I’m Sarah, a Naturopathic Doctor, wellness enthusiast and health-foodie. I’m a well-being advocate and green kitchen guru who is living my true purpose while guiding patients through their personal health journeys. I’m also a complete and utter health food fanatic who wants to see everyone benefit from eating healing foods!
November 12, 2018 By Sarah White No Comments
November is officially ‘gut health’ month on the blog, and to celebrate I’ve reworked (and improved) my OG gut-healing gummies recipe. These tasty little treats are fabulous for digestive health because they contain two of my favourite gut-healing supplements: gelatin & glutamine. While most of you loved the original a recipe, a few suggested that they could be a tiny bit sweeter. This version contains all the benefits of my original recipe with a slightly sweeter taste from frozen mangos and a touch of honey.
The key to setting these gummies is the addition of a high quality gelatin supplement. Gelatin makes up almost a third of all of the protein in our bodies, and a dietary deficiency of this key nutrient can wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal system. Gelatin, which comes from animal bones, was traditionally a key part the human diet since it provides important amino acids for gut health and joint support. Gelatin thickens very quickly as it cools, so it’s best to eat gelatin in gummy form or drink it in your bone broth.
This recipe also contains glutamine – my favourite gut-healing supplement. Glutamine acts as a natural anti-inflammatory in the gut and is also necessary for the repair of the intestinal lining. Stress, medications and poor dietary choices can all impact the lining of your digestive tract leading to a condition called ‘leaky gut‘. The lining of your gut relies on a protein zonulin to regulate the spaces between the cells of the intestinal wall, these spaces are called tight junctions, and they are critical to your overall health. When you are stressed, medicated and consuming inflammatory foods the tight junctions of the gut lining inevitably open up, allowing larger protein molecules to get into the bloodstream where an immunologic reaction can take place. When food proteins and toxins are able to pass through your gut lining and into your bloodstream it leads to systemic inflammation and immune problems. While probiotics can indirectly aid regeneration of gut lining, glutamine is an incredible supplement because it directly feeds the cells in your gut so they can regenerate. There are even multiple studies showing that glutamine supplementation maintains tight junction integrity and improves gut barrier function.
These delicious little treats are easy to make and contain my favourite gut-healing ingredients: gelatin & glutamine. These gut-loving additions contain amino acids that helps to seal leaky gut and feed the good bacteria in your intestinal tract.
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Dr. Sarah White is a Naturopathic Doctor, Integrative health expert and the founder + CEO of This Doctor’s Kitchen — your evidence-based resource for all things health and wellness. Dr. Sarah takes a food-first approach to health with a focus in fertility, longevity and natural beauty. She is recognized as an expert in women’s hormones, thyroid health and anti-aging. Dr. Sarah is a published health author with features in Elle Canada, Best Health, EcoParent & Whole Family magazine.
