Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that help control your immune system, regulate your metabolism, and even produce chemicals that influence your mood (90% of serotonin is made in your gut).
In a healthy gut, most of the bacteria are beneficial. To encourage them to flourish, you need to consume complex carbs – veggies, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. But in an unhealthy gut, harmful bacteria can crowd out the good ones.
“Half the food we consume is to feed our bodies. The other half is to feed out gut bacteria,” says Dr Grant Fourie, a Durbanville GP with a special interest in functional medicine. “The food our bacteria would like is exactly what you would throw on your compost heap. Sugar and refined carbs promote the growth of the wrong bacteria and fungi.”
If you’ve been neglecting your gut, in addition to improving your diet, you can give your gut a boost with these drinks:
1. Kefir
Made from fermented milk, it’s often compared to yoghurt as it has a slightly sour taste and is made by fermentation, but it’s more liquid and contains different bacteria. According to a study in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, kefir provides more than 50 species of probiotic bacteria and yeast, and has shown “significant and wide-spectrum modulatory effects on the host gut microbiotica”. It’s also a good source of vitamins C and K, calcium, folate, phosphorus, magnesium and tryptophan, an essential amino acid.
Today kefir is available plain or in fruit flavours, but some are high in sugar, so read labels. Also be aware that foods and drinks containing probiotics may cause digestive discomfort when you first consume them, such as gas and bloating, cautions Gauteng dietitian Debby Watkins. “If you generally don’t tolerate dairy, then this might not be a good option for you,” says Fourie. “Kefir is wonderful, but it isn’t for everyone.”
2. Kombucha
This is made by adding a colony of bacteria and yeast to sweetened green or black tea and leaving it to ferment, forming a sour, slightly fizzy probiotic drink. Kombucha is not as rich in probiotics as kefir, and typically has caffeine (because it’s made from tea). It also contains vitamin C and other antioxidants, and many B vitamins. Kombucha is unpasteurised and may contain alcohol, so if you’re pregnant, speak to your doctor before having it.
“The amount of alcohol is negligible,” says Fourie. “I highly recommend brewing at home, this makes kombucha a highly affordable and easily accessible drink. Remember that the fermentation process uses sugar, so ultimately it’s still a very low sugar drink that does not need to be sweetened.” Many commercial kombucha drinks are high in added sugar, so read labels.
3. Ginger tea
Ginger tea is widely used to aid digestion, help prevent heartburn and stomach-ache, and control nausea and vomiting. The ginger root stimulates saliva flow and the production of bile and gastric juice. According to a study in the journal Food Science and Nutrition, “anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour and antiulcer effects of ginger have been proven in many scientific studies” .
4. Peppermint tea
This has been used for thousands of years in Asia and Europe for its taste and digestive benefits. It’s been found to have natural chemicals that help reduce spasms in the gut, and while there’s been little research into peppermint tea leaves, a systematic review and meta-analysis in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology concluded that “peppermint oil is a safe and effective short-term treatment for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)”.
5. Water
Water is still the safest, sugar-free, low-calorie drink around, says Fourie. “It keeps all the cells healthy and happy. Keep it plain, and don’t have too much reverse osmosis water – the process removes contaminants but also minerals, and the minerals in water are as important as the water itself. The gut is happiest when everything is moving forward all the time. Good hydration improves this process."
Also read: Ways to make healthy eating easier in winter
IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com
* Reliance on any information provided on this Website is solely at your own risk.
The content of this Website is provided as a service to you for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need medical advice, you should seek the advice of your healthcare professional.