Tag: gut

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Almond milk benefits for people with sensitive gut

Almond milk benefits for people with sensitive gut

Many people have started suffering from gut issues these days. From Irritable Bowel Syndrome to lactose intolerance and leaky gut syndrome – the list can go on and on. Sensitive gut is a rising health issue these days and needs attention. People have even started switching to different food alternatives that feel healthier for their gut and don’t aggravate existing issues. Having said that, calcium is an important nutrient that can’t be compromised. Milk is an excellent source of calcium and an integral part of our diet, but cow milk may not suit everyone. For people with a sensitive gut, experts often recommend almond milk.

Health Shots got in touch with nutritionist Avni Kaul to understand why almond milk may be better than cow milk for people with a sensitive gut.

Why should people with a sensitive gut switch to almond milk?

First of all, what is almond milk?

Almond milk is manufactured by mixing almonds with water and then the mixture is strained to take the solids out. It can also be made by adding water to almond butter, “tells the expert.

why almond milk is better than cow milk for people with sensitive gut
Almond milk can be consumed by people with sensitive gut because of the benefits it boosts! Image courtesy: Shutterstock

It consists of a pleasing, nutty flavour and a creamy texture that feels just like the taste of regular milk. Owing to this, it is a popular alternative for people who are following a vegan diet and even for those who are allergic or intolerant to dairy.

Here are a few reasons why almond milk is a safer option for people with a sensitive gut.

1. Contains no cow or buffalo milk

Almond milk is not an animal product, making it an ideal choice for people who have opted for a vegan diet and those individuals who are lactose intolerant or are allergic to milk. Almond milk is free from dairy and has no lactose at all, making it the perfect swap for regular milk for people suffering from lactose intolerance. Alongside, almond milk has high fibre content which aids in healthy digestion. It can help curb issues like constipation and other intestinal disorders whilst keeping your digestive system healthy.

2. Best option for people who are intolerant to milk sugar

“Many people have a high intolerance to milk sugar (lactose) and face issues digesting it properly. In these categories of people, this undigested lactose passes down to the colon where it is the living bacteria ferments it. That further leads to issues like excessive gas, bloating, diarrhoea, and other associated discomforts, “tells the expert.

Also read: Are alternative milks healthier than cow or buffalo milk? Let’s find out

why almond milk is better than cow milk for people with sensitive gut
Try switching to almond milk for a variety of health benefits it boosts. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock

3. Regulates blood sugar levels

If you are a patient with diabetes, drinking milk that is devoid of sugar can be a task. However, almond milk has an ideal amount of carbs which helps the body in converting it to good sugar that is further converted into energy. Opting for almond milk over regular dairy milk can also help in maintaining good heart health.

The bottom line

Almond milk is nutritious and a great option for people who have lactose intolerance. It has low-calorie content and is high in calcium, vitamin D and E, which makes it no less than other drinks.

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4 food groups to focus on for gut health

4 food groups to focus on for gut health

Our understanding of the value of gut wellness is increasing, from knowing how to look at in on our gut wellness to ingesting a nutritious eating plan to help our intestine microbiome. But what just need to be involved in that eating plan?

“The remedy is extremely simple on a basic degree. … It can be just a issue of estimate-unquote ‘being healthier’ and ingesting a estimate-unquote ‘healthy’ eating plan,” Dr. Aditya Sreenivasan, a gastroenterologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, recently explained to CBS Information, pointing to a focus on total plant foods. 

Sreenivasan normally advises consuming much more fruits, vegetables and total grains and significantly less processed carbs like sugary beverages and processed and pink meats. 

To aid split issues down even further, Dr. Kenneth Brown, gastroenterologist and host of The Intestine Verify podcast, shared 4 meals teams that are great to integrate into your diet regime to aid intestine and over-all health and fitness: 

Large-fiber foods

Feeding on a diet program loaded in fruits, vegetables, entire grains, nuts and seeds can help assistance intestine overall health by promoting “common bowel movements and blocking constipation,” Brown claims. 

“Consuming fiber-loaded foodstuff can also assistance feed the useful microorganisms in your intestine, minimizing swelling and bettering over-all digestive health,” he adds. 

Fermented meals

Fermented food items like yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut can enable boost digestion, Brown suggests.

“Common probiotics do not generally endure until finally they access the colon but fermented meals act as a car or truck to supply all-natural probiotics to your microbiome the place it is desired most,” he describes. “Consuming fermented food items frequently can assist reduce irritation and boost digestive wellness.”

You can maximize your fermented foodstuff choices with easy swaps much too, implies Dr. Shilpa Ravella, transplant gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at Columbia College, pointing to sourdough as a excellent choice in contrast to white breads, for illustration.

“These are technically both equally wheat, but they are two pretty various foods,” she clarifies.

Foods high in polyphenols

Polyphenols are molecules located in fruits and vegetables that give them their vivid color. 

“Polyphenols do the job like prebiotics, which feed our microbiome. Our microbiome then breaks down polyphenols into more compact molecules that support our guts, mind and immune process,” Brown claims. 

Antioxidant-wealthy meals

Foods significant in anti-oxidants can assist cut down irritation in the human body and help general digestive overall health, Brown claims. 

“This is because anti-oxidants neutralize free of charge radicals that lead to mobile hurt,” he describes. These meals selections consist of berries, leafy greens and dim chocolate.

But try to remember, these tips could not be for every person. People today who have particular difficulties these kinds of as celiac illness or SIBO (smaller intestinal bacterial overgrowth) could have to have a diverse, much more certain diet program. If you might be suffering from an rising sample, worsening or sudden alter in gastrointestinal indicators, it could be time to discuss to a health practitioner as it could issue to foods-related sensitivities or other gut-related difficulties. 

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Three ways eating plant-based food can boost your gut health

Three ways eating plant-based food can boost your gut health

There are hundreds of different species of bacteria living in and on our bodies – an estimated 40 trillion microbes in fact – and most of these live in our gut.

Collectively, they are known as the gut microbiome. They have a significant impact on our digestion, our immune system and the health of our entire body, including the brain, our muscles and our bones. They can even influence our mood.

“We all have a gut microbiome which is unique to us, so selecting a single marker of health is difficult,” says Robert Dixon, Unilever’s Science and Technology Manager for the gut microbiome.

“But what we can say, regardless of this variation between individuals, is that a diverse microbiome is the best marker of a healthy microbiome. And a healthy microbiome will keep your body functioning at its optimum.”

Working to diversify diets

Findings from the American Gut Project, the world’s largest citizen science microbiome project, show that people who eat more than 30 different plant-based foods a week have a more diverse, and therefore healthier, microbiome than those who eat ten or fewer.

“One of the best ways we can ensure we maintain the diversity of our gut microbiome is to eat a wide range of fruit and vegetables,” says Dr. Dixon. And yet many people struggle to eat the five-a-day portion of fruit and vegetables that WHO recommends.

For example, a 2021 Veg Facts survey of eating practices in the British isles observed only 33{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} of grown ups and just 12{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} of 11–18-calendar year-olds at present deal with to hit that everyday target.

This is just one particular of the motives why Unilever R&D, Diet and Ice Product are doing work to create products and solutions that make it less difficult for men and women to consume and delight in a far more plant-primarily based diet.

“They say wide variety is the spice of life and that is also correct for the microbes that stay in your intestine,” claims Dr. Dixon. “Why not give some of our plant-based recipes a consider? Your microbiome justifies it.”

Three means to take in extra veg and expand superior gut microbes

Uncomplicated and delicious plant-dependent recipes to kickstart Veganuary

  1. Add more fibre with beans and legumes

    Image of child eating a piece of broccoli off her fork

    While chickpeas or broccoli might not be ingredients that often make an appearance at mealtimes, adding them to a soup, chilli or casserole is a great way to diversify your vegetable intake and add fibre to your diet.

    “Diets that are high in fibre and polyphenols maintain the diversity of our gut microbiomes,” says Dr. Dixon. “While the human part of our guts can’t digest them, they are a rich source of food for our gut bacteria, who all prefer to eat different things.”

    Why not try Knorr’s Moroccan style-lentil and vegetable stew or Hellmann’s creamy broccoli pasta?

  2. Ramp up your prebiotic consumption with a strengthen of berries

    Magnum vegan ice cream in a berry smoothie bowl

    Prebiotics are good for the gut microbiome because they act like a microbial fertiliser, stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria.

    The good news is prebiotics are found in many fruits and vegetables. Blueberries, for example, are an excellent source of fibre and polyphenols, making them healthy for both you and your gut microbiome.

    Why not try Hellmann’s blueberry crisp using Hellmann’s vegan mayonnaise or take pleasure in a decadent weekend deal with with a Magnum Vegan morning smoothie bowl?

  3. Insert some sweet and bitter flavours with fermented veg

    Three jars of fermented vegetables including sauerkraut and kimchi

    Research shows that different types of fermented food such assauerkraut, kefir and kimchi contain different types of microbes, so eating a diversity of fermented foods can also be beneficial.

    They’re also a rich source of beneficial microbes which may improve our microbiome function and help restore the microbiome to good health if it’s been compromised.

    And while the strong pickled flavour of kimchi might not be appealing on its own, it’s a great ingredient in noodle dishes and stir-fries.

    Why not try Korean Peckers from The Vegetarian Butcher?

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Try these healthy food and drink alternatives for good gut health

Try these healthy food and drink alternatives for good gut health

If you are someone who faces digestion issues, know that it could generally be simply because of the food items decisions you make. In purchase to preserve gut health, a person wants to consider some balanced solutions, which incorporates being aware of what to select more than a different.

Nutritionist Bhakti Kapoor spelled out in one particular of her modern Instagram posts that though certain food and drink choices are a lot more well-liked, they do not definitely do substantially for digestive health, and just one need to consciously swap them for a thing that is more healthy in mother nature.

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She mentioned some illustrations, starting with the to start with digestive swap concerning ice drinking water and hot lemon/ginger tea. The pro described in the accompanying caption that one of the most important factors to stay clear of drinking chilly drinking water is for the reason that it has a adverse effect on digestion.

“Cold drinks, such as chilled water, constrict blood vessels and impair digestion. When you drink chilly water, the organic system of absorbing vitamins in the course of digestion is hampered,” Kapoor wrote. She even further defined that the mixture of lemon, ginger, and water in lemon-ginger tea may well support with indigestion. “Lemon and ginger equally incorporate plant chemicals that may well aid relieve minimal stomach aches brought on by indigestion.”

The following swap that she talked about was concerning chilly-pressed oil and inflammatory (refined) oil. In accordance to the specialist, 1 will have to opt for chilly-pressed oils since they are wealthy in “important fatty acids, anti-oxidants, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin C, and other effective fats”, and due to the fact they “retain the potency of their components and hold them in their normal form”.

Following, alternatively of pasta/refined grains, pick vegetable noodles. “Veggie noodles are a fantastic gluten-free selection for cutting down carbs discovered in pasta, but they also give a much more finish established of nutrients, these as vitamin A (excellent for eyesight and the immune and inflammatory systems), C (an antioxidant that is very good for pores and skin and bones), E (good for heart wellbeing), K (great for blood and bone wellness), and fibre (great for digestion and cardiovascular health),” Kapoort wrote.

Pasta noodles, she defined, incorporate none of these vitamins and minerals. “Zucchini, carrot, sweet potato, turnip, broccoli, parsnip and squash are some illustrations of vegetable noodles.”

Which is healthier, juices or smoothies? In accordance to the nutritionist, smoothies have some more vitamins considering that the vitamin-wealthy fibrous pulp is not eradicated. “Smoothies can be an superb supply of important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals as a snack or as an addition to a food, especially if a variety of fruits and greens are utilised,” she said.

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