Wild Blueberry Smoothie for a Happy Gut
This smoothie is full of nutrient-dense, high-quality ingredients that, when blended together, taste divine.
The key ingredients that make for a happy gut are:
Coconut Kefir: The life and soul of the party. Coconut Kefir comes as a fermented coconut milk drink which is jam packed with gut healthy probiotics (bacteria).
Banana: Bananas are a great source of prebiotics (food for healthy gut bacteria that enable them to thrive). As well as being a nutritional powerhouse, with potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium, they have a soothing effect on the gut thanks to their high content of pectin (a soluble fibre which helps to normalise gut function). They are therefore incredibly beneficial for gut health.
Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds are 20 to 40 percent soluble prebiotic fibre, which is very soothing to the gut, giving you blissful bowel movements, especially when soaked over night. They also kick start your gut microbes into high gear. As well as having a high fibre content, they are rich in omega 3 fatty acids (essential for maintaining the integrity of your cell membranes).
Wild Blueberries: Wild blueberries are even more nutrient dense then their regular counterparts. They also have a higher fibre* content, essential for gut health, and regularity of bowel movements in conjunction with adequate hydration. While fibre is a reliable source of prebiotics, healthy prebiotics exist in other plant compounds as well, namely polyphenols, of which blueberries are a rich source. When these antioxidant compounds reach the colon, they are magically transformed by our microbes into their health promoting form. Wild blueberries can be found in the frozen section of most supermarkets.
Yacon Syrup: A low glycaemic index, nutrient dense, prebiotic natural sweetener. It's prebiotic properties, gained from high levels of fructo-oligosaccharides support healthy digestion and the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Yacon syrup can be found at www.tree-harvest.com.
* If your body is not used to a high fibre diet, I would suggest increasing the fibre content gradually. The sudden change will freak your beneficial microbes out, metabolising everything they can in a fit of euphoria, resulting in a never ending trumpet concerto from down below! Perhaps, begin by leaving out the flax seeds and using regular blueberries until your gut acclimatises. It is also important to remember to drink a lot of water when ingesting this much fibre to keep things moving through your gut.
Why can't I just take a probiotic?
By just taking a supplement you miss out on the way in which the many nutrients in whole foods work synergistically together to provide benefits that are greater than the sum of their parts. Supplements may help, but on their own, they can never compete with the benefits whole foods provide. Also, to reap the benefits from taking a probiotic, you have to keep taking them as they don't hang around for long. Even if you do take them daily, adding probiotics alone is like sending a foot soldier to war without a box of ammunition. In order to thrive, these newly introduced microbes must be fed, and this is where prebiotics come into play. The recipe below is loaded with prebiotics.
Wild Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients
Serves 1
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
½ banana cut into chunks
50g baby spinach leaves or curly kale
2/3 cup coconut kefir
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
Handful of goji berries and 2 dates soaked for a couple of hours - retain water to use in smoothie as it contains a lot of nutrients.
1 tbsp flaxseeds (soaked overnight)
1 tbsp of yacon syrup if you prefer a sweeter smoothie (optional).
Try to use organic ingredients where possible
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy (approximately 2 minutes). Depending on the strength of your blender, you may need to add more kefir or add the goji berry water to get things moving, and achieve your desired consistency.
Pour into a bowl or glass depending on whether or not you prefer a thicker or thinner consistency. You may like to add shredded coconut as a topping, or a topping of choice.
ENJOY!!