Gut health should be taken into consideration. I don’t want to use that heavy vocabulary, that goes beyond our pronunciation sometimes, but you and me, we must take care of our guts. If we take care of our gut Healthy, most of the health problems disappear. 

Every emotion, feeling, that we go through starts from the gut. The mind and the gut are very closely associated. I have mentioned earlier, how few foods can help us improve our gut Bacteria. These are good bacteria, that live our tummies/ gut. They help in digestion, absorbing the nutrition from the food and do lots more things. 

Remember, there is not a magical formula that will change or improve the gut bacteria into good bacteria with the usage of a product. It requires a change in our lifestyle. We need to make small changes in our everyday life and slowly move toward a healthier gut. I have already started making those changes in my habits, would be happy if I can be of any help for you. I am and will be sharing more and more gut healthy recipes with you, and hope it’s helpful and we live better and happy. 

To keep the gut and immune system healthy we have to have a diet rich in probiotic and prebiotic food. 

Probiotics – The root word Probiotic comes from the Greek word – Pro, means promoting and biotic means life. Probiotics are the good/friendly bacteria in our digestive system. Healthy digestive tract and a healthy immune system are the benefits of good gut bacteria. Sour milk, yoghurt, kimchi, fermented foods are a good source of probiotics. 

Prebiotics are the fibre that the human body can’t digest. The prebiotic helps the probiotic, and then the two combine to have a synergistic effect, known as synbiotics. A prebiotic is actually a non-digestible complex carbohydrate that acts as food for the probiotics and bacteria in your gut. Don’t get confused, just try consuming foods which are high in fibre. 

Our digestive tract needs a healthy balance between good and bad gut bacteria.  Poor food choices, emotional stress,  lack of sleep, antibiotic overuse, other drugs, and other environmental influences can all shift the balance in favour of the bad bacteria. Research has shown that keeping the bacteria in your gut happy can help to improve digestion and absorption of nutrients, synthesis of vitamins, immune health, GI health. 

These Smoothies, I am sharing today are a step towards a healthy gut. Making smoothies at home is not a difficult task. It’s very versatile, forgiving kind of recipe. You have all the liberty to add in your favourite ingredients. You can shuffle in the quantity as well. I would like to share a few ideas/ points with you before we go ahead with the recipes.

Smoothies can be a refreshing snack or breakfast item, or an after-workout treat. 

Feel free to include vegetables in your smoothies. Mixing spinach, kale, cucumbers, carrots or other vegetables are a great way to get that extra nutrition. 

When we but smoothies from restaurants, they are too big and contain lots of added sugar. Please don’t buy smoothies and fool yourself at the nutrition debate, you have with yourself. Make your smoothy at home and control the quantity and quality. 

Add protein – Do you know, our body digests proteins and fats at a much slower rate in comparison to the carbs. If you want your smoothie to fuel you for a few hours, it is important to include some healthy protein in there. This will also help your body’s metabolism. 

Some healthy proteins options are Nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc), Seeds (chia seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds,..), Nut or seed butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, tahini…), yoghurt, avocado or if you are too keen to add some protein powders.

But I think Protein powders are fine in moderation. And honestly, we don’t really require them, for our everyday life.  Some people need protein boost if they are bodybuilders, athletes. 

Fat is definitely another important nutrient that can be included in smoothies. Not only will it help us feel fuller for longer, but it also signals the brain satiety. Fats are also very important for your brain cells’ functions and to give energy. Healthy fat will also have anti-inflammatory properties within your body.

Some examples are –  coconut oil, avocado, ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, almond butter or even coconut flesh.

The whole purpose of making a smoothie at home is to consume a healthy drink. Therefore, avoid nasty ingredients, such as refined processed sugar, syrups, food colours, fruit juices.  

Yes, fruit juices are not as healthy as we may think. They are often made with pureed old fruits or from fruit concentrate. All of the healthy fibres and vitamins are gone. They are essentially liquid sugar with very less nutrition.

Some clean sweeteners options would be: pre-soaked dates, frozen bananas, raw honey, organic maple syrup (do not overdo it, of course), my favourite one is, simply real ripe fruits.

Certain spices and herbs can be so beneficial to the body and can be extremely healing as well. If you take cinnamon, for example, it can help regulate your blood sugar levels. Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory spice. Ginger, is also great for the digestive system and can help boost your stomach digestive processes. Certain herbs, like cilantro or parsley, are excellent in aiding your liver detox. So don’t be shy and try adding some herbs or spices in your smoothies.

Most importantly, Wash the vegetables and fruits thoroughly before using. 

Lastly, It is important to use a high-speed blender to make smoothies. Balzano WBL-002-H 900-Watt Bullet Blender with 3 Jars (Silver) And blend till it’s fully blended and completely smooth. 

Kale Smoothie

Kale Smoothie

Ingredients 

1 cup rinsed stems removed coarsely chopped kale 

1 small ripe banana chopped 

1 kiwi chopped 

1 tablespoon of chia seeds 

1/4th cup yoghurt 

1/2 cup chopped green apple

One small piece of ginger washed and roughly chopped 

Maple syrup (optional) 

American Garden Pancake Syrup, 710ml

Method 

Place the ingredients in a blender. Blend until fully mixed and smooth. 

Take a taste test and if required add some maple syrup. 

Add in ice and blend once again. Serve and enjoy!

Beetroot Smoothie

Beetroot Smoothie

Ingredients 

1 medium size beetroot peeled and chopped 

A handful of black grapes 

1/2 an apple chopped 

1/2 a teaspoon Pink salt 

Urban Platter Pink Himalayan Rock Salt Powder Jar, 1.25kg

1/4th teaspoon of roasted, crushed cumin 

Honey (optional) 

Method

Place the ingredients in a blender. Blend until fully mixed and smooth. 

Take a taste test and check on salt and sweetness, if required add some honey.

Add in ice and blend once again. Serve and enjoy!

Peach and Pineapple Smoothie

Peach and Pineapple Smoothie

Ingredients 

1 cup of ripped chopped pineapple 

1/2 cup of ripped chopped peach

1 small banana 

1 teaspoon of flax seeds

Herbal Hills Flax Seed 500gms Pack of 2 | Raw Flax Seed | Natural Flax Seed | Pure Flax Seed

1 small carrot 

2 dates

Method 

Place the ingredients in a blender. Blend until fully mixed and smooth. 

Add in ice and blend once again. Serve and enjoy!

If required you can add in more dates.