The human body contains more than 30 trillion bacteria, most of which live in the gut. It is this bacteria that makes up your gut microbiota. To function at their best, gut microbes, like most living things, need to be well fed.
Recent research has started to explore the links between your gut health and your mood and immune system, underscoring its importance and intrinsic link to our overall health. Did you know that 70% of our immune system resides in out gut – so it pays to look after it! Not so surprisingly, social media has caught on to this gutsy news and ‘gut health’ seems to be the latest buzzword.
We’ve created a bit of a list of some of the foods we recommend to keep your gut in tip top shape:
1. Apples
Did you know apples are one of the most commonly eaten fruits!? Modi Apples for us tend to be a 3pm stable. They have a low glycemic index, meaning they release energy slowly – and this is key to powering through the afternoon! Apples also contain a type of fibre called pectin, which acts as a prebiotic (i.e food for the heathy bacteria that live in the gut). Your small intestines doesn’t actually absorb fibre during digestion, which means the fibre passes through to the large intestine, where it works to promote the growth of good bacteria. This is how apples can help protect again disease. So enjoy an apple a day and look after your gut health (and make sure you keep the skin on as this is where half the fibre is!)
If there’s one thing we ask from you, please don’t remove carbs from your diet to lose weight. It is not healthy, it is not sustainable and it is not necessary. Carbohydrates are not inherently unhealthy or fattening. Instead of eliminating carbs, focus on the quality and quantity of carbohydrates you include in your diet. Aim to include mostly high fibre, unrefined carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index. Bread is a staple food for many people – and it is a perfectly healthy option as long as you pick one that has higher fibre and lower salt. Bread is a great source of fibre, which not only keeps us regular, but is also essential to support our gut bacteria, which influences our immunity, energy levels, sleep, nutrient absorption, our mood and more! Yes – that’s why they refer to our gut as our second brain! Checkout this delicious Bakers Delight mixed seed sourdough vienna with various toppings!
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again – healthy eating all comes down to being prepared! We usually like to prep a couple of days in advance (not an entire week), as this allows for flexibility and ensures we eat a variety of foods (without getting bored!). Lunch should be tasty and exciting as this will make it much easier to eat healthily. Even if you are having a salad, try and bulk it out with your favourite foods to make it delicious (e.g. nuts, capers, sauerkraut, wasabi peas, feta. seaweed). For a snack we’ve got some Greek yoghurt with Blueberries, Chia, Goji Berries and Coconut Sunsol Muesli – which is the perfectly balanced snack. It provides a good dose of protein and also some good quality carbs from the oats. We love the crunchy nuts in the Sunsol Muesli as they give it some extra bang! To grab a copy of our Chicken, Kale & Barley Soup recipe, click here!
We’ve sprinkle some chia seeds over this delicious Green Breakfast Shakshuka to give it a nutrient boost! Chia seeds are a great source of protein, fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, which make the perfect gut-promoting food. Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to a range of health benefits, from lowering inflammation to improving your mood. Now, a recent study suggests omega-3s might also be responsible for better gut health, helping to keep gut microbiota diverse and healthy
One of our all time favourite gut promoting foods is Kombucha. Not only does it taste so so good, but it contains probiotics, which are the live, healthy bacteria that promote a healthy gut. Probiotics play a vital role within your digestive system and overall health. Interestingly, not all probiotics survive the journey from our mouths to our stomachs and therefore they don’t all reach our intestines alive – meaning they can’t do their job of acting a healthy bacteria in the gut. Mojo Kombucha contains a strain of probiotic that does actually reach your large bowl ALIVE – and just to make sure there are over 1 billion probiotics in every bottle.
Kefir is a newer product on the market and is gaining traction quickly because of it’s numerous health benefits. Kefir is technically a yoghurt, however, is made with a special combination of live cultures, which means it has a thinner consistency and is perfect for pouring. The Culture Co contains combination of live cultures including the probiotic culture Bifidobacterium Lactis (B.Lactis). B. Lactis is a very well researched probiotic known for it’s tummy loving benefits. The Culture Co Probiotic Kefir contains over one billion B. Lacits probiotic cultures in every serve.
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If you’re interested in learning more about our gut microbes and how to best look after them click here.
