[header] How to balance gut bacteria in children [title] Avoid highly processed foods. [step] Overly processed items often contain relatively few nutrients in general, and could reduce levels of healthy gut bacteria if consumed in large amounts. Processed foods also contain few nutrients and probiotics, which are necessary for a healthy gut. 
Excessive consumption of processed foods has also been linked to increases in intestinal inflammation. [substeps] It can be difficult to get kids to eat non-processed, naturally colored foods, as children are often drawn towards the attractive coloring and mild tastes of processed foods.