When you think about digesting the food you eat, your mind likely jumps to the stomach. However, the gastrointestinal tract, or gut, is a complex system involving several organs and a microbiome of trillions of microbes. And the GI tract doesn’t just take care of digestion— gut health research shows that it also impacts immunity, brain health, heart health, blood sugar, and more.
Why Gut Health Matters
An unhealthy gut can have countless consequences. Most obviously, an unhealthy gut makes digestion difficult and can lead to disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), not to mention general discomfort.
Gut issues can also have adverse effects on your immune health. Some people refer to the gut microbiome as “the immune system within your gut” because it helps to regulate other parts of the immune system. Research shows that if they sense a threat, microbes within the gut can send signals to other immune cells.
![fall scents for your home](http://www.livingbetter50.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Our-Aroma-Opium-Oil-Banner-2.jpg")
To protect yourself against bacteria and viruses, you’ll want to keep your gut health in check. A few things you can do to promote gut health include:
- Getting eight hours of sleep every night
- Drinking plenty of water
- Reducing stress
- Eating the right foods
The Best Recipes for Better Gut Health
Not sure what foods to eat to keep your GI running smoothly? Foods with probiotics, prebiotics, collagen, and fiber. To improve your digestive health, you want to add fermented foods, leafy greens, whole grains, and lean proteins. Try to stay away from alcohol, sugary foods and drinks, and fried foods.
To stay on track with a gut-friendly diet, try out any of these nine recipes:
- Homemade Kimchi– Kimchi, a fermented dish that originated in Korea, is full of probiotics. If you’ve never made kimchi before, take a look at this easy recipe with a step-by-step video guide.
- Yogurt Porridge– This breakfast recipe brings together yogurt, which is full of probiotics, and oats, which are whole grain. Simply add 3 tbsp of porridge oats over water and cook it on low. Then, mix in your favorite yogurt and serve. For added taste, layer your favorite fruit on top.
- Asparagus And Smoked Salmon– For this delicious dinner, following the instructions below:
- Lay spears of trimmed asparagus on a baking sheet
- Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle on rosemary, salt, and pepper to taste
- Roast for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Wrap each spear in a thin slice of smoked salmon, and return it to the oven for three more minutes
- The Ultimate Gut-Health Smoothie– Combine kefir, spinach leaves, avocado, almond butter, and ginger and blend until smooth. You can play around with the proportions to get the taste and texture just right.
- Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes– Jerusalem artichokes (which don’t actually come from Jerusalem) have ample fiber and prebiotics. To enjoy, simply coat them in olive oil and spices and roast them in the oven.
- Falafel Tabbouleh with Lemon Yogurt– Falafel, a traditional Middle Eastern street food, is made of chickpeas which have plenty of fiber. This recipe from BBC’s Good Food adds tabbouleh into the mix and tops the falafel with probiotic-packed lemon yogurt.
- Braised Leeks– Leeks are an excellent source of soluble fiber, which promotes healthy microbe growth in the cut. To make this recipe, follow these simple steps:
- Trim the ends of 4 leeks and cut them in half, lengthwise
- Place them in a baking dish and drizzle olive oil on top
- Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste
- Cover with foil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for one hour
- Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes
- Probiotic Power Bowls– These nutrient-packed bowls thought up by The Rusted Root make consuming probiotics quick and tasty. For variation, try out a few of their mixes or adapt their recipes to suit your taste.
- Miso Soup with Tempeh– Miso and tempeh are both naturally rich in probiotics. Put these two ingredients together, and you have a gut-friendly meal.
A Happy, Healthy Gut
With these recipe ideas and plenty more available online, you should have no problem adding gut-healthy ingredients to your daily diet. If you continue eating these foods, sleep well, and reduce stress, you’ll have a happier gut microbiome in no time, resulting in a healthier GI tract and immune system.
LivingBetter50 is a magazine for women over 50, offering an over 50 magazine free download for women of spirit!
1 thought on “9 Recipes for Improving Gut Health”
This was great information I needed. I just did a 20 day detox and I want to keep my gut healthy.