Discover seven wholesome foods that not only nourish the gut microbiome but can be easily incorporated into meals the next time you are entertaining.

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Treat your guests to more than just a delicious meal. Why don’t you prepare a delicious feast for your family and friends with wholesome ingredients that will support their gut microbiome and overall health? By including a variety of foods that contain probiotics, prebiotics and specific gut-loving phytochemicals, your guests’ tummies will leave happy having been served up just what their gut microbiome needs to flourish for better health and wellbeing.

Garlic

Adding a good dose of garlic to dips, sauces and savoury dishes will not only add plenty of flavour but it will also give them a boost in prebiotic goodness. Garlic is rich in fructan, a type of soluble fibre that acts as a prebiotic in the gut. Prebiotics are extremely important as they provide food for our beneficial gut microbiota or bacteria, so that they can grow and survive in the gut.

Garlic contains an active compound called allicin, which gives garlic its immune-boosting properties. Garlic acts like a natural antibiotic, killing off pathogenic bacteria while at the same time promoting the growth of our beneficial microbiota. Eating garlic regularly is a great way to help keep disease-causing bacteria at bay.

Garlic should be prepared and cooked in a certain way to retain its many health benefits. Allicin is activated when you cut or crush garlic. Heat destroys some of garlic’s allicin content, so eating garlic raw when you can is ideal. You can add it raw to salad dressings, dips, pesto and bruschetta, or add it nearer to the end of cooking when possible.