Gut Seal Slice Recipe using the Gut Seal Pre Mix
This recipe is an absolute favourite for our program clients and now it's even easier with the use of our new gut seal pre mix.
This slice will help with:
- Bowel regularity
- Nutrition
- Build the indigenous microbiome
Let’s look at a few of the foods in this slice:
Ground Flax seed
This is one of natures most amazing seeds. I LOVE ground flax, it has a lot to offer.
Fibre
Flax is a beneficial fibre; this fibre is used to help treat constipation. It has been shown to increase the volume of pour poos (bulk them out so we get a Bristol worth log in the bowl) and increase the frequency of bowel motions. This is a barometer of bowel health and so important.
The fibre in flax will feed up your microbiome and aid in lowering cholesterol levels. We know with a ketogenic diet people worry about cholesterol. We love flax for its ability to lower our cholesterol.
The fibre in flax can help draw food through the small intestines in a timely fashion, decreasing the risk of premature fermentation of food in the small bowel contributing to conditions such as SIBO. It helps fermentable fibres in our vegetables feed up the microbiome in our large bowel where it should be.
Essential fatty acids
Flax is a rich source of essential fatty acids, notably omega 3’s including alpha-Linolenic acid
ALA is an essential fatty acid because we cannot produce it within our body. Those of you with dry skin, psoriasis and rashes or those pimply bumps on your upper arms (keratosis pilaris) can benefit from extra ALA in your diet.
ALA is an antioxidant, it has been shown to decrease oxidative stress in the body, regulate weight, regulate blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure and disrupt inflammatory processes in the body. So cool!
Phytoestrogens
This is some of the best magic flax has to offer us. It is the richest food source of phytoestrogens we know of.
'But I’m worried about oestrogen dominance?'
I would be too, especially with exposure to plastics all around us. But I wouldn’t be worried about flax. It has the capacity to both strengthen and weaken the oestrogen response. This is natures capacity for balance in action. In research, flax has been shown to rebalance women's menstrual cycles and decrease hot flushes. If you have concerns about hormones, we can support you here. Simply click here to get a hormone test and consultation with one of our Naturopaths!
Ground Pepitas
Just like flax, here is another seed that can really support digestion, bowel health and microbiome regrowth. All the same principles as flax apply - organic, activated to reduce the risk of antinutrient and pesticide exposure.
Pepitas contain bioactive and antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols, phytoestrogens, carotenoids and unsaturated fatty acids such as omega 3 fatty acids. Carotenoids, like lignin's in flax, are responsible for the amazing colours in our plant foods and they are an antioxidant. What I love about that, is the capacity to use food as medicine.
Vitamin, mineral and hormone support
Many of the vitamins and minerals including zinc and magnesium support the nervous system, the immune system, the liver, the heart and our detox pathways. Magnesium is key for nervous system function, the ability of muscles to relax and our ability to sleep. Further to that, pepitas are a source of tryptophan. The zinc in the pepitas helps the body convert the tryptophan into serotonin. See how natures balance is so incredible?
Fibre
The fibre in pepitas will serve in a similar way to flax, bulking out the stool, regulating blood sugar and lowering cholesterol. Remember, that digestive support is a core part of wellbeing. The prebiotic action of pepitas will help your gut grow a robust and diverse microbiome.
Raw Organic Cacao
There is so much evidence now that raw cacao can provide us with so many benefits. This is one of the ways in which you can support your microbiome restoration.
Like pepita and flax, it’s a phytonutrient, a plant-based vitamin and mineral rich substance that has the capacity to increase our dopamine levels. It supports the pathways within our body for neurotransmission, so our nervous system and signaling systems function better. It aids the movement of nutrients into our cells, feeds up your Bifidobacterium populations, supports regeneration of a healthy gut lining and regulates your blood sugar level.
So many amazing things. What we’re talking about here is better functioning of the body at a cellular level, better nervous system functioning, and with the increase in dopamine, we may do a better job at keeping our stress responses in check. And finally, microbiome restoration from both a microbial and gut lining perspective.
Psyllium Husk
This beneficial fibre can be great for bulking out the stool. However, that’s not the extent of its benefits. As a prebiotic fibre, psyllium husk resists digestion in the upper GI and is available for fermentation by your gut bacteria in the colon. It’s important you keep consuming those wonderful nourishing ferments while adding in your beneficial fibres as they tend to have a synergistic effect, working towards re-growing your indigenous beneficial microbes. Psyllium husk has been shown to help with cholesterol balance, and settle down inflammation both within the gut and systemically.
Now for the recipe!
Ingredients
- 21/4 cups (315g) Gut Seal Pre-mix
- 2/3 cup coconut oil
- 2/3 cup ghee or butter
- 2 Tbsp MCT oil
- Optional - 1/4 cup collagen
- Optional to taste - 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla
- Optional to taste- 3 tbsp xylitol or sweetener of choice
Method
- On a very low heat melt coconut oil and butter/ghee together in a saucepan.
- Once butter and oil are melted together add the remaining ingredients and stir well until combined.
- Line a 24cm by 14cm baking tray with baking paper
- Place mixed ingredients into the baking tray and press down so that the mixture is even and flat
- Set in fridge (2 hours minimum) or freezer (30 minutes minimum) then cut into slices and serve.