This post is about everyday foods that support your gut hormones — it is not medical advice and is not intended as a substitute for any prescribed medication. If you are currently on or considering GLP-1 medication, please speak to your doctor.
You've probably heard of Ozempic by now. The reason it works is that it mimics GLP-1 — a hormone your gut produces naturally to slow digestion, stabilise blood sugar, and signal to your brain that you're full. The thing is, your body is already designed to make this hormone. These foods are just really good at encouraging it to do exactly that.
None of these are exotic or expensive. They're single-ingredient, mostly fridge staples, and the benefits go well beyond appetite — we're talking insulin sensitivity, gut microbiome health, and steadier energy across the day. Here's what to know about each one.
Frozen Wild Blueberries
Wild blueberries are packed with anthocyanins — powerful plant compounds that activate AMPK, the enzyme that supports cellular energy and metabolism. They help regulate appetite, improve insulin sensitivity, and gently nudge your body toward fat burning, all while curbing sweet cravings. The frozen version is actually ideal here: wild blueberries are smaller and more concentrated in anthocyanins than regular cultivated ones, and freezing preserves those compounds beautifully.
Kimchi & Sauerkraut
These fermented foods feed your gut microbiome and boost short-chain fatty acids that naturally stimulate GLP-1. Think of them as gut bacteria fuel — the more diverse and well-fed your microbiome, the more efficiently your gut produces the hormones that keep you feeling satisfied after meals.
Icelandic Skyr
Skyr is a fermented dairy product — thicker than Greek yoghurt and high in protein. Fermentation amplifies prebiotic compounds that fuel GLP-1-releasing microbes. It also lowers inflammation, supports better insulin sensitivity, and helps stabilise blood sugar after meals. It's one of those foods that works on multiple pathways at once.
Green Bananas
The less ripe a banana, the higher its resistant starch content. Resistant starch feeds gut bacteria, triggering GLP-1 release. This slows down glucose absorption, keeps blood sugar steady, and helps you feel fuller for longer. As a banana ripens and turns yellow, that resistant starch converts to regular sugar — so the greener, the better for this particular benefit.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds expand when they hit liquid — including the liquid in your stomach — which physically keeps you feeling satisfied after meals. They're also rich in healthy fats and fibre, which slow digestion and help steady blood sugar. Stirred into water with lemon, blended into a smoothie, or spooned into skyr, they're one of the easiest additions you can make.
GLP-1 only comes from medication.
GLP-1 is a hormone your gut produces naturally. Certain foods — especially fermented ones, resistant starches, and foods rich in fibre and plant compounds — actively support your body's own production of it.
- Buying regular cultivated blueberries and expecting the same effect — wild blueberries are meaningfully different in their anthocyanin content.
- Choosing pasteurised kimchi and sauerkraut from the ambient aisle, which have had the live cultures killed off. Look for refrigerated, raw-fermented versions.
- Waiting until bananas are yellow or spotty. For resistant starch, you want them still green.
- Adding chia seeds to a meal without enough liquid — they need to hydrate to expand and do their job properly.
- Treating these as one-off additions rather than consistent daily habits. The gut microbiome responds to patterns, not single meals.
Pick just one food from this list and add it to something you already eat every day. The easiest starting point: stir a spoonful of chia seeds into a glass of water with lemon each morning, or swap your usual yoghurt for Icelandic skyr. Give it a full week before you add the next one.