Gut health for fussy eaters

Gut health is currently a hot topic. You may have a great understanding of the topic, or just a basic overview of why it’s important. Either way, if you are the parent of a fussy eater, you could well be concerned that whatever your child is eating it’s probably not ideal!

Don’t worry, we’ll be looking at ways we can help our child thrive, as best as is practicable, even within a narrow diet.

Let’s start by looking at what gut health is and why it’s important.

What is gut health?

Gut health is a developing area, so new research provides more information as time goes on. Let’s not get bogged down in the details but talk through a simple overview:

The human body contains both cells and bacteria.

Most bacteria are good for you, and the ones located in the gut — called gut flora or gut microbiota help us digest foods. They are also responsible for many other important functions in the body, from physical to mental health.

Keeping the bacteria happy improves both digestive and general functioning.

Your gut microbiome

The gut microbiome is where the bacteria in your digestive tract hang out. Here they help break down the foods you eat into forms the body can use.