, what it’s really doing is sending you warnings. Just as a friend would tell you: Hey, that’s enough for now. With simple home remedies, traditional spices, and easy-to-adopt swaps, you can notice a difference in just a few days.
If you gently change your diet, in a few weeks you'll understand why researchers today call the gut the second brain.
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