You've likely heard "gut health" all over Instagram. It seems to be one of the hottest wellness trends of 2017. But there is great value in improving gut health. It may seem like a daunting task but it can be as simple as adding a few important essentials to your diet. I partnered with my friends at Vital Proteins to bring you top kitchen essentials to heal your gut! We all know that gut health is important, but many of us don’t realize just how much of an impact the foods we eat play a role in how we feel, think and behave. Before you plan your next shopping list, read more about the foods that can improve your life in more ways than one. Keep these items on hand to easily add them to your daily diet!
YOGURT
- Spoon your way to a better digestion with a cup of yogurt.
- Yogurt contains probiotics, which are a powerhouse for digestive health. Priobiotics are live micro-organisms that promote health benefits when consumed and support the "good' bacteria in the gut (3).
- Look for yogurts that contain live cultures-an active bacteria that has been shown to help promote in overall gut health and aid in reducing digestive distress (12).
CAYENNE PEPPER
- Spice up your day with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper in your meals.
- Research has shown that cayenne pepper can assist in bringing necessary enzymes to the stomach which ultimately aid in metabolizing food (1).
- Also a great aid for relieving intestinal gas as it encourages peristaltic motion - the movement of muscles located in the digestive tract (2).
AVOCADO
- Avocados are not only a delicious addition to any meal, they are also a one-stop-shop for a wide array of vitamins and nutrients, and are full of potassium, fiber, magnesium, and monounsaturated fats (4).
- Fiber is largely found in avocados with approximately 4.5 grams per half, which contributes to healthy digestion as a result of its ability to feed the ‘friendly’ bacteria and remove waste in a minimal amount of time (5).
ROOIBOS TEA
- Gut healthy foods don’t necessarily have to be a food!
- Steep a warm cup of sweet and flowery rooibos tea for it’s digestive health benefits. Even add in a scoop of Vital Proteins Bone Broth for an added digestive boost.
- Rooibos tea is rich in nutrients such as manganese, iron, zinc, and calcium to promote a healthy inflammatory response. Studies have shown that rooibos tea has the ability to promote improved digestion and abdominal comfort (6).
QUINOA
- Quinoa is fiber-rich with a whopping 5 grams per cooked cup (8), mostly consisting of insoluble fibers which help to deliver friendly bacteria to the gut (7).
- Rich in antioxidants–which flush out free radicals from the digestive tract (10)–and other minerals, quinoa boasts even more iron, fiber, and zinc over other common grains (9).
- Magnesium is the star player in quinoa, where one cup can offer 30% of the recommended daily amount (9).
VITAL PROTEINS BEEF GELATIN
- Gut healthy foods can be made even healthier with an all natural supplement. Maintain a digestive support with supplements such as Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin.
- Gelatin is most beneficial for improving the lining in the digestive tract and combating intestinal damage which ultimately prevents permeability (11). Gelatin is slower to digest, moves through the GI tract further and coats the small intestine.
- Beef Gelatin and Collagen Peptides' nutritional benefits vary only slightly. The main difference is how they're used. Gelatin works best while cooking, or with hot liquids, soups and broths. Both can be used cooking, but Beef Gelatin dissolves well in warm liquids, gummies, parfaits, hot teas, and more.
Do you incorporate any of the items above in your diet? What are your top kitchen essentials for maintaining a healthy gut?
xx
Mae
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, I make a small commission. I ONLY recommend products that I actually use and love. I take collagen from Vital Proteins every single day!
Sources
(1) Maji, A. K., & Banerji, P. (2016). Phytochemistry and gastrointestinal benefits of the medicinal spice, Capsicum annuum L. (Chilli): a review. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine,13(2). doi:10.1515/jcim-2015-0037 (2) “Spices Exotic Flavors & Medicines Chile Pepper.” History & Special Collections UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, 2002. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017. (3) Guarner, F., Perdigon, G., Corthier, G., Salminen, S., Koletzko, B., & Morelli, L. (2005). Should yoghurt cultures be considered probiotic? British Journal of Nutrition,93(06), 783. doi:10.1079/bjn20051428 (4) Lu, Q., Zhang, Y., Wang, Y., Wang, D., Lee, R., Gao, K., . . . Heber, D. (2009). California Hass Avocado: Profiling of Carotenoids, Tocopherol, Fatty Acid, and Fat Content during Maturation and from Different Growing Areas. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,57(21), 10408-10413. doi:10.1021/jf901839h (5) Naveh E., Werman M. J., Sabo E., Neeman I. Defatted avocado pulp reduces body weight and total hepatic fat but increases plasma cholesterol in male rats fed diets with cholesterol. Journal of Nutrition. 2002;132(7):2015–2018.(6) Gilani, A. H., Khan, A.-u., Ghayur, M. N., Ali, S. F. and Herzig, J. W. (2006), Antispasmodic Effects of Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus linearis) is Mediated Predominantly through K+-Channel Activation. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 99: 365–373. doi:10.1111/j.1742-7843.2006.
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