Gut Health: How to Improve It, Best Foods and Supplements Worth Taking (UK)

What is gut health?

“Gut health” usually means a digestive system that works comfortably, with regular bowel movements and little bloating or pain, plus a diverse community of bacteria living in your gut (the microbiome). Fibre and a varied, plant-rich diet feed those bacteria. The NHS says eating plenty of fibre is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer, and helps prevent constipation.

There’s no single test or supplement that “fixes” your gut. The things with the best evidence are everyday habits: what you eat, how much you move, how well you sleep and how you handle stress.

Gut health supplements UK: what’s worth it?

Short answer: for most healthy people, not much. The British Dietetic Association says that if you’re healthy, a probiotic supplement is unlikely to be beneficial, and Guts UK, the digestive health charity, says there’s no strong evidence for specific probiotic recommendations. A few supplements do have a clear use for specific problems. Here’s how the popular options compare.

For a ranked list with doses, see supplements for digestion. Looking at mushrooms? A small 2014 trial of a turkey tail extract reported changes in gut bacteria; our turkey tail guide explains how limited that evidence is.

Supplements for gut health and bloating

Bloating has many causes, so the best supplement for gut health and bloating depends on yours. If constipation is behind it, more fibre, psyllium or magnesium are the usual first steps: see magnesium for bloating. With IBS, the NHS suggests asking a pharmacist about peppermint oil and trying probiotics for a month; our IBS guide covers the rest. If dairy sets it off, lactase may reduce symptoms. Bloating that keeps coming back, even after changing your diet, needs a GP check.

Peptides for gut health: what is BPC-157?

BPC-157 is a lab-made peptide based on a protein found in the stomach, sold online (often for injection) with “gut healing” claims. A 2025 systematic review found that 35 of its 36 included studies were in animals or cells, and no clinical safety data. It’s also banned in professional sport. We’d steer clear. Collagen peptides are different: a food protein your gut breaks down like any other.

Why UK probiotic labels say so little

There are no authorised health claims for probiotics in Great Britain: every probiotic entry on the GB nutrition and health claims register is non-authorised. The advertising regulator (CAP) notes Department of Health and Social Care guidance that the word “probiotic” itself suggests a link between food and health, so it can count as at least a general health claim. That’s why many UK packs say “live cultures” instead. The only authorised claim about live bacteria is that live cultures in yoghurt or fermented milk improve lactose digestion of the product in people who have difficulty digesting lactose.

Label checklist

• The full strain name, such as genus, species and strain code. The NHS notes that a type that helps one problem won’t necessarily help another.
• How many live bacteria it promises, and whether that’s guaranteed until the use-by date.
• Storage instructions: some products need the fridge to keep bacteria alive.
• Dose and how long to take it. For IBS, NICE suggests at least 4 weeks before judging.
• Fibre per serving for prebiotics. A few grams is very different from the 12g a day behind the chicory inulin claim.
• Claims that sound too good. “Heals your gut”, “detox” or “boosts immunity” on a probiotic isn’t an authorised claim in GB.
• Your medicines. Ask a pharmacist if you take regular medication, and talk to a doctor first if you have a weakened immune system.

How to improve gut health: 10 steps

1. Eat 30g of fibre a day: UK guidelines; most adults eat about 20g. Our high fibre foods list shows grams per portion.
2. Aim for variety: different fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, beans, nuts and seeds through the week. In the large American Gut citizen science project, the range of plants people ate was one of the diet factors linked with their gut bacteria.
3. Add fermented foods: yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi.
4. Include prebiotic foods such as onions, garlic, leeks, bananas, oats and chicory root.
5. Increase fibre gradually to avoid bloating, and drink more water as you do. See how much water you need a day.
6. Move every day: activity helps keep things moving. Even a brisk walk counts; Japanese walking is an easy interval routine to start with.
7. Limit ultra-processed food, which tends to be low in fibre.
8. Go easy on alcohol. It also disrupts sleep: see alcohol and sleep.
9. Manage stress and protect your sleep (see below).
10. Only take antibiotics when needed, and finish the course as prescribed.

Best foods for gut health

In a 17-week Stanford study, a high-fermented-food diet steadily increased gut microbiome diversity and lowered inflammatory markers in healthy adults. A major Lancet review found that higher fibre and wholegrain intakes were linked to better health outcomes, with dose-response evidence suggesting the link could be causal.

Fermented foods for gut health

Live yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso and kombucha all contain microbes from fermentation. Look for “live” or “live cultures” on the label, and choose chilled, unpasteurised jars of kimchi or sauerkraut, as heat treatment kills the bacteria.

• Is kimchi good for gut health? It’s a good fermented choice. Kimchi is fermented by lactic acid bacteria that reach very high numbers, though a 2024 review was still asking whether it deserves “probiotic” status. Many jars are salty, so check the label.
• Kombucha: human trials are small and mixed, and the BDA says kefir and kombucha may contain helpful microbes but aren’t considered probiotics. The best kombucha for gut health is a low-sugar, live one: see kombucha benefits for sugar, alcohol and caffeine.

A simple gut health diet plan (one day)

• Breakfast: porridge oats with berries, ground flaxseed and live yoghurt.
• Lunch: lentil and vegetable soup with wholemeal bread.
• Snack: an apple and a handful of almonds.
• Dinner: a tofu, chicken or salmon stir-fry with brown rice, broccoli, peppers and a spoonful of kimchi.

Change the fruit, vegetables, grains and beans each day for variety.

Is honey or apple cider vinegar good for gut health?

Honey: not really a gut food. Reviews have looked at honey’s plant compounds and gut bacteria, mostly in lab and animal studies, but evidence in people is thin. The NHS counts honey as a free sugar, and adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day. Enjoy a little for taste, not for your gut. Our manuka honey guide explains MGO and UMF.

Apple cider vinegar: no good human trials show it eases bloating or improves digestion, and claims that it helps digestion are non-authorised in Great Britain. It’s acidic, so dilute it and protect your teeth. See apple cider vinegar for safe use.

Prebiotics vs probiotics

Two Evopure products contain inulin: our Broad Spectrum CBD Capsules (broad spectrum CBD with inulin in a vegan HPMC capsule) and our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex. The amounts are far below the 12g a day the authorised claim needs, so we don’t sell either one as a gut health supplement, and neither replaces a fibre-rich diet. The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

For the full picture on strains, timing and side effects, see our guide to probiotics.

Stress and gut health

Your gut and brain are in constant two-way communication, often called the gut-brain axis. Stress can upset digestion, which is why many people get stomach aches or bloating when anxious, and poor sleep can affect appetite and food choices. The NHS lists stress and anxiety among the triggers for IBS flare-ups, alongside certain foods, alcohol and caffeine. Looking after stress and sleep is part of looking after your gut. See nervous system regulation, box breathing, sleep hygiene and magnesium for bloating. Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function.

For the physical signs of stress, read stress symptoms. For more on how diet and mood are linked, see food and mood and anxiety and your stomach.

When to see a GP

iSee a GP if you have any of these, which the NHS lists as possible signs of bowel cancer or reasons to get stomach symptoms checked:

• changes in your poo that are not usual for you, such as softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation
• needing to poo more or less often than usual
• blood in your poo (it may look red or black), or bleeding from your bottom
• losing weight without trying
• bloating that does not go away or keeps coming back, or you feel bloated regularly even after changing your diet
• tummy pain that keeps coming back, or a lump in your tummy
• problems swallowing food
• feeling very tired or short of breath

iAsk for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if your poo is black or dark red, or you have bloody diarrhoea. Call 999 or go to A&E if you’re bleeding non-stop from your bottom or there’s a lot of blood.

These symptoms can have many causes, including IBS, coeliac disease and, rarely, bowel cancer, so it’s important to get them checked. Try not to be embarrassed: GPs talk about this every day.

Related guides

• CBD isn’t a treatment for IBS: see CBD and IBS: what the research shows.
• See best CBD capsules UK for how our capsules compare.
• Most serotonin is made in the gut. See how to boost serotonin naturally.
• Tired after eating: when it could be coeliac disease or a food intolerance.
• Taking antibiotics and CBD? See CBD and antibiotics.
• Sea moss is often sold as a gut supplement, but the research is lab-only so far: see sea moss benefits and risks.
• Severe or persistent mouth ulcers are one reason the NHS recommends testing for coeliac disease.
• Is manuka honey good for your gut?
• Garlic benefits, raw vs cooked.
• For one food trialled for gut bacteria, see avocado benefits: what the evidence shows.
• Foods that help you poop, and the ones that can make constipation worse.
• If you get regular cramps, bloating and changes in your bowel habit, read how to know if you have IBS.
• See also our anti-inflammatory diet for beginners.
• Stress can change how your gut works too; see how stress affects the body.
• Turmeric has a traditional use for mild indigestion: see turmeric for digestion for what the trials show.
• Mushrooms add fibre to meals; here’s how to eat shiitake mushrooms safely and what the gut research shows.