Wholegrains & Legumes Support Butyrate Production

Did you know that wholegrains and legumes are amongst the best foods to feed your butyrate producing gut microbes? Butyrate has a myriad of protective health benefits and can support a healthy colon lining, reduce inflammation and improve metabolic health. If you consume wholegrains and legumes at room temperature (versus hot) they often contain significant levels of resistant starches which provides a further boost for butyrate production!

Restrictive diets that avoid wholegrains and legumes may lead to a significant drop in butyrate production, especially in the long run. If you struggle to consume these foods due to gut reactivity, or choose to avoid them for other reasons, consider working with a qualified healthcare practitioner for gut microbiome analysis and restoration to achieve optimisation of beneficial gut derived metabolites such as butyrate and maintain healthy diversity.

Amy’s Quinoa & Lentil Tabouli recipe provides a rich source of wholegrain & legume based resistant starch, alongside powerful polyphenols to further support a healthy gut microbiome.

NB. This salad may not be appropriate for those with pre-existing gut health challenges such as IBS or SIBO. If you’re don’t currently consume legumes and want to try introducing them to your diet remember to go low and slow initially to allow your gut and microbes to adjust to the extra fibre

 

Quinoa & Lentil Tabouli (4-6 serves)

2 cups cooked lentils (preferably black beluga lentils for the highest polyphenol content!)

2 cups cooked red/black or tricolour quinoa

2 medium tomatoes diced

1 small red onion finely diced

1 medium zucchini finely diced

1 cup lightly steamed green beans diced

3 cups chopped rocket

1 cup finely chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients well in large bowl.

Dressing:

Juice of 1.5 – 2 lemons (taste to test)

4 tbs extra virgin cold pressed olive oil

¼ tsp salt.

Shake in a small jar and dress salad 15 mins before consuming. Great with pepitas or chopped walnuts on top for extra crunch.

Amy is a Certified Healthy Gut Practitioner and Certified Microbiome Analyst with a passion for creating healthful, colourful plant rich recipes. To work with Amy in clinic –  book consult