12/15/2022 / By Zoey Sky
A healthy gut is key to your well-being. According to ancient medical systems, all health outcomes begin in the gut.
This may seem like an oversimplification, but many studies suggest that there is some truth to the belief that gut health is crucial for your overall health.
If you want to achieve optimal gut health, eat nutritious foods and incorporate gut health-boosting spices like fennel and turmeric into your regular diet.
Cloves are a spice with potent, powerful anti-inflammatory effects, thanks to the beneficial compound eugenol.
Cloves contain fiber, vitamins and minerals. Using whole or ground cloves to give various dishes and beverages a flavor boost can also increase your intake of essential important nutrients.
One teaspoon (two grams) of ground cloves contains six calories, one gram of carbs and one gram of fiber. The same serving also contains 55 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of manganese and two percent of the DV for vitamin K.
According to studies, manganese is an essential mineral for maintaining brain function and building strong bones.
Cloves are also a great source of antioxidants. These compounds help reduce oxidative stress, which is linked to the development of chronic disease.
The eugenol in cloves acts as a natural antioxidant. According to a test-tube study, eugenol curbed oxidative damage caused by free radicals five times more effective than vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant.
Cumin can help digestive enzyme production and bile secretion, which helps the body better digest fatty foods.
Most recipes using lentils also add cumin to help boost their digestibility.
Cumin is rich in vitamins and minerals like:
Some studies suggest that cumin can help stimulate the production of pancreatic enzymes and help digestion.
Research also evaluated the antioxidant content of cumin and results showed that it was more effective than other common antioxidants, such as vitamin C. Data also suggests that cumin can potentially be used to protect against cancer.
Fennel seeds are powerhouses that can help improve digestion by supporting digestive enzyme production. It is also believed that fennel can help cool the digestive tract.
Fennel stimulates the production of gastric juices. It also has carminative properties, meaning it can help relieve flatulence or gas.
Additionally, fennel is used as an after-dinner digestive aid. It also has antispasmodic properties.
If you are looking for a spice full of dietary fiber, use fennel seeds. It also contains metabolically inert, insoluble fiber that increases the bulk of the food you eat as it goes through your digestive system. Insoluble fiber helps ease constipation and protects the colon.
Fennel also contains various antioxidants like quercetin, which can help protect against aging and diseases such as cancer.
If you suffer from gut issues, steep some fennel seeds in warm water and drink it as a soothing herbal tea to help support your gut health. (Related: Agave fiber promotes gut health and weight loss, reveals study.)
Turmeric is a popular spice because it has impressive anti-inflammatory properties that can help support healthy inflammatory pathways in the gut. The spice can also help support the gut lining.
When using turmeric, add a bit of black pepper to help boost the bioavailability of the curcumin in turmeric.
These recipes include the spices mentioned above and other superfoods that can promote gut health.
Quinoa khichdi
This recipe can help soothe digestion and includes quinoa and lentils.
Ingredients for four servings:
Preparation:
Slow-cooker Sichuan chicken with scallions and baby bok choy
This dish is made with spices, juicy slow-cooked chicken and nutritious baby bok choy.
Ingredients for six servings:
Ingredients for sesame baby bok choy:
Preparation:
Improve your gut health by incorporating superfoods like cloves and turmeric into your diet.
Watch this video below to know more about the five health benefits of turmeric.
This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com.
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Sources include:
Tagged Under:
antioxidants, Cloves, Cumin, digestion, fennel, food as medicine, food cures, functional food, gut health, gut microbiome, natural medicine, nutrients, organics, phytonutrients, recipes, remedies, Spices, turmeric
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