Feed your gut this Christmas: five fermented foods for yuletide bliss

Feed your gut this Christmas: five fermented foods for yuletide bliss
Christmas is a time for celebrating with friends old and new, dancing around the Christmas tree and drinking slightly more than you intended to (oops!). We all know it can sometimes lead to excess. Keeping your gut healthy while you enjoy the festive parties just got a whole lot easier with these five recipes for fermented foods that balance out the acidic effects of alcohol and indulgence. Happy cooking!

 Christmas Kraut

Saurkraut is essentially fermented cabbage, and it is packed with vitamins, fibre and probiotics. During the fermentation process, beneficial microbes are produced which are essential for good digestive health and Saurkraut, and fermented foods like it, deliver good bacteria and balance the gut. Evidence suggests it also stops inflammation and supports the immune system – very helpful, thanks very much! This recipe tastes like Christmas. We like it best with some added cinnamon but feel free to experiment with your favourite seasoning.

 Kimchi with a Christmas favourite

Everyone loves a brussel sprout, right? If you do, why not add them to your Kimchi recipe over Christmas? Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean delicacy which is made from vegetables including cabbage and a range of spices and seasonings. It has a range of health benefits for the heart and digestive system as well as a wealth of antioxidants and anti-aging enzymes. Why not try this recipe.

 Kefir cornbread

A regular staple in the USA, cornbread has travelled across the pond. These days any respectable brunch location will have it on the menu. Why not wow your family and friends by whipping out this recipe on boxing day? Kefir is a cultured, fermented milk drink. It’s similar to a yoghurt but with a tart, sour taste and a slight ‘fizz’ – perfect to accompany the prosecco! Kefir contains around 30 strains of beneficial microbes including lactobacilli which has been shown to inhibit the growth of some harmful bacteria and help gut inflammatory disorders.

 Cinnamon spice Kombucha

Kombucha, a fermented tea, is a bouncy, fizzy probiotic beverage. In this version, classic kombucha tea undergoes a second fermentation that infuses it with the flavours of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and sweet spices. Kombucha is high in glucaric acid, which is beneficial for the liver and supports its job to detoxify the body. Kombucha also supports healthy gut bacteria and digestion, it helps the body assimilate food more easily and provides a quick energy boost without caffeine. It originated in the Far East around 2,000 years ago, where they still call it the ‘immortal health elixir’.

 Berry chia slab

You’ll need something sweet to close the door. Why not try this recipe containing grass-fed gelatine, coconut cream, chia seeds and berries? It will get you on the right track this Christmas. Gelatin is starting to be recognised for its nutritional benefits. Not the horrible commercial kind that you find in tacky sweets but grass-fed organic gelatin that is made by conscious health experts. It’s a brilliant source of protein with 18 amino acids and anti-inflammatory qualities. It helps heal the gut lining and seal the colon so that more nutrients can be absorbed. Click here for more information. We wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!!

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