We probably already know by now how good your gut health is for your overall well-being ― it can improve everything from your memory to your sleeping habits.
But it can sometimes be hard to work out which foods actually benefit your belly ― so, it’s a good thing Dr. Karan Raj recently shared what he titled in his TikTok “The complete gut health snack.”
The doctor who’s known for sharing his medical know-how on the app said that raita, which he termed ’tzatziki’s spicy twin,” is the ideal food for your gut.
So, we thought we’d share why it works (it’s a pretty impressive process).
It’s all about bacteria, baby
We reckon you’ve heard about the cultures in yoghurt, kombucha, and sourdough. These are all strains of gut-healthy bacteria that help your microbiome to thrive.
And given that the base of the dip is natural or Greek yoghurt, you’re already off to a good start. “The live bacterial cultures like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium found in the Greek yoghurt are known as probiotics,” the doctor begins.
Probiotics are “foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms intended to maintain or improve the “good” bacteria (normal microflora) in the body,” the Mayo Clinic says. So far, so beneficial.
Meanwhile, the tomatoes, cucumbers, green chillies, and red onions also added to the mix provide prebiotics, which is food for the bacteria in your gut.
“The probiotics in the spices and vegetables act as fertiliser for the probiotics in the yoghurt,” the doctor explained, while “the probiotics in the yoghurt feed off the prebiotic fibres in the vegetables.”
And this is good for me why exactly?
Well, we can’t really digest prebiotics without its more proactive sister, prebiotics.
But when you combine the two together, the probiotics “end up pooping out something called postbiotics,” Dr. Raj shared.
These provide “gut-friendly chemicals” such as “short-chain fatty acids like butyrate.”
“There you have it ― prebiotics plus protbiotics equals postbiotics,” the doctor finishes ― the complete gut-friendly package. Chances are you don’t need to buy pre, pro, or post-biotic supplements,” the doctor finishes.
I’ll take those orders...