5 Foods to Eat With Dinner to Help With Digestion

At the end of the day, your long awaited dinner is probably the only priority you’re focused on. You might scarf down a cheesy bowl of pasta or grab a fast food sandwich on your way home, but either way, you’re looking for something quick, easy, and equally substantial. What’s hard to anticipate is your body’s reaction after you’ve finished eating—although you're done with dinner, your body is just getting started on digesting what’s inside. If that sounds a bit too familiar, consider adding a few of these hearty foods to your last meal of the day.

Before we jump in, it’s important to note that healthy food isn't always easy to source. The stress of having daily responsibilities can force people to go on autopilot, according to certified nutritionist Elyse Wagner, a functional medicine and nutrition expert. As a result, they eat what they can find, all too often in a state of anxiety. “Chronic stress can alter our gut digestive system by slowing down blood flow to our digestive organs, causing the gastrointestinal tract to freeze up,” Wagner explains. “It can slow down saliva production and essential digestive enzymes, making it harder to break down food and unlock its nutrients.”

By understanding our cause-and-effect relationship with food, we can better understand and be more mindful of our eating habits. 

How Does Gut Health Relate to Digestion?

Believe it or not, our gut health is intimately linked with our ability to digest food. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), our gut microbiome works with our nerves, hormones, bacteria, blood, and digestive system to break down nutrients and deliver them across our body. When you don't properly nourish your gut, it results in poor digestion, which can "lead to issues like bloating, discomfort, nutrient deficiencies, and even systemic inflammation, as well as mental and emotional challenges such as anxiety and depression,” Wagner says.

What Happens to Our Body When We Go to Bed Full?

Not everyone who goes to bed full hasn’t digested their food, but those who haven’t digested their food typically go to bed feeling full, and it’s quick to affect our physical and emotional wellbeing. “When we don’t properly digest our food because we’ve eaten too much or we’re too stressed, it can lead to disrupted sleep patterns and discomfort throughout the night, impacting our ability to wake up feeling refreshed and energized in the morning,” Wagner explains, emphasizing its impact on our body, mind, and mood. You’re not just sacrificing your physical comfort, you’re also neglecting your mental health.

Foods to Eat to Help With Digestion