• Contribute to heart health , allowing pickleball fun for years to come .
How to Boost Your Biome
Both prebiotic and probiotic foods can positively impact the health of our gut flora . “ Probiotic ” and “ prebiotic ” may be confusing words , but here are simplified definitions and examples of each .
Probiotic foods defined : Fermented foods containing live microorganisms that may offer benefits to human health .
While probiotic foods may seem like a new concept , they ’ ve been staples in many cultures for centuries . Including some of these in your diet regularly can increase the number of good bacteria in your gut . Following are some well-researched examples that can be found at major grocery stores . Look for words like “ fermented ” and “ live cultures ” on the labels .
• Pickles : Only fermented , unpasteurized pickles found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store contain probiotics .
• Yogurt : Go for plain yogurt that says it contains live and active cultures .
• Kefir : It ’ s a sour , fermented milk drink found in the dairy section near the yogurt .
• Sauerkraut : Choose the kind found in the refrigerated section .
• Miso : This soybean paste used as a soup base is found in the grocer ’ s international aisle .
Prebiotic foods defined : Fiber-containing foods that the human digestive system cannot break down , which are instead used as food by our gut microbes .
Just like all living things , your gut microbiome needs food . There are up to a thousand different species in your belly , and many of them thrive on different kinds of fiber . This is one reason that eating a wide variety of fruit , vegetables , whole grains , and legumes is so important .
As research progresses , the list of plant foods that support a healthy gut is growing as fast as an Augie Ge counterattack . Some examples include acai , agave , almonds , apples , artichoke , asparagus , avocado , bananas , barley , berries , broccoli , brown rice , cabbage , chard , chicory root , cocoa powder , corn , cranberries , dandelion greens , garlic , greens , ground flax seed , honey , Jerusalem artichokes , jicama root , kiwifruit , leeks , legumes ( beans , lentils and peas ), mushrooms , oats , onions , peanuts , pistachios , pomegranates , raisins , rye , seaweed , shallots , spinach , sweet potatoes , tea , walnuts , and whole wheat .
What About Supplements ?
You may have noticed the overwhelming selection of probiotic supplements at your pharmacy , and wondered if you need one . Healthy people who eat balanced diets including many of the foods I ’ ve mentioned above generally don ’ t need supplements . If you have concerns like digestive problems , discuss the benefits of probiotic supplementation with your doctor . It ’ s important to ask for specific product recommendations because some brands are more reliable than others .
By eating a wide variety of plant foods and a few fermented favorites , you can help keep your gut microbiome balanced . Taking care of those little guys can help you maintain the health of your body and your game . See you on the courts , pickleball friends ! •
Sweet-Tart Autumn Salad
Here ’ s a colorful , prebiotic-filled salad inspired by the flavors of autumn . This recipe makes enough to share with your favorite pickleball partner !
Salad ingredients : 1 crispy apple like Braeburn , Honeycrisp , or
Gala , chopped 2 cups raw baby spinach 1 cup raw , julienned sweet potato ( not yams , which can be toxic raw ) ½ cup raw walnut halves or almond slices ½ cup pomegranate arils ½ cup dried cranberries or tart cherries ½ cup raw purple onion , julienned ( optional )
Dressing ingredients : 2 tablespoons pomegranate or tart cherry juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon ground flax seed ( optional ) Salt and pepper to taste
Directions :
Toss together salad ingredients in a large serving bowl . Whisk dressing ingredients in a small container . Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad . Serves two hungry players .
Brandi Givens has been a registered dietitian since 2010 . Questions or comments can be posted to her blog at brandigivensrd . com .
Brandi ’ s Kitchen
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024 | MAGAZINE 85