Gut health has been linked to everything from our immune systems to our mental health – so if you want to improve your gut health naturally, these gut-friendly recipes are loaded with foods that contain natural probiotics, prebiotics and polyphenols, which all enhance the growth of good bacteria to help keep your stomach happy and healthy.

Why gut bacteria is important

Your gut microbiome is made up of billions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes, and plays a vital part in your overall health by controlling digestion, boosting your immune system and contributing to the production of serotonin.

An imbalance of unhealthy and healthy microbes in the intestines may contribute to weight gain, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and other disorders, including anxiety.

Gut health recipes

Seven superfood smoothie

70% of our immune system lays along our digestive tract. This means that our gut microbiota plays a significant role in the function of our immune system – and this superfood smoothie is focused on giving it a boost. When combined with a daily dose of Probio7 Immune+ this health super-shake delivers an array of nutrients to support immune, digestive and nervous system function, as well as heart health.

Ingredients:

• 200-250ml of Oat Milk – beta glucans to help with immune and heart health
• 5 Walnut Halves – antioxidants, vitamin E and omega 3 for skin and heart health
• 1 tsp each Blackberry and Blueberry Powder / 1 handful Fresh – immune support from vitamin C and phytonutrients
• 1 tsp Linseed – protein, fibre and essential fatty acids for immune, skin and digestive health
• 1 tsp Almond Butter – rich in nutrients and antioxidants
• 1⁄2 a Banana – tryptophan to boost serotonin levels

Simply blend all ingredients until well mixed and serve.

Recipe by Nutritionist Rick Hay for Probio7. Follow @probio7 on Instagram for more ideas.

Gut-friendly chocolate mousse

This recipe combines just four key ingredients – ripe bananas, avocados, almond butter and cocoa powder. When these ingredients are whisked together their natural textures and flavours form a delicious light and velvety chocolate mousse.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 2 small ripe avocados
• 80g almond butter (rough or smooth)
• 30g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 100g of fresh berries i.e. raspberries, blueberries, strawberries

Peel and roughly chop the bananas, cut the avocados in half, remove the stones and scrape the flesh from the skin.

Place the bananas and avocado in the bowl or food processor, add the almond butter, cocoa powder and vanilla essence and mix until you have a smooth puree.

Recipe by Dr Joan Ransley for Love Your Gut Week. Follow @loveyourgut on Twitter for more ideas.

Simple Red Lentil Dal

Dal is one of the fastest, most delicious and economic meals you can make, as well as being a nutritious and sustaining dish that promotes gut health. Lentils are the key ingredient and are rich in fibre and contain a type of carbohydrate known as galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). Both fibre and GOS promote the growth of a range of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract providing a number of benefits for your gut.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 500g peeled and de-seeded butternut squash (approximately half), cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 5 regular tomatoes (150g) fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 30g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 fresh, long, mild red chilli, deseeded
• 225g dried red lentils
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to serve

Sweat the onion and butternut squash with a little oil for 10 minutes in a covered saucepan or large lidded frying pan. Once they begin to caramelise, add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cumin and turmeric. Cut the chilli in half length-ways and finely chop half. Add this to the saucepan. Cut the other half of the chilli into thin strips and reserve to finish the dish.

Add the red lentils and 1 litre of water to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 20 minutes. Add the spinach, which just needs to wilt for 2 minutes. The dal should be thick and the butternut squash tender.

Add a little oil to a frying pan and quickly sauté the strips of chilli. Serve the dal in bowls scattered with coriander and strips of chilli. Serve with brown rice or flatbread and chutney on the side. 

Recipe by Dr Joan Ransley for Love Your Gut Week. Follow @loveyourgut on Twitter for more ideas.

Roast Cod and Mediterranean Vegetable Tray Bake

This colourful dish epitomises all that is healthy about the Mediterranean diet. As well as all of the health benefits from fish, olive oil and pulses, colourful vegetables not only contain vitamins and minerals but they also also phytonutrients which can increase the diversity of the microbes in our gut and benefit many aspects of our health.

Ingredients:

• 2 red onions, peeled
• 800g mixed peppers (yellow, red, orange), cut in half and deseeded
• 16 (200g) cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400g tinned chickpeas
• 4 cod fillets, skinless, around 125g each
• For the basil oil
• 1 25g pack of fresh basil (25g)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp pine nuts (25g)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7

Cut each red onion into 8 wedges. Slice the peppers into 10cm strips approximately 1cm wide and place in a roasting tray. Add the cherry tomatoes and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and with your hands mix together so the vegetables are coated with a thin film of oil.

Place the vegetables in the oven to roast for 20 minutes. They should be soft and just beginning to caramelise. Remove from the oven and stir through the chickpeas. Place the four pieces of cod onto of the vegetables and return to the oven. Cook for a further 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the basil oil. Place all the ingredients for the basil oil in a food processor and process for approx. 20 seconds, until smooth. Season to taste. Remove the baking tray from the oven and drizzle with the basil oil before serving. Serve with chunks of crusty bread.

Recipe by Dr Joan Ransley for Love Your Gut Week. Follow @loveyourgut on Twitter for more ideas.

Spinach and Potato Cakes

There are lots of gut friendly, nutritious ingredients in this meal. Leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, are excellent sources of dietary fibre, as well as polyphenols.

Ingredients:

For the spinach and potato cakes

• 600g potatoes, e.g. Maris Piper or King Edwards peeled, chopped into small chunks about 2cm square
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 200g spinach
• ¼ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• ground black pepper

To serve

• 12 (100g) cherry tomatoes
• 8 (100g) small mushrooms, sliced
• 100g kale, ready prepared
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with boiling water from a kettle, then simmer for 10 minutes until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a medium frying pan and sauté the onion until soft and translucent.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain well and reserve a little of the cooking water. Leave to cool slightly and then return the potatoes to the pan. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add a little of the reserved cooking water to the mash if you need to loosen it a bit.

Put the spinach in a large colander, resting over a bowl. Pour over boiling water from a kettle to wilt it. Press the spinach into the colander with the back of a spoon, squeezing out as much water as possible.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, onion and spinach with the ground nutmeg and a generous pinch of pepper. 

Form the mixture into 8 even sized cakes approximately 8cm across. Use a pastry cutter to help shape the potato cakes if you have one to hand.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the cakes, 4 at a time, for 3-4 minutes on each side until they have a bit of a crust, then carefully lift onto a baking tray in a single layer. You may need to add more oil to the pan. When all are fried, place the potato cakes in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the kale by plunging into boiling water for between 5-7 minutes, until tender to the bite. Place the mushrooms and tomatoes in a non-stick pan and drizzle with olive oil. Cook gently for about 5 minutes.

For the poached eggs, fill a large saucepan or large deep frying pan with water and bring it to a very gentle simmer – the water should barely be moving. Crack the eggs into the water and poach without touching for 3-4 minutes. Cook the eggs two at a time. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Serve 2 potato cakes per person topped with an egg, tomatoes, mushrooms and kale alongside. Sprinkle with a little parsley to serve.