Facing gut issues even on home-cooked food? Nutritionist reveals 8 common mistakes and how to fix them

Leaving junk food and following a ‘healthy-diet’ should practically solve all your gut problems, right? But this is not always the case. While unhealthy eating significantly impacts the gut microbiome, sometimes, even ‘healthy habits’, when not done right, can leave you feeling bloated and uneasy.
Highlighting this issue, recently, Kolkata-based health and fitness coach, Nikita Bardia (@healthquoofficial), shared an Instagram post. Nikita shared how some daily habits we think are ‘healthy’ can act as the real culprit behind gut issues. In her post she wrote that many people struggle with gut issues because of the mistakes they make while preparing or consuming certain foods. In her video, she shared eight ‘silent gut disrupters’. Let’s take a closer look:




1. Eating loads of salad at night
According to Nikita Bardia, consuming raw veggies at night causes bloating, gas, and morning heaviness. She highlights how the gut is least active after sunset.
To solve this problem, she suggests switching to sautéed veggies or cooked sabzi.


2. Eating dal, rajma or chhole without proper soaking
Health coach Nikita warns that even homemade dal can wreck digestion if not prepared well. She notes that eating dal, rajma or chhole without proper soaking can cause instant gas and acidity.
To fix this, soak dal, rajma or chhole for 8 to 12 hours, and then throw the first bowl of water. Add ajwain or hing while cooking.

3. Drinking water during mealsNutritionist Nikita notes that water dilutes digestive enzymes, which weakens the digestion process and ultimately leads to gas.
She says to fix this problem, consume water 20 minutes before meals or 35-40 minutes after.


4. Eating too much milletsMillets are no doubt healthy, but too much consumption can cause constipation and bloating. These grains expand in the gut and slow down digestion.
Nutritionist Nikita recommends consuming millets 2 to 3 times per week and not daily.

5. Overloading curd or chaas on an inflamed gutNutritionist Nikita says consuming probiotics on an inflamed gut can lead to more acidity and bloating.
She recommends consuming curd once the gut is calm.


6. Eating fruit/oats alone on an empty stomachAccording to health coach Nikita Bardia, consuming fruits or oats alone on an empty stomach leads to blood sugar spikes. Sugar spike can lead to digestion crash and bloating.
She recommends pairing fruits with proteins like curd, seeds or nuts.


7. Drinking chai or coffee first thing in the morningThe gut lining is delicate in the morning. Consuming caffeine on an empty stomach can lead to acidity, loose motions and nausea.
Avoid consuming tea or coffee in the morning, and if you really want to consume them, Nutritionist Nikita recommends starting with a small snack first such as nuts, raisins, or warm water with a pinch of salt.

8. Consuming a low fat diet
Nutritionist Nikita says the gut needs fats to absorb nutrients. Low fat can slow down digestion and cause hormonal imbalance.
To fix this add one tbsp of ghee or nuts or seeds daily.


Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be substituted for professional advice.