Porridge

Porridge is a great way to support and heal gut health –oats are high in soluble fibre, which is great for colon health! We recommend Gluten-free oats (Bob's Red Mill from Terra Madre is a good option) or Steel cut oats as they are completely (or near-completely) unprocessed. The more natural is always better – avoid gluten and dairy where you can, especially when healing your gut.

Ingredients:

1 cup of water (or ½ water and ½ oat/rice/almond milk)
1/2 cup of gluten-free oats
Pinch of Himalayan sea salt
Pinch of cinnamon
1/3 cup of mixed berries
Handful chopped mint

Instructions:

The best way to prepare your rolled oats is to soak them overnight in enough water to cover them (half a cup of oats per person). You could add some vanilla pods or almonds to pre-soak with the oats. Soaking grains and nuts make them easier to digest.

1. Place oats in a pot and add water/milk, place on medium heat until they begin to simmer

2. Add sea salt and cinnamon

3. Remove any lumps by stirring consistently

4. Top with berries and torn mint

(1 serve = 1/3 or ½ a cup of oats and double the amount of water)

Some additional serving suggestions:

- Organic marmalade, cacao nibs and crushed hazelnuts

- Chia seeds, agave nectar, fresh figs and a tablespoon of natural yoghurt and flaked almonds

- Grated apple, poached apple/pears, chopped walnuts and a few sliced red grapes

- Superfoods like chia, acai or maca, hemp seeds, bee pollen

- Spices like nutmeg and cinnamon (cinnamon is great for maintaining blood sugar)

*Why is fibre so important for gut health?

Oats are high in the soluble fibre beta-glucan, which has lipid-lowering and glucose-modulating effects. In addition, oats increase stool weight, speed intestinal transit, modify gut microflora, and serve as a substrate for bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) directly affect the gastrointestinal tract. When fibre is fermented inside the colon, bacteria producing molecules called SCFA (especially SCFA butyrate) help boost the protective mucus layer in the gut, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and is also known to maintain health via regulation of the immune system.

The production of SCFAs in the gut microbiome is essential for optimal health but is frequently limited by the lack of fermentable fibre in the diet.

References:

Carlson, J., Erickson, J., Hess, J., Gould, T., Slavin, J. (2017). Prebiotic Dietary Fiber and Gut Health: Comparing the in vitro fermentations of beta-glucan, inulin and xylooligosaccharide. Nutrients. 2017 Dec; 9(12): 1361.

Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5748811/

Li, M., Van Esch, B., Henricks, P., Folkerts, G., Garssen, J. (2018).The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Short Chain Fatty Acids on Lipopolysaccharide or Tumor Necrosis Factor a-Stimulated Endothelial Cells.

Frontiers in Pharmacology.doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00533

Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5974203/