The importance of gut nutrition (and one delicious Japanese-inspired recipe)

Food is like a medicine when it comes to maintaining your inner gut health. The specific foods you choose to eat can have a strong influence over the abundance and diversity of organisms in your gut (your microbiome) which, ultimately, affects your overall health and wellness(1).

By enjoying a varied and nutritious diet, there’s no doubt that you’ll be giving your digestive system everything it needs to support other bodily systems and processes such as your immune system and even mental health(2). And studies have been done to prove it.

When the effect of plant-based diets versus ‘Western foods’ were compared across two groups of children, the children who ate the nutritious plant-based diet were found to have more types of good bacteria living in their gut which are linked to reducing harmful inflammation and disease(3).

But of course, you need to know what to eat (and how to put it all together) first, right?

Well, the fruits of nature give us virtually limitless options but with healthy wholegrain qualities, brown rice is great ‘go-to’ base for plenty of fibre-rich gut boosting meals. Meanwhile, less substantial ingredients such as seeds and quality honey are also well-known to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut’s microbiome while creating more exotic flavours.

And we can’t forget the vegetable – a staple for any well-rounded healthy meal. Along with its unique crunch and texture, broccoli is packed with indigestible fibres which feed your gut flora. Studies have also linked the qualities of broccoli to good immune health and mental wellbeing(4).

So, incorporating all these simple natural ingredients, here’s how to make a wholesome Japanese-inspired dish that’ll leave you feeling satisfied and complete.

Miso brown rice and chicken salad (2 persons)

Salad:

120g brown basmati rice

2 chicken breasts

140g broccolini

4 spring onions cut into slices

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:

2 tsp miso paste

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp mirin (rice wine)

1 tsp grated ginger

½ teaspoon of Comvita™ Manuka Blend honey

Preparation method

1. Cook the brown basmati rice in accordance with the instructions on the pack. Drain, and put to one side.

2. Place chicken breasts into a pan of already boiling water ensuring that all the meat is covered. After one minute, turn the heat off and let the chicken breasts sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. Cut the chicken into slices once it has cooked right through.

3. Steam the broccolini and set aside once it is tender but not too soft.

4. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients together and mixing thoroughly.

5. Serve the rice onto two plates and scatter over the spring onions and sesame seeds equally. Place the sliced chicken breasts on top of the rice along with the broccolini and pour the dressing over the plate to finish.

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1.https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2179 2.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303825/ 3.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20679230 4.https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/broccoli-vegetable-healthy-gut-immune-system-doctor-chatterjee-a8347261.html