Happy gut, happy life.
That’s how the saying goes, right?
Ok, no one actually says that — but turns out there’s quite a bit of truth to it. Gut health has been proven to affect everything from mental health to the immune system to skin conditions.
How, exactly? You may have heard the term “gut microbiome” before. Gut microbiome refers to all of the microorganisms and bacteria that live in our digestive tract — all 100 trillion of them.
With an army that large, it’s no wonder the gut controls so much of our overall health.
Fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics are gut health all-stars. We typically know how to get these through foods, but how about your bevvies?
Follow our 1-day drink menu to have your gut gleaming. Sip, sip, hooray!
1. First up: Kefir at breakfast
Yogurt = probiotics = happy gut. We’re familiar with the equation.
But have you met kefir? Let us introduce you.
Kefir has a consistency that’s similar to drinkable yogurt, which makes this the perfect on-the-go option.
Incredible for gut and digestive health, kefir is actually a more powerful probiotic than yogurt and can contain dozens of different strains of yeast and bacteria. Most yogurts only have a few.
That’s good gut news, since probiotics are linked to healthy weight management, mental health benefits, and general treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.
2. Midmorning break: Soothing bone broth
For a much-needed midday break, warm up some soothing bone broth.
Bone broth has a long history of being used as a digestive tonic to soothe inflammation. Two of its main components, gelatin and glutamine, are great for the gut.
Gelatin can help heal inflammation and intestinal lining in the digestive system while glutamine, an amino acid, has been shown to aid in leaky gut.
3. Celery juice with lunch
Celery juice = good digestion.
Celery juice is a natural anti-inflammatory that can improve digestion and restore gut health. It can also act as a mild natural laxative when you’re feeling a bit, ahem, backed up.
And as an added bonus, it can help lower your blood pressure.
Sipping celery juice with lunch, especially if that lunch contains some protein, will ensure a happy gut.
4. Swap wine for kombucha at dinner
Drinking kombucha with dinner is a great choice for gut health. And, hey, you can even put it in a fancy wine glass if you’d like.
Kombucha brings us back to probiotics. Kombucha is a type of tea that is fermented, and anything fermented is naturally a great source of probiotics.
Since kombucha is made from tea, you also get to reap all of those benefits — including antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory polyphenols.
5. Sweet dreams with ginger tea
Think we’re done with gut health after dinner? Nope! Ginger has been used for centuries to soothe the GI tract, and it isn’t going anywhere.
Studies have shown that ginger increases the emptying of the stomach and may be beneficial for those with stomach discomfort and indigestion.
Ginger also stimulates the production of certain gut-healthy bacterial species, acting as a prebiotic.
Plus, you’ll reap all of the other benefits of this powerful plant!
Don’t forget water
The most important bev for gut health? Still water.
Water keeps things moving along, balances the good bacteria in the gut, and protects the intestines. Consider sipping alkaline water, which supports a healthy colon and encourages the growth of probiotics.
Originally Published: greatist.com
