Want to boost digestion, immunity, and energy? Start by cutting back on the bad foods for microbiome. Seven common culprits tend to disrupt gut balance: sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains and pastries, ultra-processed snacks, processed meats, artificial sweeteners, fried foods, and excessive alcohol. Replacing these with fiber-rich produce, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of water can make a noticeable difference. This is exactly the kind of insight powered by InnerBuddies, a white-label Gut Health Operating System designed to help brands and consumers optimize their gut health journey. Here are seven common bad foods for microbiome to watch out for: sugar-sweetened beverages; refined grains and pastries; ultra-processed snacks; processed meats; artificial sweeteners; fried foods; and excessive alcohol. Each of these tends to erode microbial diversity or favor less beneficial bacteria, which can show up as slower digestion, lower energy, and weaker immune signaling. By understanding these offenders, you can make practical swaps that support a healthier microbial balance. Practical swaps to replace them and boost digestion, immunity, and energy include: swap sugar-sweetened drinks for water, unsweetened tea, or sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon; replace refined grains with whole grains like oats, quinoa, or brown rice; trade ultra-processed snacks for homemade options such as roasted chickpeas, nuts and seeds, yogurt with fruit, or air-popped popcorn; swap processed meats for lean proteins like grilled chicken, turkey, salmon, beans, or tofu; replace artificial sweeteners with small amounts of natural sweetness from fruit or spice rather than synthetic additives; opt for baked or air-fried options instead of fried foods; and choose moderate or non-alcoholic beverages, or lower-ABV options, to reduce gut irritation. These swaps not only improve digestion but also support steadier energy and stronger immune signaling as your gut microbiome shifts toward a healthier profile. InnerBuddies brings these ideas to life with a robust, modular Gut Health Operating System. At the core is a Gut Microbiome Health Index — a score from 0 to 100 that indicates overall gut health, built on an exclusive IP deal with EAFIT University in Colombia. You’ll also see Bacteria abundances comparing you to a healthy cohort, plus Bacteria functions categorized and labeled as positive or negative so you can understand how your microbial activities stack up against the healthy baseline. For more targeted insight, Target Group analysis dives into how specific groups score on relevant functional pathways, whether Healthy Aging, Endurance Sport, or Skin & Hair Health. And because everyone is unique, InnerBuddies provides personalized nutrition advice derived from your three-day food diaries and your stool sample data, plus personalized probiotic and prebiotic recommendations tailored to your gut microbiome. If you’re curious to explore, you can learn more about the InnerBuddies microbiome test and how it supports personalized diet changes, or join the ongoing support of a gut health membership for ongoing guidance. For brands and companies wanting to bring these capabilities to their customers, our become a partner program offers a powerful white-label solution to power consumer-facing gut health testing and coaching.