by Amanda Roe
There is extensive research confirming that the health of your gut microbiome has a direct influence on your mental, emotional and physical health. Good levels of diverse probiotics and prebiotics are needed to sustain a healthy microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract and throughout the whole body.
Your bowels contain as many as 100 trillion bacteria with up to 1000 species playing a crucial role in gut health. Various strains of probiotic are available as tablets, capsules and liquid drinks, however the strains of probiotic are limited within manufactured products. Diverse probiotics are necessary for maintaining a healthy microbiome. The most varied form of probiotics is found in vegetables. Each vegetable hosts different varieties of probiotic so consuming a wide variety of raw vegetables and herbs provides the diversity needed.
It’s easy and cost effective to make a bio diverse probiotic vegetable drink at home. You need a wide variety of vegetables; organic is best, or homegrown. If that is not possible, go to your local farmer’s market. Choose as wide a variety as possible – spinach, chard, cabbage, turnip, carrots, cauliflower, beans, parsnips, broccoli, cucumber, lettuce, celery, beetroot and their leaves, fresh herbs, watercress and other sprouts are all suitable, however DO NOT USE RAW POTATO. If you find the drink is too bitter, add a slice of green cooking apple. You could also use a small amount of fruit that is in season.
Some people have problems with vegetables from the nightshade family, which include tomatoes, peppers, aubergine and potato; if you know that you have a problem with these do not use them in your drink, if you are unsure it is probably best to avoid them.
It is most beneficial to make this drink fresh and consume it within 30 minutes of blending. If you are busy you can chop the ingredients in advance, mix them all together, and freeze them. You can then take enough out each day and blend as needed.
Biodiverse Probiotic
Vegetable Drink
• Select a wide variety of vegetables – the more diverse the better.
• Slice a small amount from each vegetable and then chop these into smaller pieces.
• Take a slice of cooking apple and dice into small pieces.
• Add a few leaves of fresh herbs (optional).
• Place all these ingredients into a blender with about half the volume of water.
• Whizz to puree consistency – you can add more or less water if you prefer
• Drink 6-8fl oz per person daily before a meal.
In addition to adding this Bio diverse Probiotic Vegetable Drink to your diet you should consider adding additional sources of fibre. Fibre (also known as prebiotics) is the food that intestinal bacteria need to be healthy. Soluble fibre found in vegetables, chia seeds, flax/linseeds, oats and psyllium husks are all good forms of prebiotic. Adding pre-soaked chia seeds or psyllium husk to the Biodiverse Probiotic Vegetable Drink is a great way to consume additional fibre at the same time.
Note: Chia seeds and Psyllium husk absorb approximately 10 times their own volume of water ie hydrate approx one tablespoon per glass of water and stir whilst it soaks to stop it clumping together.
If you decide to add this drink to your daily routine, I would love to hear what benefits you experience, so do send me an email to amanda@marketstclinic.com and let me know how you get on.
Amanda Roe is an Acupuncturist, Clinical hypnotherapist and Life and Health Coach. For more information or to book a session call or text 087 633 1898.
