Functional Fiber, Inulin: Dandelion Greens

Functional Fibers table

Fibers are largely absent from the American diet. This reality is starving our beautiful microbiome. Try bringing in a variety of these fibers every day/week and nourish your benevolent bugs in your gut and entire body for greater health.

Items in parentheses are gluten & dairy products, these are commonly the highest inflammatory foods. I recommend getting your fibers and prebiotics from other sources to see how calming foods might be. Key: GF = gluten free, DF = dairy free.

If these foods don’t digest well in your system, consider running an advanced stool test (I use the latest technology that looks at whole genome sequencing which is the most comprehensive testing available today) to which bugs are in you, which aren’t and how they are working for you or against you and your digestive process. Email me for support or if you’d like a PDF copy of this Table to track the fibers you’ve brought in weekly. I like to print a copy and circle which fibers I’ve enjoyed.

CELLULOSE FOOD SOURCES

• Cereals: (barley), certified GF oats, certified GF cereal bran, (bulgur), certified GF quinoa (this crop is often cross-contaminated in shipping/manufacturing), cornmeal (often inflammatory; highly glyphosate sprayed), brown rice

• Cabbage family: arugula, bok choy, Brussel’s sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, rutabaga, Swiss chard, turnips, turnip greens and watercress

• Fruits: avocado, berries, apples and pears with skins

• Legumes: peas, chickpeas, beans, lentils - just a few bites will be fine for the bugs

• Nuts - encourage you to enjoy walnuts for the Omega 3 among other nuts

• Potatoes with skins (cooked and cooled overnight in the fridge will have a bit more insoluble fiber

• Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and chia seeds

RESISTANT STARCH

• Beans (black, pinto, soybeans, peas, white beans, lentils); canned are soaked and pressure cooked therefore easier to digest

• Starchy foods that have been cooked and cooled, such as rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pasta and corn tortillas

• Green bananas, plantains

• Raw potato starch, hi-maize flour

• (Whole grains), certified GF oats and (barley)

ARABINOGALACTAN (AG)

• Carrots, radishes, (wheat), Shiitake mushrooms, and coconuts

• Echinacea purpurea and Thuja occidentalis

• Larch tree sourced AG, ensure it’s processed using an eco-friendly, hot water extraction process

GALACTO-OLIGOSACCARIDES (GOS)

• (Milk, yogurt) artichoke, lentils, fermented tofu, cashews, pistachios, red kidney beans, chickp•eas, baked beans, split peas, lima beans, lentils

FRUCTO-OLIGOSACCARIDES (FOS)

• Yacon root, garlic, onion, leeks, chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, bananas, burdock root

XYLO-OLIGOSACCHARIDES (XOS)

• (Milk), honey, vegetables, fruits, and bamboos shoots

BETA-MANNAN

• (Barley), whole certified GF oats, soybean

INULIN

• Dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, bananas (less ripe), burdock root, yacon root, jicama

BETA GLUCAN (β-GLUCAN)

• Cereal grains: millet, rice, (barley), GF oats, (rye), (triticale), sorghum, corn; seaweed, algae, mushrooms (Reishi, shiitake, maitake)

LIGNIN

• Flaxseed, root vegetables (carrots, parsley, horseradish), bran, tomatoes, berries, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, peaches, peas, brazil nuts, apples

PECTIN

• Citrus peels, apples, pear, pitted fruits (plums, apricots, peach), guava, carrots

POLYPHENOLS

• Colorful foods including: fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, herbs, cacao, leeks, onions, radishes, plantains, high-quality olive oil, legumes, root veggies, artichokes, asparagus, green tea, raw honey, sea veggies, and colostrum

Source: adapted from MicroBiome Labs

Anyone ever shared with you how critical chewing is to health?

Seems funny that I just learned the significance of relaxed & thorough chewing recently (like in the last decade). Now that I know, it’s still one of the more challenging aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Old habits die hard.

It’s also one of the health strategies I lovingly remind my clients of, frequently. Old habits die hard.

I encourage you to look at how you chew. Here are some of the benefits of masticating your foods ‘til they’re almost liquid; they are significant:

1. the saliva produced by chewing softens & lubricates foods so you don’t choke (you already knew this one)

2. the first of many digestive enzymes (think of these as scissors that break down food particles) are introduced in the mouth & starches start to break down (critical for extracting nutrients)

3. saliva also helps absorb nitrates from greens (needed for cardiovascular function including ED, or non-ED)

4. reduces gas & bloating (be sure to look at talking with your mouth full when dealing with these conditions & the more extreme & often elusive, SIBO)

5. prolonged poor chewing can lead to leaky gut where your intestinal barrier is compromised and food particles/bacteria/viruses leak into your blood stream! This causes myriad downstream consequences, none of which are positive.

6. Chewing also allows time for your brain to catch up with your belly and signal satiety; bottom line: you may eat less & enjoy a thinner physique!

So, the next time you sit down (yes, sitting is important too!) to munch on some nourishing food, take time to relax, savor, and try to enjoy every bite.

You’ll enjoy better digestion, weight loss & overall vitality as a result.

I’d love to hear if you notice any changes as a result of these tips. Shoot me a note back: TheGutCoachCynthia@gmail.com

Functional Fibers Table

Functional Fibers table

Chew, Chew, Chew, & Chew Some More!