10 TOP FOODS FOR YOUR DIGESTION 💩

This series will look at ten of the top foods to help protect your gut health, provide helpful bits of knowledge along the way, and suggest a healthy recipe.

💩 TIP: WHERE DIGESTION STARTS

Digestion starts in your mouth, when food starts to move through your GI tract. Mechanical digestion in the oral cavity consists of grinding of food into smaller pieces by the teeth, a process called mastication.

Chemical digestion in the mouth is minor but consists of salivary amylase and lingual lipase, both contained in the saliva.

When you swallow, your tongue pushes the food into your throat. A small flap of tissue, called the epiglottis, folds over your windpipe to prevent choking and the food passes into your esophagus.

💩 LET’S BE PROACTIVE

Here is the next on our list of “10 Top Foods” that can help our digestion – Ginger!

  1. Kefir (Cup of Plain Lowfat Kefir)
  2. Papaya (Papaya and Avocado Salad)
  3. GINGER (Carrot Ginger Soup)

Ginger is a traditional ingredient in Eastern medicine that helps improve digestion and prevent nausea. Many pregnant women use it to treat morning sickness.

From a digestion standpoint, this yellowish root has been shown to accelerate gastric emptying. By moving food from your stomach to your small intestine quicker, ginger reduces your risk of heartburn, nausea and stomach discomfort.

Ginger Root
Carrot Ginger Soup

💩 RECIPE: Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 pound carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup, optional
  • coconut milk for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.

2. Add onions, salt, pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

3. Add smashed garlic cloves and carrots to the pot and cook 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

4. Stir in ginger, apple cider vinegar, and broth.

5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add a little water. If you would like your soup a little sweeter, add the maple syrup.

7. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, if desired.

Recipe adapted from: https://www.loveandlemons.com/carrot-ginger-soup/…

HEALTHY MEAL SUGGESTIONS

(search in this group for any of these recipes)

💩 GUT-HEALTHY DAY!

  • Snack – Glass of Kefir
  • Lunch – Carrot Ginger Soup
  • Snack – Papaya and Avocado Salad

🧠 BRAIN-HEALTHY DAY!

  • Breakfast – Blackberry Overnight Oats w/ Black Coffee
  • Snack – Kale Blueberry Protein Smoothie
  • Lunch – Healthy Tuna Salad Pita w/ Lemon Water
  • Snack – KIND Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Bar w/ Half of an Orange
  • Dinner – Pasta With Butternut Squash, Walnuts & Sage, side of Steamed Broccoli
  • Dessert – Coconut Pumpkin Ice Cream

👁 EYE-HEALTHY DAY!

  • Breakfast – Multi Grain Cheerios w/ Strawberries & Almond Milk
  • Snack – Healthy Spin Art Dip w/ Baby Carrots
  • Lunch – Thai Chicken Flatbread
  • Snack – Tomato, Cucumber, & Feta Salad
  • Dinner – Shrimp Quesadillas on Corn Tortillas w/ Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • Dessert – Greek Yogurt w/ Honey & Walnuts

❤️ HEART-HEALTHY DAY!

  • Breakfast – Fried Egg & Tomato on Flaxseed Toast
  • Snack – Half of an Avocado
  • Lunch – Salmon Burger w/ 3-Bean Salad
  • Snack – Sweet and Salty Almonds
  • Dinner – 40 Garlic Chicken w/ Sauteed Spinach
  • Dessert – Mixed Berry Crisp

Sources: Healthline, NIH, Love and Lemons