As a dietitian, gut health is always on my mind! Did you know that 90% of the serotonin (the neurotransmitter that helps you to feel happy) in our bodies is made in the gut, not the brain?
This post is written in partnership with Teeccino
One thing that promotes optimal gut function is the consumption of prebiotics. Prebiotics are short-chain carbohydrates in food that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. This creates a balanced and happy environment.
You can get prebiotics by eating foods high in dietary fiber, like legumes, cherries, all kinds of berries, avocados, apples, artichokes, and more. But another amazing way to get more prebiotics in is through your beverage consumption! Teeccino has created an awesome line of caffeine free blended botanicals and I’m obsessed with their new Prebiotic Superboost line - I now sip it every afternoon instead of more coffee. The tea is made from herbs, roots, fruits and nuts so it’s super flavorful, rich and bold - this makes it really satisfying. It has some natural sweetness from dates and figs, which helps to satiate that afternoon sugar craving that I often get.
Prebiotics can modify the gut biome by targeting bacteria that is already present in the large intestine and helping to boost the beneficial ones. In a recent study out of France on IBS sufferers, pre-biotics (the same types present in Teeccino tea) were shown to help improve many IBS symptoms after only seven days of consistent consumption. This area of research is exciting and promising.
I love that Teeccino tea is organic, with wild harvested ingredients, and nothing artificial. This is all important for a healthy and happy gut.
In addition to improving gut health, prebiotic consumption has been shown to have positive impacts on other parts of the body like the immune system, nervous system and cardiovascular health.
The herbal coffee and tea from Teeccino contain a prebiotic superfood blend that helps to balance your gut. The beneficial prebiotics in their products include:
Chicory root, which contains inulin fiber that has been shown to improve digestion and relieve constipation. Chicory also has a coffee-like flavor so this can be a great option if you love coffee or are looking for a good coffee alternative.
Carob is a plant food that comes from the carob tree, which produces a dark brown sweet fruit. The natural sugars and fiber in carob have been shown to help manage diarrhea and the antioxidants present in carob, including catechins and pinitol may help decrease insulin resistance.
Barley contains the prebiotic fiber beta-glucan, which has been shown to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut. Furthermore, beta glucan consumption has also been linked to lower cholesterol levels and stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Gluco-oligosaccharides are plant sugars linked up in chains. This resistant starch helps promote gut function by producing butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that supports digestive health.
Xylo-oligosaccharides are a type of plant fiber that have been shown to feed the beneficial gut bacteria, bifidobacteria.
Optimizing Adaptogens
Are you familiar with adaptogens? Teeccino also just came out with a really cool new line that has mushroom blends and various adaptogens. Adaptogens are compounds that help your body respond and adapt to both internal and external stress. Depending on the result you seek, Teeccino has a variety of different blends to help you out. The cool thing about adaptogens is that you can take them for various functional benefits, so if you are feeling tired but need to focus, you can take the Turkey tail blend, or if you are feeling anxious you should try the Reishi blend, and so on.
Adaptogen & Benefit
Tremella tulsi: Helps alleviate stress response
Turkey tail astragalus: Boosts immune function and combats fatigue
Chaga ashwagandha: Decreases stress and rejuvenates
Reishi eleuthero: Relieves anxiety, depression and burnout
Lion's mane rhodiola: Improves mood and provides balance
Cordyceps schisandra: Improves stamina and longevity
My favorites are the chaga ashwagandha blend for de-stressing and the cordyceps schisandra blend for energy.