Nutritional Therapist Elaine Vashi shares with us her favourite foods to add to your shopping list to help achieve a happy and healthy gut!
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, famously said that 'all disease begins in the gut.' Some 2000 years later, research continues to prove that this is indeed true, with links between poor gut health and many diseases such as MS, Parkinsons, Cancer and obesity!
You can take simple steps today to improve your gut health, improve your immunity and even lift your mood! Here are my favourite foods to add to your shopping list to help achieve a happy and healthy gut!
1) Probiotic foods like live organic natural yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut (unpasteurised), kimchi, kombucha and tempeh. These are fermented foods that contain gut loving, beneficial bacteria.
2) Whole-grains such as brown rice, oats, rye, quinoa and buckwheat. These are a great source of fibre to help keep you regular!
3) If you eat bread, opt for sourdough. Sourdough is fermented which makes it much easier to digest than other types of bread. It’s also more nutritious!
4) Rocket is a powerhouse of a salad leaf! Not only is it full of nutrients but because of it’s bitter taste it makes a great, inexpensive pre-digestif. Try eating a handful of rocket 20 minutes before your meal to get those digestive juices flowing!
5) Fill your basket with fruits and vegetables! Try low starch varieties by swapping white potatoes for sweet potatoes and eat lots of berries! Don’t forget about your green leafy vegetables and challenge yourself to try a different vegetable and fruit every week! Fruit and veg are packed full of vitamins and minerals and are a great source of fibre.
6) Make sure your basket contains Prebiotic foods like garlic, leeks, onions and asparagus! These feed the good gut bacteria!
7) Nuts and seeds are not only a great source of vitamins, minerals and good fats they are a great source of fibre to help keep you regular! If you’re struggling with constipation try adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your morning porridge! By the way, peanuts are not really nuts so leave them out of your basket!
8) Herbs and spices like ginger, cardamon, fennel, coriander, basil, cumin, rosemary, mint and chamomile can help to relieve wind and bloating. Use them in meals or make a lovely warming tea from them.