We’re Designing Dishes for Great Gut Health

Gut health refers to the overall wellness of your digestive system, particularly the balance and function of the microorganisms that live in your gastrointestinal tract. Did you know that your digestive system is a whole plant/animal kingdom of its own? The GI tract is a complex system responsible for digesting food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste from the body. It’s inhabited by trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, collectively known as the gut microbiota or gut microbiome. Chew on this: There are more microbes in your digestive system than there are cells in your body!

It’s estimated that 80 percent of your immune system is located in your gut. Probiotics, beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, and kefir, help the development of the mucus lining of your digestive tract, which plays a large role in a strong immune system. Prebiotics are the types of fiber that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. You can get these from high fiber foods such as asparagus, bananas, broccoli, and cabbage.

Maintaining a healthy balance of these microorganisms is crucial for various aspects of health, including digestion, immune function, metabolism, and even mood regulation. When the balance of these microorganisms is disrupted, it can lead to health problems, including digestive issues like bloating, gas, diarrhea, or constipation, as well as more serious conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and even certain autoimmune disorders.

Besides diet, factors that affect gut health include lifestyle, medications, stress, and genetics. A diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha can promote a healthy gut microbiota. On the other hand, diets high in processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria and contribute to inflammation in the body.

Learning which foods can help keep you well and positively improve everything from your mood to how your body absorbs nutrients is a good first step. To learn which foods are best for gut health, take a look at Ginger Hultin’s article.

The next step to a healthy gut is putting the right food into it. Following are recipes from my Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World cookbook:

Caribbean Pineapple Black Bean Salsa

Food can most definitely be colorful, delicious, and healthy at the same time. This pineapple black bean salsa is a perfect example. My favorite kind of pineapple is the White Sugarloaf from Hawaii, but any variety will work. This dish is so versatile. Try serving it with tortilla chips as an appetizer or as a sweet and spicy topping for grilled tofu or fish. For a quicker assembly time, you can use a can of black beans. If you can’t find spring garlic, use green onions.

Benefits

Pineapple, beans, avocado, and other nutrient-dense ingredients in this dish promote optimal energy levels, help with digestion, and lower inflammation. Pineapple contains bromelain, which aids digestion, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-blood clotting, and cancer-fighting properties.

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

1 pineapple, peeled and diced (about2 ½ cups)
1¼ cups cooked (or canned, drained and rinsed) black beans
1 avocado, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 stalk spring garlic (or 2 green onions), chopped
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. lime zest

Salt to taste

Procedure

Place the ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined.

Moroccan Carrot & Red Lentil Soup

Many cuisines feature lentil soup, probably because it’s so satisfying and nutritious. The spices in this soup, such as cumin, coriander seeds, chiles, and cinnamon, are found in many Moroccan dishes, as is the argan oil. If you can’t find argan oil, olive oil works just as well. This soup can be made vegetarian (and even vegan) by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

Benefits

Lentils provide plant protein and fiber, important for a healthy gut while the carrots are loaded with vitamin A for healthy eyes and skin. Cumin contains safranal, an antioxidant with potential antidepressant properties that may also kill cancer cells.

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 Tbs. argan oil (or olive oil), divided

2 small onions, chopped

2 lb. carrots, chopped

1 ½ tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more as garnish

½ tsp. chili powder

⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon

6 oz. dry red lentils

1½ qts. chicken (or vegetable) stock

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a 6-qt. pot (or Dutch oven) over medium heat.

2. Add the onions and carrots. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, and chili powder. Stir for 1 minute or until fragrant.

4. Add the lentils, stir, then add the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 25–30 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

5. Cool ⅓ of the soup, then blend in a food processor or with an infusion blender. Return the puree to the pot and stir.

6. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir in the coriander.

7. To serve, drizzle the remaining oil over the soup and garnish with coriander.

Chicken Budapest

This recipe is a take on the classic Hungarian dish, chicken paprikash. To lighten it from the original, I use all white meat and substitute Greek yogurt, a great source of probiotics, for the sour cream.

Benefits

Chicken breasts provide high-quality protein. Paprika helps reduce indigestion and supports good cardiovascular health and circulation. It is also antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and contains vitamins A, C, E, and K.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (about 1½ in. square)

1 cup chopped onion

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

½–1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3 Tbs. paprika

1 cup water

1 can (14–15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 Tbs. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbs. water

1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

1–2 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, as garnish

Procedure

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 2 minutes or until browned, stirring as needed.

2. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the garlic, salt, red pepper flakes. and paprika.

3. Evenly distribute the water into the skillet and stir to blend. Cook over low heat, covered, for 10–15 minutes or until the sauce is somewhat thick and the chicken pieces are cooked through. Add more water if necessary.

4. Stir in the tomatoes and the cornstarch mixture and cook, uncovered, for 2–4 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.

5. Remove from the heat. Fold in the yogurt and garnish with the parsley.

Avocado Toast with Chickpeas and Miso

Though this recipe isn’t in any of my cookbooks, I saw it online, thought it looked like a delicious gut-supporting breakfast or brunch item, and adapted it for the FoodTrients audience. It’s always good to have chickpeas on hand in your cupboard. They’re high in a soluble fiber called raffinose, which is broken down by beneficial gut bacteria to support a healthy lower GI tract. Miso is easily digested and highly nutritious, filled with B vitamins and protein. Avocado offers essential nutrients such as healthy fat, magnesium, zinc, and potassium to support digestion.

Ingredients

4 pieces

15-16 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 Tbs. white miso paste

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 lemon, ½ juiced, ½ wedged to serve

1 large avocado

4 medium slices of cracked wheat sourdough bread, toasted

A sprinkle of sesame seeds

1 green onion, finely sliced on the diagonal

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Put the chickpeas, miso, sesame oil, lemon juice, and some seasoning in a bowl. Use a potato masher to crush everything together until you have a rough paste.

2. Spoon the avocado into another bowl and mash with a fork until crushed, but still chunky. Fold the avocado with the chickpea-miso mixture, then spread on the toast. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and sliced spring onions. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over.

3. Option: a couple of sliced cherry tomatoes on top of each piece of toast provides a sweet counterpoint to the chickpea-miso-avocado topping.