We all know how important breakfast is for our overall health but eating a nourishing breakfast is also beneficial for our digestive health.
Breakfasts that support gut health contain fibre, fat, protein and complex carbohydrates.
FIBRE
Fibre is what keeps us fuller for longer but is also great for our gut bacteria as it's the food source of our gut bacteria. A high fibre diet regulates bowel motions, reduces bloating, regulates blood glucose levels, reduces oxidative stress and protects the epithelial layer of the intestines.
If you want to know more about Fibre, check out my blog post solely focused on Fibre.
FAT
Having healthy fats in our diet makes us feel satisfied between meals but also combine with fibre to help encourage bowel motions.
We want to focus on healthier fat sources rather than your deep fried or baked goods, instead focus on olive oil, avocado and coconut.
PROTEIN
A lack of protein causes inflammation within the body. From a digestive perspective, inflammation of the digestive tract is the last thing we want!
Protein breaks down to amino acids including glutamine, that is specific for strengthening and healing the intestinal lining. There is also growing research that dietary proteins can modulate the composition and metabolic activity of the gut micro biome which then affects our gut.
CARBOHYDRATES
When gut bacteria metabolise carbs, they release short-chain fatty acids, which have been shown to lower inflammation.
However a diet in high in carbohydrates has been shown to be inflammatory to the digestive tract so this is where we need to be mindful and incorporate complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, oats, sweet potato, or wholegrains to ensure we are having some carbohydrates but in a mindful manner .
My Favourite Gut Healing Breakfasts ideas include:
- smoothies - make sure you are adding some veggies, nuts, seeds and protein to make a complete meal.
- scrambled eggs or omelette with leafy green veggies and avocado
- buckwheat porridge topped with berries, nuts and seeds
- overnight oats if oats sit well with you digestively
- chia pudding
- yoghurt topped with nuts, seeds, fruit
My favourite gut health smoothie:
80g of mixed berries (frozen or fresh)
5cm piece of zucchini (frozen or fresh)
30g oats
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 scoop of protein powder
1 cup of milk of choice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
Blend together and top with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds. Eat with a spoon to make sure you are eating slower and chewing (this also supports your digestion).
What not to have to support your gut at breakfast:
Now it's time to talk about what is not recommended for our digestive systems around breakfast time.
- No coffee on an empty stomach - coffee is agitating to the digestive tract so I recommend if you are to have a cup, that you have it after eating breakfast
- Avoid inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy or refined sugar. All of these foods increase inflammation in the gut and can exacerbate symptoms
- Avoid juice - juices usually have all the pulp (AKA fibre) removed from the fruit or veg leaving behind the sugar
- Avoiding breakfast all together. Our bodies have been without food for a minimum of 8 hours, and our digestive system and microbiome need nutrients just as much as the rest of us
- Watch for foods that upset your digestive system or exacerbate your symptoms. If there are particular foods that worsen your symptoms, try and avoid these foods and seek assistance in healing the gut and reintroducing these foods back into your diet. Any food that is causing symptoms to exacerbate are creating inflammation in your digestive tract.
Still not sure what to eat at breakfast time? You can book a 1:1 consultation with me where I can give you recommendations, recipes and plenty of ideas to suit your preferences and your lifestyle.