Prebiotic Foods at the Holidays
You may not be thinking of gut friendly foods when it comes to holiday fare (hello cookies and hot chocolate!), but consciously adding them to your daily diet during this festive (and sometimes unhealthy) time of year can keep wellness in check while indulging in favorites.
One way to do this is by including a variety of prebiotic foods to your diet.
Prebiotics are plant fibers that good bacteria in the microbiome love to eat.
And their importance is significant.
Each of us has a personal microbiome that differs from others. Probiotics (in foods and supplements) aim to fill the gut with beneficial bacteria, but most are general and not specific to our individual digestive tracks.
That is where prebiotics come in.
Prebiotics feed your personal microbiome, allowing your body to generate indigenous bacteria.
Why should this matter at the holidays?
Although important all year long, when our diets can sometimes go off kilter, prebiotics can support proper digestion to excrete toxins, maintain metabolism, and boost immunity.
Foods such as asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, onions, beans and lentils, oats, apples, berries, dandelion greens, fennel, cocoa, berries, bananas, and other high fiber foods can help feed the microbiome.
So this holiday season, why not add some prebiotic foods to your diet?
For simple ways to incorporate these healthful foods, consider:
- a side dish of roasted asparagus
- a dinner of chicken piccata with artichokes
- a snack of roasted garlic spread on a cracker or vegetable
- a warming lunch of lentil soup
- a bowl of caramelized onion pasta
- an appetizer or side of roasted fennel with Parmesan
- breakfast oats with apples and cinnamon
- a morning mug of prebiotic golden milk
- a weekend brunch with simple banana quinoa pancakes
- cooking with leeks
- a prebiotic and probiotic smoothie pick-me-up
- a dandelion greens salad
- a dessert of triple berry crisp
- a cozy cup of healthy hot cocoa
Enough to get you started?
A mindful effort of consuming prebiotics over the holidays can make for a healthy and happy gut – one of the best gifts you can give yourself!
However, if you are suffering from ongoing improper digestion, upset stomach, or other gut issues, the CNMA office is here to help. Please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves to discuss naturopathic options.
The CNMA office provides naturopathic care, testing, massage, and holistic counseling to those in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area. For those outside of these areas, virtual appointments are available.
*Please note CNMA does not endorse any company or recipe, these links are for inspiration purposes only.
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