Harvard gut health physician shares 11 science backed tips to eat healthier: 'Don't shy away from eggs'

Struggling with diet confusion? A Harvard gut health physician shares 11 science-backed tips to eat smarter, boost digestion, and build lasting healthy habits.

Struggling to eat healthy in a world full of confusing diet advice? Dr Trisha Pasricha, a Harvard-trained gut health physician, shared in her June 10 Instagram post 11 science-backed tips to eat smarter, support digestion, and boost overall well-being without falling for fads or extreme diets.

"I've only rarely met patients who can go from 0 to 100 when it comes to a dietary change. So many people are used to eating highly processed, low-fibre meals, and their palates are accustomed to it. That's why I recommend making small, healthy changes gradually until you create a new habit and lifestyle that you're actually comfortable with," Dr Trisha wrote in the caption. Check out her video here.

Let's take a look at her 11 science-backed tips for eating healthier:

1. Try smoothies instead of fruit juices

When you make a smoothie, you blend the healthy fibres into smaller pieces that pass more easily through your stomach. With fruit juices, however, which lack the peel and pulp, you can lose many of those benefits and get a quick glucose spike that stresses your pancreas.

A smoothie a day can fuel your gut, boost energy, and pack in essential nutrients. (Pixabay)

2. Choose healthier animal proteins

The Mediterranean diet features healthier animal proteins by including yoghurt, fish, and chicken while de-emphasising red meat. A study of over 5,00,000 European adults found that 100 to 200 grams of fatty or lean fish consumed weekly reduced colorectal cancer risk by 7 percent.

3. Eat more fibre

The recommended daily fibre intake for adults is 22 to 34 grams. But the vast majority of us are not meeting this threshold. We should all be eating a fibre-rich diet. This time-tested recommendation remains one of the strongest-studied ways to promote and preserve a healthy microbiome and improve your overall health.

4. Cut down on ultra-processed foods

Eating a typical Western diet, high in fat and low in fibre, has been shown to induce more than double the number of bacterial toxins in the blood compared with a more balanced diet. Studies have also found that emulsifiers, a common food additive, and artificial sweeteners in ultra-processed foods may compromise the gut barrier.

Ultra-processed foods are factory-made, additive-loaded, and low in real nutrition. (Pexels)

5. Embrace whole grains

In addition to being heart-healthy, whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa and farro, are rich in fibre, helping you stay regular. The higher fibre found in whole grains can also reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. For example, one meta-analysis found that three servings daily of whole grains are associated with a 17 percent reduction in colorectal cancer risk.

6. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages

A study of nearly 1,00,000 nurses in the United States whose lifestyle habits and other medical conditions were followed over decades found that each serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage consumed per day during adolescence was associated with a 32 percent increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer. Higher intake in adulthood was also linked.

7. Try plain Greek yoghurt

Dairy products are some of our main sources of calcium and vitamin D. Try eating low-fat plain Greek yoghurt at breakfast. It can help you avoid hunger with half the carbohydrates and twice the protein of regular yoghurt. But avoid flavours with added sugar. Instead, boost the flavour profile of plain Greek yoghurt with nuts, seeds and fresh fruits.

8. Don't shy away from eggs

Eggs have gotten a bad rap over the years because of concerns about cholesterol in their yolks. Moderation is still key: While people with heart disease or high cholesterol need to consider how eggs add to their overall daily cholesterol intake, a study of about half a million adults found that eating one egg a day might decrease the risk of heart disease.

Snacks like boiled eggs provide high-quality protein. (Pixabay)

9. Avoid processed meats

Many of us know how bad processed meats are for our arteries, but bacon, smoked sausages, and cured hams may raise the risk of colorectal cancer, which has been rising in younger people.

10. Cut out alcohol

Because even drinking as infrequently as fewer than one standard drink per day raises the risk of cancer, researchers from the World Health Organisation now advise that there is no “safe amount of alcohol consumption.”

11. Be smart about sugar cravings

A classic study from researchers at Northwestern University in 1975 found that people who ate a more restrictive diet were more likely to go overboard when given a chance at sweets than people who didn't diet. Dr Trisha recommends trying smaller, less frequent portions of your favourite sweets.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.