FOOD & SUPPLEMENT BUNDLE
Foods and supplements claimed to help gut and digestion
72 of them, ranked by strength of evidence. 12 reach grade A or B.
At a glance
72 foods and supplements marketed for gut and digestion, each graded one by one against clinical trial evidence. Grade spread: A 1 · B 11 · C 34 · D 9 · F 1. 12 reach grade A or B.
The grade measures how strong the evidence is, not how good something is for you. Grade A means independent research groups replicated a reduction in real clinical events in humans; grade F means well-designed trials established there is no effect. See Methodology.
Claimed to help gut and digestion — strongest evidence first
Within a grade, higher scores come first; verdicts without a score sit at the bottom. Follow a name to see its trials, evidence, and limits.
| A | 84 | Psyllium husk (psyllium husk; dietary fiber from Plantago ovata/Plantago spp. seed husk) | Smooth bowel movements and improvement of blood cholesterol |
| B | 78 | Lactase enzyme | Prevention of bloating and diarrhea from lactose intolerance |
| B | 77 | Combined Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus probiotics (live biotherapeutic given enterally under clinical supervision) | Prevention of severe necrotizing enterocolitis and all-cause mortality in preterm or low-birth-weight infants |
| B | 76 | Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 | Reduced crying time in breastfed infants with colic |
| B | 74 | Saccharomyces boulardii | Diarrhea, gut health |
| B | 72 | Fructooligosaccharides (FOS; prebiotics) | Gut health and smoother bowel movements |
| B | 72 | Half-strength apple juice in the emergency department followed by preferred fluids | Fewer seven-day treatment failures in young children with mild gastroenteritis and minimal dehydration |
| B | 70 | Peppermint oil (enteric-coated peppermint oil) | Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) |
| B | 68 | Ginger (gingerol) | digestion, anti-inflammatory effects, and nausea |
| B | 65 | Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v | Relief of IBS abdominal pain, gas, and bloating |
| B | 62 | Curcumin | Adjunctive induction and maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis |
| B | 60 | Inulin (chicory-derived/chicory root) | Gut health, bowel movements, and blood glucose |
| C | 58 | Acacia fiber, gum arabic, including Fibregum® | Bowel-movement frequency, stool characteristics, and beneficial gut bacteria |
| C | 58 | Low-FODMAP diet (restriction followed by staged reintroduction and personalization) | Relief of abdominal pain, bloating, and global symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome |
| C | 56 | See title and evidence table for the studied intervention. | The stated clinical outcome in the title. |
| C | 55 | Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) | Gut health, bowel movements, IBS |
| C | 55 | Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) | Improvement of constipation and stool frequency, and increased bifidobacteria |
| C | 55 | Bacillus coagulans Unique IS-2 | Bowel regularity and constipation improvement |
| C | 55 | Green kiwifruit powder (Actazin) | Improvement in bowel frequency, stool form, and abdominal discomfort in functional constipation |
| C | 54 | Alpha-galactosidase | Reduction of gas and bloating after beans or high-FODMAP meals |
| C | 52 | Kimchi-derived probiotics (plant-derived lactic acid bacteria) | gut health |
| C | 50 | Multi-enzyme digestive supplement | Improved digestion and bloating in the general population |
| C | 50 | Zinc L-carnosine, including polaprezinc and PepZin GI | Gastric-mucosal protection and gastric-ulcer healing |
| C | 50 | Fig paste, 300 g daily | Improved colonic transit and bowel symptoms in functional constipation |
| C | 50 | Whole koji amazake | More defecation days and bowel movements |
| C | 50 | Whole-grain provided diet | Increased bowel-movement frequency |
| C | 50 | Decaffeinated coffee, a single 300-mL serving | Reduced three-hour postprandial esophageal acid exposure in reflux disease |
| C | 50 | A single 300 mL serving of nonfermented milk containing only A2 beta-casein | Reduced acute gastrointestinal symptoms in adults who report discomfort after ordinary milk |
| C | 50 | Whole dried dill-leaf powder, 3 g/day | Relief of colonic-motility-related symptoms in adults with type 2 diabetes |
| C | 50 | Regular coffee, 100 to 150 mL three times daily after colorectal surgery | Shorter time to first bowel movement |
| C | 50 | Probiotics across multiple strains and formulations | Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in adults |
| C | 50 | Prunes, 100 g per day | Improved complete spontaneous bowel movements and stool consistency in chronic constipation |
| C | 48 | Aloe (aloe vera; aloe gel/whole leaf/latex must be distinguished) | gut health, bowel movements, and skin health |
| C | 48 | Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) | Improved bowel movements and increased bifidobacteria |
| C | 46 | Two liters of mineral water daily with a 25-g/day fiber diet | Increased stool frequency and reduced laxative use in adults with chronic functional constipation |
| C | 46 | 1.5 L/day of carbonated mineral water | Improved functional dyspepsia and early satiety |
| C | 46 | Alkaline water above pH 8 combined with a 90% plant-based Mediterranean-style diet | Improved laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms |
| C | 45 | Heat-killed lactic acid bacteria (postbiotics, paraprobiotics, heat-treated cultured bacterial cells) | Superiority claim that they are clinically better than live probiotics |
| C | 45 | Bromelain (pineapple enzyme) | Digestive support and relief of inflammation/edema |
| C | 45 | Butyrate salts (butyrate) | IBS abdominal pain and bloating, and improved intestinal barrier |
| C | 45 | Honeysuckle flower-bud extract GreenCera-F (GCWB104) | Protection of the gastric mucosa and improvement of stomach health |
| C | 44 | Manuka honey (MGO/UMF) | Stomach health, Helicobacter pylori, GERD symptoms, and immunity |
| C | 40 | ABC juice (apple, beet, carrot) and cabbage juice | Stomach health and detoxification |
| C | 40 | Cassia seed (Cassia obtusifolia/Senna obtusifolia seed) | Eyes, constipation |
| C | 40 | Mastic gum (Pistacia lentiscus) | Functional dyspepsia and Helicobacter suppression |
| C | 40 | 2′-Fucosyllactose (2′-FL, human milk oligosaccharide supplement) | Improved adult gut microbiota and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms |
| D | 34 | Regular coffee above 1,400 g per day, about six 237-mL cups or 1.4 L | Prevention of incident invasive colon cancer |
| D | 32 | Boswellia serrata (a boswellic-acid triterpene herb used as a supplement) | Induction of clinical remission in active ulcerative colitis or chronic colitis |
| D | 32 | Folic acid, the synthetic supplemental form of vitamin B9 | Prevention of new polyp or adenoma recurrence after colorectal adenoma removal |
| D | 30 | Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588 probiotic | Improvement of abdominal pain and bowel symptoms in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome |
| D | 28 | Probiotics (lactic acid bacteria) | gut health and improved bowel movements |
| D | 28 | Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus, a polysaccharide-containing functional mushroom supplement) | Gastric-mucosal protection and lesion healing in gastritis and gastric ulcer |
| D | 28 | Unpasteurized organic whole raw milk | Improved lactose digestion and lactose-intolerance symptoms versus pasteurized milk |
| D | 28 | A breakfast of 50 g fruit granola with 200 mL milk | Greater bowel-movement frequency than a cornflake breakfast |
| D | 28 | Gluten avoidance in people without celiac disease | Relief of abdominal pain, bloating, and other gastrointestinal symptoms |
| F | 12 | Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, or LGG, supplied as oral capsules or powder | Reduced severity and diarrhea duration in pediatric acute infectious gastroenteritis |
| ? | score not listed | Slippery elm bark (Ulmus rubra) | Soothing acid reflux, heartburn, and a sensitive gut |
| ? | score not listed | Betaine hydrochloride (Betaine HCl) | Correction of hypochlorhydria and improvement of impaired protein digestion |
| ? | score not listed | Ox bile extract (bovine bile acids) | Improved fat digestion and fat-soluble vitamin absorption after cholecystectomy |
| ? | score not listed | Triphala (a three-fruit Ayurvedic combination ingredient) | Improved bowel-movement frequency and completeness in chronic or functional constipation |
| ? | score not listed | Black walnut–wormwood–clove complex (multi-herb supplement) | Removal of intestinal parasites or a parasite cleanse |
| ? | score not listed | Tributyrin (butyrate-precursor supplement) | Improved intestinal permeability or leaky gut and relief of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms |
| ? | score not listed | Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis, herbal product) | Relief of gastroesophageal reflux and gastrointestinal irritation, with protection and repair of intestinal mucosa |
| ? | score not listed | Gluten digestive enzyme blend containing DPP-IV, including supplements marketed around AN-PEP-like activity | Prevention of accidental gluten exposure and intestinal mucosal injury in celiac disease |
| ? | score not listed | Caprylic acid (octanoic acid; C8 medium-chain fatty-acid supplement) | Eradicate intestinal Candida overgrowth and improve bloating when taken orally |
| ? | score not listed | Bone-broth protein (an animal-derived food supplement containing collagen and gelatin) | Improvement of leaky gut and intestinal permeability and restoration of the intestinal barrier |
| ? | score not listed | Irish sea moss (Chondrus crispus, a carrageenan-containing red-seaweed supplement) | Increase of beneficial gut bacteria and improvement of constipation, bloating, and irritable bowel syndrome in humans |
| ? | score not listed | KPV tripeptide, Lys-Pro-Val, sold as oral capsules or a research peptide | Relief of inflammatory bowel disease or so-called leaky-gut symptoms by improving intestinal inflammation and permeability. |
| ? | score not listed | Whole daikon radish or radish juice (Raphanus sativus) | Relief of functional dyspepsia symptoms |
| ? | score not listed | Whole Korean melon including seeds and placenta | Constipation relief and more frequent bowel movements |
| ? | score not listed | Dried persimmon | Shorter acute diarrhea, fewer stools, or improved stool consistency |
| ? | score not listed | Unpasteurized makgeolli 300 mL/day, about 14.2 g ethanol if 6% ABV | Improved bowel movements and constipation relief |
Not swallowed — applied, inhaled, held in the mouth, worn, or performed on the body (3)
Same claims, but these are not taken by mouth: rubbed on the skin, breathed in, chewed or rinsed and spat out, worn on the body, or performed as a procedure such as acupuncture or cupping. A different route into the body, so they are listed separately.
| C | 46 | Sugar-free chewing gum added to standard care after abdominal surgery | Shorter time to first postoperative flatus |
| C | 46 | An abdominal castor-oil pack | Improvement of constipation |
| D | 28 | P6 Neiguan acupressure band | Reduced nausea from motion sickness |
Claimed to harm gut and digestion (5)
Here a higher grade means the harm is better established — the opposite direction from the table above. A low grade means the claim of harm rests on weak evidence.
| C | 56 | Processed meat such as bacon, ham, and sausage, per 50 g/day increment | Increased colorectal cancer incidence |
| C | 56 | Grilled or barbecued red meat | Increased colorectal-cancer incidence |
| C | 56 | Alcohol consumption during regular aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use | Increased major upper gastrointestinal bleeding requiring hospitalization or transfusion |
| C | 50 | The food emulsifier carboxymethylcellulose, or CMC | Altered gut microbiota and metabolites with induction of human intestinal inflammation |
| ? | score not listed | About one persimmon eaten with one serving of properly cooked crab | Combination-specific poisoning, abdominal pain, or diarrhea |
What does have evidence for gut and digestion
Not foods or supplements: drugs and procedures graded A or B. Chamgap recommends nothing. It only shows where the evidence is strong. Any treatment decision belongs with your doctor.
| A | 93 | Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy (oral triple or quadruple therapy) | Prevention of incident gastric cancer in asymptomatic infected people |
| A | 92 | Once-only flexible sigmoidoscopy screening (lower-colon endoscopic procedure) | Reduced distal colorectal cancer incidence and colorectal cancer mortality in asymptomatic middle-aged adults |
| A | 88 | School and childcare hand-washing promotion program (public-health program combining soap provision and hygiene education) | Prevention of diarrhoea episodes in children |
| A | 85 | Omeprazole (proton pump inhibitor, Losec, prescription and nonprescription medicine) | Mucosal healing and heartburn resolution in erosive reflux esophagitis |
| B | 79 | Loperamide, an antidiarrheal drug | Reduced duration and stool frequency in adults with acute non-bloody diarrhea |
| B | 79 | Mesalazine/mesalamine (prescription 5-aminosalicylic acid intestinal anti-inflammatory drug; Pentasa) | Induction and maintenance of clinical remission in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis |
| B | 78 | Macrogol 4000 (polyethylene glycol 4000, PEG 4000) | Improvement in bowel-movement frequency and stool form in chronic functional constipation |
| B | 78 | Vedolizumab (prescription biologic monoclonal antibody against alpha4beta7 integrin; Kynteles/Entyvio) | Induction of clinical response and maintenance of remission in moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis with inadequate response to prior treatment |
| B | 77 | Fecal microbiota transplantation (donor-derived microbial procedure) | Clinical cure and prevention of recurrence in multiply recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection |
| B | 76 | Vonoprazan plus amoxicillin (potassium-competitive acid blocker plus penicillin dual therapy; prescription regimen) | Eradication and cure of Helicobacter pylori infection in treatment-naive adults |
| B | 76 | Tofacitinib (oral Janus kinase inhibitor; prescription Xeljanz) | Induction and 52-week maintenance of clinical remission in moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis refractory to previous treatment |
| B | 76 | Aspirin (an antiplatelet cyclooxygenase inhibitor available by prescription and over the counter) | Long-term prevention of colorectal cancer in carriers of Lynch syndrome |
How to read this list
A grade of C or D does not mean "do not take it." It means the evidence is not yet strong enough to promise the effect. Equally, A or B does not mean it works for everyone.
Chamgap sells nothing and takes no advertising. See all Gut & Digestion verdicts.