Why Cutting Out These 2 Processed Foods Can Help You Transform Your Body, Once And For All

1. Foods Made With Refined Sugar

In general, processed and refined foods are some of the worst options for your overall health—and that includes your gut health. As Nanavati explains, "Processed and refined foods have been stripped of essential nutrients and natural fiber content." This is bad for a few reasons, but as far as digestive health goes, one of the main issues at hand is the lack of fiber. "Fiber is essential for helping to maintain the integrity of your gut microbiome and aids in digestion," Nanavati tells us.

Another major red flag raised by processed foods is the fact that they're typically packed with added sugars, preservatives, and other unhealthy additives, which Nanavati warns "can be detrimental to your gut health." Refined sugar, in particular, can feed bad bacteria in the gut, causing an imbalance in your microbiome. "[Sugar] can also cause inflammation and impair digestion," she says.

2. Fried Foods

Another type of food that can take a major toll on your gut health is anything fried. Just as with processed foods, these foods can be detrimental to your overall health for many reasons. When it comes to your gut, in particular, Nanavati says the main issue is the unhealthy fat content. "Fried foods are typically high in unhealthy fats which can damage the lining of your digestive tract, impair digestion, and increase inflammation," she says.

Nanavati adds that these foods "can result in an imbalance of gut bacteria, leading to dysbiosis and a variety of symptoms such as bloating, cramping, and gastrointestinal discomfort." Uh-oh! And, fried foods are typically fried in inflammatory oils that are also detrimental to gut health and weight loss plans.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, there are many factors that play into your digestive health, but diet is a major one. Of course, the effects of certain foods (such as something you may have an intolerance to, like gluten) will vary from person to person. However, if you're looking to reset your gut to get one step closer to your weight loss goals, cutting out processed foods and fried options is one great place to start.