Want to improve your stomach acid levels and your overall GI health? Don’t stress (it’s not good for digestion :)), we’re here to support you with some delicious recipes that are packed with the vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds that your gut loves.
The first 4 incorporate delicious fermented vegetables and the last 3 are rich in zinc. They’re all vegetarian and most are vegan (if you eat a plant-based diet, but sure you check the ingredient list when buying kimchi to ensure there’s no fish sauce in the brand you choose).
FERMENTED VEGETABLES
Eating fermented foods has been shown to boost the number of probiotics found in your gut (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5683921/), leading to better digestion and better overall health! Be sure to purchase sauerkraut and kimchi that have been naturally fermented rather than using vinegar.
- This recipe, sauerkraut hollandaise and roasted white asparagus, might sound a little intimidating but don’t let that scare you away! It’s not as complicated as it sounds, it’s delicious, and it’s a perfect way to incorporate the probiotic-rich liquid from sauerkraut.
- Wild rice and sauerkraut combine to make a delicious side dish. You may want to reduce the sugar content or replace with maple syrup or honey.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/northwoods-wild-rice-salad/
- We are drooling over this spicy korean noodle salad (Bibim Guksu) that’s perfect for summer and packed with veggies. The kimchi takes it to the next level (for your tastebuds, and your gut)!
https://mykoreankitchen.com/spicy-sweet-and-vinegary-noodles-bibim-guksu/
- Korean pancakes (Kimchi Buchimgae) are a little bit indulgent and you may want to replace the flour with whole wheat. But when we say they are addictive, we mean it!
https://mykoreankitchen.com/kimchi-pancakes-kimchi-buchimgae/
ZINC
Zinc is the most important mineral for stomach acid production, and many people don’t consume enough in their diet (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/). The best source is oysters followed by beef, crab, and lobsters, but you don’t need to eat expensive seafood (or even animal products) to keep your zinc levels high!
- This easy chickpea curry is not only delicious, it’s full of zinc-rich chickpeas.
https://tasty.co/recipe/easy-chickpea-curry-channa-masala
- This tahini granola has both zinc-rich sesame seeds (in the form of tahini), and also contains pumpkin seeds, nuts, and whole grains, which are all high in zinc!
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/easy-tahini-granola-vegan/
- Want to make dinner ahead of time and freeze? This black bean soup recipe makes a big batch so you can eat some now and some later and it uses canned black beans so it’s ready in a flash (and of course, the black beans are a great source of zinc)!
https://cookieandkate.com/spicy-vegan-black-bean-soup/
