12 Simple Tips to Improve Nutrient Absorption from Foods

Nutrient absorption is synonymous with 'digestion' or a fancy term used for the same. However, what is more, important for you to know is how your body absorbs each nutrient in order to maintain your overall good health. The first condition of excellent nutrient absorption is a healthy gut with good bacteria.

In this article, we aim to discuss how you can have a healthy gut and better digestion. So, don’t miss out on reading it if you look forward to having excellent overall health. Go through the following very simple tips that may help you have a healthy gut for better nutrient absorption:

1. Consume Healthy Fats for Better Nutrient Absorption:

You must be amazed to know that fat aids the absorption of vitamins A, D, and E, as well as vitamin K. Hence, you should never feel bad about adding some healthy fats, such as avocados and olive oil, to your regular meal.

2. Incorporate Vitamin C-Rich Foods into Your Diet:

Vitamin C is essential for absorbing iron from plants. It is especially necessary for you if you are a vegetarian or, for that matter, a vegan. Just so that you know, we must tell you that iron is easier to absorb from meat than from plants or vegetables. Some great sources of vitamin C include oranges, guavas, sweet yellow peppers, chili peppers, blackcurrants, parsley, mustard spinach, and cantaloupe.

3. Avoid Drinking Too Much Coffee:

Caffeine can be really bad for your health if it is not taken in moderation. It can cause the depletion of essential nutrients such as Vitamin B6. Also, caffeine interferes with the absorption of some important minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron, and B vitamins. So, if you love coffee, make sure it doesn’t cost you your health.

4. Have More Tomatoes and Olive Oil:

Every red gem of tomato contains lycopene, which is an excellent disease-combating antioxidant. According to expert American nutritionist Joan Salge Blake, 'If tomatoes are cooked with a spoon or two of olive oil and consumed, they can enhance your body’s absorption of photochemicals.' You must know that photochemicals are essential for your body to stimulate the immune system, prevent DNA damage that can further lead to cancer and other lethal diseases, and decelerate the growth of cancer cells.

5. Consume More Black Pepper and Turmeric:

Turmeric is known to have very powerful anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties. Also, the spice that has been used for centuries as a flavoring agent can be great for assuaging symptoms of arthritis and may aid kidney health as well. This is all because turmeric is a great nutrient absorber. Moreover, American expert culinary nutritionist, Stephanie McKercher, says that black pepper can enhance the effect of turmeric and make its beneficial compounds more bioavailable. So, try to combine both of these amazing spices in one dish to get the maximum benefit.

6. Increase Your Calcium and Vitamin D Consumption:

The best thing about the calcium and vitamin D combo is that it can aid the health of your bones. Also, these nutrients, when taken together, can boost your body’s nutrient-absorbing capacity to a great extent. According to Ginger Hultin, a Seattle-based nutrition expert, 'This mineral-and-vitamin combination can work wonders for a person’s body because the cascade of effects caused by the active form of vitamin D can boost the absorption of dietary calcium within the intestine.'

7. Include a Variety of Foods in Your Meal:

If you look forward to getting a combination of essential nutrients, you must try adding a variety of colorful food items or eatables to your meal. For instance, have a salad with roasted vegetables or some fried brown rice with capsicum, carrots, greens, celery, and zucchini. Doing this can improve the nutrient absorption of your body like anything.

8. Consider Taking a Probiotic:

You must keep your gut well-nourished if you want your body to absorb more nutrients. Nourishing your gut becomes even more crucial when you have persistent digestion or bowel-related issues such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). You must continue to populate your gut with beneficial bacteria. This can be done either by taking probiotics or by eating foods that are rich in probiotics, such as kombucha, sauerkraut, and kefir.

9. Avoid Drinking Tea During Meals:

It is true that tea contains essential compounds such as healthy polyphenols that can reduce your body’s risk of developing chronic diseases. However, the same compounds are also known to impede iron absorption. For this reason, you must avoid having your cup of tea with your meals.

10. Say 'No' to Alcohol:

Substances like alcohol and diuretics (such as coffee) are not only known to decrease the number of digestive enzymes in your gut, but they also cause damage to the cell lining of your stomach as well as your intestines. It, therefore, makes it harder for the nutrients to be absorbed by your system and enter your bloodstream.

11. Focus on Managing Your Stress Levels:

It has already been proven by doctors and healthcare experts around the globe that negative stress can weaken or cause damage to your digestive system. Cortisol, which is a steroid hormone released within your body during stress, can slow down your digestion. So, for better nutrient absorption, you must be good at managing your stress levels.

12. Always Keep Your Body Hydrated:

This is one of the most important factors that has the power to make or break your digestive system. You must acknowledge the fact that your digestion is dependent on your levels of hydration. So, if you want your system to digest or absorb more nutrients, you must have plenty of water or other essential fluids.

Conclusion:

We hope that this article gave you the precise information that you had been looking for. Moreover, in the end, we would like to advise you to consult your doctor once before you go about following any of the abovementioned tips and suggestions.