From mulled kombucha to probiotic-rich sauerkraut on holiday tables, here is how gut health can join the Thanksgiving celebration, allowing you to leave the dinner table without clutching your stomach in pain.
What is Gut Health?
Your gut consists of your gastrointestinal system, including your stomach, intestines and colon. This system is responsible for absorbing all of the nutrients from your food and removing waste.
The Better Health Channel refers to gut health as “having a healthy gut microbiome and limited digestive symptoms.”
This gut microbiome consists of about 200 different species of bacteria, viruses and fungi inside your large intestine, according to Better Health. Some forms of bacteria are beneficial for a healthy body to “ferment” or break down food, while others can lead to diseases and uncomfortable symptoms.
The Benefits of Improving Your Gut Health
Positive gut health can leave us feeling stronger, well-rested, more clear-minded and not stuck in the bathroom after every meal.
According to UC Health, positive gut health can stabilize our blood sugar, regulate our weight and boost our immune system. Our gut contains 70% of our immune tissue, according to UC Health, and it is associated with how our body can fight off certain infections and battle diseases.
Our gut health is also tied to our mental health and hormones. UC Health explained how most of our immune system and serotonin production is in our gut, so poor gut health can mean lower serotonin. This can show up in sleep, anxiety, digestion and libido, according to the article.
What Are the Effects of Negative Gut Health?
Harmful bacteria and fungi in your gut can lead to fatigue, a consistently upset stomach, sugar cravings, unintentional weight gain or loss, migraines and skin irritation, according to Frederick Health. Individuals with poor gut health could also suffer from gas, bloating, cramping, difficulty sleeping, intense mood swings, food intolerances and autoimmune issues.
Negative gut health is associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to articles from Frontiers and XHP Publishing.
There is also a connection between poor gut health and yeast infections in women, according to an article from Dr. Vegan.
What Are Some Thanksgiving Dinners That Can Improve Gut Health?
When picking a Thanksgiving dinner menu that can improve your gut health, look for low-processed and low-sugar foods with prebiotics or probiotics, which are live bacteria and yeast that have a positive benefit on your body, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This can include substituting dairy with yogurt in your baked goods to add moistness and create a probiotic effect. You can also serve dishes like mulled kombucha, a fermented tea, or probiotic-rich sauerkraut, a fermented cabbage dish.
Other examples, according to an article and recipes from Lifeway, include:
• Stuffing with sourdough bread (rich in prebiotics)
• Roasted carrots with farmer’s cheese (contains probiotics)
• Honeycrisp salad with probiotic-rich kefir dressing
• Turkey brine with infused probiotics
