Navigating the world of gut health can be a minefield, with certain foods either aiding or hindering your digestive system, and their effects often influenced by what they’re paired with.
For instance, while tomatoes are heart-friendly, the high sodium, fat and calorie content in takeaway or frozen pizza could negate these benefits and potentially increase heart disease risk.
With this conundrum in mind, gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz has unveiled two healthy food combinations that could do wonders. The US medical director for London-based health firm Zoe shared his preferred pairings for people particularly keen on improving their gut health.
In a video on Zoe’s Instagram account, Dr Bulsiewicz introduced his first gut-boosting duo: spinach and citrus. “Spinach, we know Popeye told us, is high in iron. It’s non-heme iron, and it’s not as easy to absorb as heme iron. So what we do is we add citrus,” he said.
“Citrus, such as in a lemon, includes Vitamin C, which helps us to absorb the non-heme iron. This allows us to actually address iron deficiency and support our energy levels.”
Dr Bulsiewicz was not the only one who spoke highly of the health benefits of spinach. Healthline stated that the vegetable is high in insoluble fibre and “adds bulk to stool as food passes through your digestive system”.
In addition, the website said lemons contain pectin, a soluble fibre that can “lower blood sugar levels by slowing down the digestion of sugar and starch”.
Dr Bulsiewicz’s second recommended pairing was garlic and honey, noting that garlic is rich in allicins, sulphur-containing compounds beneficial for gut health. However, allicins break down rapidly, meaning we may not fully reap their benefits when consuming garlic, reports Surrey Live.
Here’s where the sweetener plays a crucial role, as per the expert’s advice: “If you add a nice raw honey, it can actually help to preserve the allicin while also offering its own benefits for your immune system and your gut health.”
Penning his final thoughts in the caption, Dr Will Bulsiewicz said: “These pairings are easy, everyday tweaks that help you get more from what you eat.”
