Eating foods that feed your good gut bugs helps ensure a thriving and diverse gut ecosystem. So what kind of foods do your gut microbes like best? Plant foods rich in polyphenols! Polyphenols are unique phytonutrients that have pretty amazing health benefits. They often act as antioxidants within the body, and your beneficial gut microbes love them. When your diet includes a wide variety of colorful plant foods, this means you are getting lots of polyphenols. These polyphenols help increase beneficial gut bacteria while reducing the overgrowth of bad gut microbes, preventing dysbiosis (8). (Turns out the old-school advice to “eat the rainbow” is 100% backed by science! Who knew?!)

Spices, herbs, and berries are fuel for your good gut microbes due to their high polyphenol content. Some foods contain outstanding levels of polyphenols: blueberries, black elderberries, black currants, strawberries, cherries, plums, globe artichokes, flaxseeds, olives, chestnuts, cloves, star anise, and oregano are all high on the list. You might be happy to hear that coffee and dark chocolate are also polyphenol superfoods (9). 

Not surprisingly, research has established a relationship between polyphenol-rich diets, like the Mediterranean diet, and mental health. This type of dietary pattern is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety (10,11). 

A high-quality diet is also often rich in prebiotics, a particular type of fiber that your gut bugs love. Prebiotic-rich foods include garlic, onions, leeks, beans, and Jerusalem artichokes. Consuming five grams or more of prebiotic fiber each day can increase your good gut bacteria and reduce the risk of depression and anxiety (12). 

Fermented foods are also an excellent way to nourish your gut microbiota because they contain probiotics and essential vitamins and minerals. Studies have found that eating fermented foods may reduce social anxiety (13) and feelings of stress (4).