Look After Your Gut & It Will Look After You
One bite for me, one bite for you
We need each other
Our relationship with our gut has become very personal. In our gut, there are trillions of microbes, comprising thousands of species of bacteria, fungi, viruses & parasites. They weigh about 2kg & all depend on us for survival. They are living inside us, doing things for us. It’s time to do something for them.
If we eat well these gut bugs thrive & reward us with good health. If our diet is poor they die off, or even worse they damage the gut wall & increase inflammation. You’ve heard of leaky gut! This happens when the bacteria are so hungry they attack the mucous lining of the gut. What's happening in our belly has far-reaching implications for our overall health.
If you want to keep your gut healthy, it might help to act like you’re eating for two. As you eat each morsel of food, your mantra could be “This is for you, this is for me”. Let’s take a look at two different meals to see how it works.
Different meal types
The first meal is a burger in a white bun with chips. This is a low-fibre, fatty meal. It is highly processed with no fruit or veg. Once eaten, the food passes through the digestive system where any available nourishment is extracted for use by the body. The undigested food passes into the large bowel, the colon. The awaiting good gut bacteria are left hungry as there’s no fibre for them to eat. However, the bad bacteria are ok. They can survive in the high bile environment that’s needed to digest the fat & the residual animal protein.
Next up, a different meal. This one is made up of fruit, veg, beans & whole grains. The body digests the food as before. This time, in addition to the carbohydrates, fats & proteins there are also phytochemicals, anti-oxidants & a wide range of vitamins. The undigested food passes into the bowel. This undigested food now contains a wide variety of fibre & only a small amount of bile as this is not a high-fat meal. The good bacteria jump for joy! (not sure about that fact 😅)
Well-fed good gut bugs can flourish & produce beneficial by-products as they digest fibrous food. By-products include wonderful chemicals like short-chain fatty acids - acetate, propionate & butyrate. These chemicals promote a feeling of well-being & can also reinforce the gut wall. They dampen down inflammation in the body & protect against disease.
How do you know you have a gut problem?
Perhaps the most obvious sign that your gut could use a lifeline is digestive upset, which often comes in the form of gas & bloating. Many people suffer with ongoing pain in their stomach, constipation & diarrhoea. These symptoms must be investigated to rule out a more serious conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.
One useful blood test is C-reactive protein (CRP). This can show whether you have inflammation that may indicate a health condition. Another is a faecal calprotectin (CALPR) test, which specifically tests for active GI inflammation.
Your gut transit time (how long it takes for food to travel through your digestive tract), is another indicator of how well your gut bugs are doing. A home test can include corn, beetroot or sesame seeds. A well know Youtube one is the “blue poop challenge”. If you head to the Zoe website you can learn more.
Tips for a healthier gut
It can be a slow, labourious process to turn your digestive health around. Many tests, trials, exclusions & patience may be needed to re-populate your gut with beneficial bacteria.
Eat more fibre Most of us eat only half the recommended 30g a day. But start slowly – our guts don’t like rapid change
Eat the rainbow Choose colourful fruits & veg & try to eat at least 30 different plants, nuts & seeds every week. If you add some nuts & seeds to your cereal, you're in double figures already.
Eat foods rich in polyphenols Many colourful plant foods are rich in chemicals called polyphenols-fruits, veg, legumes, herbs & spices. These chemicals are like rocket fuel for our gut bugs. Dark chocolate is included also.
Avoid processed foods Cut back on salt & sugar, both of which seem to affect microbial diversity in the gut
Eat fermented foods These include kombucha, sauerkraut, kefir & kimchi. See an earlier blog post “It’s Alive” for more information & healthy recipes.
Eat more omega-3’s New research suggests a relationship between gut microbes, omega-3 & brain health
Your microbiome reacts quickly to what you eat. The Singapore University study showed that eating just one kiwi, increased the presence of beneficial bacteria by 35%. This happened in just 24 hours.
Here are some of the recipes that your gut bugs will love!
Recipe #1 ~ Cauliflower Bites
Cauliflower bites are the perfect easy side dish, snack or appetizer. They can be roasted in the oven or an air fryer. They are great for dipping in any sauce of your choice.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large cauliflower
150g wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced
100g flour
2 eggs
3 Tbsp olive oil
100g Parmesan cheese, grated
A handful of parsley, chopped
Salt & pepper
Sauce (optional)
200g sour cream
100g natural yogurt
A handful of parsley, chopped
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Cut the cauliflower into florets & blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain & cool.
In a dish, mix the flour with a pinch of salt & black pepper. In another dish, beat the eggs. In a third dish, combine the breadcrumbs, minced garlic, chopped parsley & grated parmesan cheese.
Dip each cauliflower floret first in the flour, then in the eggs & finally coat them with the breadcrumb mixture.
Arrange the coated cauliflower florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden and crispy.
While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the sauce by mixing together the sour cream, yogurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice & chopped parsley.
Serve the crispy baked cauliflower with sauce on the side.
Recipe #2 ~ Blueberry Oat Muffins
These muffins are simple, satisfying & filling. They are moist & nutritious with healthy wholewheat, oats & blueberries.
Serves 12
Ingredients
Dry
1 cup wholewheat flour
½ cup oat flour (just grind up some oats)
⅓ cup rolled oats (save a little for topping)
½ cup coconut sugar or similar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries (save a few for topping)
Wet
2 large eggs
¼ cup maple syrup/honey
¼ cup almond milk or any of choice
½ cup mashed banana
½ tsp vanilla extract
50g/2oz butter, melted & cooled.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
Place dry ingredients into a large bowl & stir.
Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl & add maple syrup, almond milk, mashed banana & vanilla extract, stirring all the time.
Add wet ingredients to dry & mix.
Transfer the batter to the muffin tin, filling each one just over half way.
Sprinkle on more fresh blueberries & some extra oats.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Recipe #3 ~ Hearty Vegetable Stew
What a burst of fibre! Meaty mushrooms, celery, carrots & leeks give a rich, flavourful & comforting stew. I added a few dried shiitake mushrooms but any kind are fine.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb/450g mushrooms, any kind (small button mushrooms can be left whole)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced.
2 sticks celery, diced
4 medium carrots, sliced 1" thick.
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme/2 fresh sprigs
1 tsp dried rosemary/2 fresh sprigs
1 tsp dried ground sage (optional)
4 cups veg broth
½ cup water
2 bay leaves
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1 medium turnip, cut into 1" cubes
¼ cup tamari/soy sauce
1 Tbsp maple syrup/honey
Salt & pepper to taste
4 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Method
Heat a little olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the leeks, carrots, turnips, celery & mushrooms until they start to soften, about 8 minutes.
Add in the garlic, herbs & tomato paste & stir well for a minute.
At this point you may notice a brown layer on the bottom of the pot, add the veg broth & water to deglaze the pot & get the brown bits off the bottom.
Add the rest of the ingredients except for mushrooms, maple syrup & parsley & bring back to a gentle boil. After the stock has started to boil, reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid & simmer for 40 minutes or until the stew has thickened & the veg are tender.
Add in the remaining ingredients, except for the parsley. Check for taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Simmer the veg & mushrooms uncovered for 10 minutes more.
Remove from the heat.
Sprinkle the fresh parsley on top & serve.
Recipe #4 ~ Miso & Ginger Vegetable Salad
Miso is a traditional Japanese paste which is made from fermented soybeans. It gives a lovely umami flavor to sauces, salad dressings, marinades & soups. The salty miso, pungent ginger & tangy lime juice are a fabulous combination. Choose any crunchy veg you like, so long as it ends up colourful, varied & enticing.
Serves 1
Ingredients
Dressing
2 Tbsp white miso paste
1 tsp grated ginger
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar/apple cider vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce or tamari
½ lime/lemon juice
1-2 tsp water (if needed)
1 tsp honey/maple syrup (optional)
Salad
1 medium carrot grated
½ small red pepper cut into thin strips
½ small red onion chopped finely
1 handful greens, shredded (I used rocket & chard)
2 Tbsp broad beans, cooked for 5 minutes in a little water)
5-6 asparagus spears
1 Tbsp chopped or torn herbs e.g. coriander, mint, parsley, chives
Method
For the dressing:
Whisk all the liquids together.
Add the remaining ingredients & whisk until smooth.
For the salad:
Combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl.
When ready to serve, whisk the dressing again, pour over the salad & toss well.
Enjoy!!
Disclaimer
This blog is for informational purposes only & should not be construed as medical advice. If you have any questions about your nutrition plan, please consult your doctor.