Apples are one of the best foods you can eat if you have intestinal problems.

Intestinal problems are extremely common among our patients, and gut conditions are often a trigger for systemic health problems. Healing a leaky gut and restoring a healthy balance of gut bugs are both critical if you want to achieve good health.

Apples are an excellent source of pectin, which is a non-starch polysaccharide that humans cannot digest. It provides food for colonic bacteria that convert it into beneficial short chain fatty acids. These acids maintain the health of beneficial gut bugs and the cells lining the colon.

The short chain fatty acids also promote epithelial growth of the cells of the intestines, thereby reducing leaky gut. The breakdown products of pectin also help to normalize intestinal contractions, therefore are good for preventing diarrhea or constipation. People with inflammatory bowel disease or other conditions that cause diarrhea often notice a big improvement when they eat stewed apples. Cooking the apples makes them gentler on the digestive system if the gut is very inflamed. Pectin even binds with and eliminates some heavy metals from your body. For all these reasons, I included pectin in both my Fibertone, which is a delicious all natural fiber supplement as well as my Ultimate Gut Health powder.

References:
Niture SK, Refai L. Plant pectin: a potential source for cancer suppression. Am J Pharmacol Toxicol 2013;8(1):9-19
Rabbani GH, Teka T, Saha SK, et al. Green banana and pectin improve small intestinal permeability and reduce fluid loss in Bangladeshi children with persistent diarrhea. Dig Dis Sci 2004;49(3):475-484