Foods for Better Digestion: The Real Foods That Fixed My Gut (and Probably Will Fix Yours Too)

1. Kefir became my morning best friend

I tried regular yogurt first. Meh. Then I switched to kefir (the drinkable kind) and within four days my stomach stopped sounding like a broken washing machine. It has like 10× the probiotic strains of yogurt. I buy the plain, unsweetened one and mix in a little fruit so I don’t feel like I’m drinking salad dressing

2. A spoonful of refrigerated sauerkraut (the bubbly kind, not the canned stuff)

First time I opened a jar of real, live sauerkraut it smelled like gym socks. Two weeks later I was eating it straight from the jar with a fork at 10 p.m. while watching Netflix. Start with one tablespoon on the side of your plate. Your gut bacteria throw a party and suddenly tacos don’t betray you anymore.

3. Ginger — fresh, not the powdered junk

I keep a knob in the freezer and grate it into hot water whenever I feel that “uh-oh” heaviness coming. Also throw it in stir-fries, smoothies, literally everything. It’s like hitting the “speed up stomach emptying” button.

4. Overnight oats made with kefir instead of milk

Game-changer. The oats give gentle fiber, the kefir gives probiotics, and I wake up actually hungry instead of still full from last night’s dinner.

5. Pineapple or papaya after heavy meals

There’s this enzyme thing (bromelain in pineapple, papain in papaya) that chews up protein for you. I keep frozen pineapple chunks in the freezer and eat a small bowl after pizza or steak. No more lying on the couch regretting life choices.

6. Fennel — the vegetable and the seeds

Roast fennel bulbs with olive oil and salt — tastes like licorice had a glow-up. Or do what I do after Indian takeout: chew half a teaspoon of fennel seeds. Bloat disappears in 10 minutes. I now steal the little bowls from restaurants and keep them in my purse. Zero shame.

7. Chia seeds (but soaked, not dry like a psychopath)

Two tablespoons in a glass of water or milk, stir, wait ten minutes. Turns into this weird gel that keeps you regular without the explosive urgency of some other fibers. I make chocolate chia pudding when I want to feel fancy.

8. Bone broth when I’m feeling fragile

Whenever I go overboard on junk food, I heat up a mug of bone broth (homemade or the good stuff from the butcher). It’s like sending a repair crew to my gut lining. Sounds dramatic, feels dramatic, works.

9. Cooked onions and garlic > raw

Raw = dragon breath and possible stomach rebellion. Lightly caramelized onions or roasted garlic = prebiotics that make good bacteria multiply like crazy. I roast a whole tray on Sunday and throw them in everything all week.

10. Walking after eating (yes, this counts as a “food” hack)

Ten lazy minutes around the block. My Italian friend calls it “fare una passeggiata.” I just call it the reason I can eat dessert without suffering.

The foods I had to break up with (sad but necessary)

• Diet soda (aspartame was public enemy #1 for my gut)

• Anything with sorbitol/maltitol (check your “sugar-free” gum)

• Giant bowls of raw broccoli/cauliflower if I hadn’t prepped my gut for war

My actual normal-person day that keeps everything moving

• Breakfast: Kefir + overnight oats + half a banana

• Lunch: Whatever, but I add sauerkraut or kimchi on the side

• 3 p.m. slump: Ginger tea instead of coffee

• Dinner: Normal food + big pile of roasted veggies (fennel, onion, whatever’s cheap)

• Dessert (if I’m feeling wild): Small bowl of pineapple or a square of dark chocolate

• Before bed: Peppermint tea while scrolling on my phone

That’s it.

I’m not perfect — I still destroy a pizza every now and then — but 90% of the time I eat like this and my digestion is so chill I forget it’s there. If a formerly bloated, gassy mess like me can get here, you definitely can.

Try just one or two things from this list for a week. Your stomach will send you a thank-you text, I promise.