“Health starts in the gut”
Little gut healing probiotic gummies
Super easy and packed full of collagen, protein and probiotics, go on, your gut will love you for it !
These delicious little squishy cubes of goodness are so easy to make and a great healthy treat as well as a kid friendly "lolly" without the refined sugar.
All you need is fresh orange juice, (I squeezed fresh oranges), kombucha if you make your own that’s awesome otherwise you can use a store bought kombucha, choose one with low sugar and a good quality gelatin powder.
How can these gummies benefit your health?
Gut health is so important and eating a highly processed diet high in sugars, preservatives, flavour enhancers and hydrogenated processed oils can lead to inflammation, poor immune function and increase your risk of digestive disorders not to mention feed bad bacteria. A good reason to avoid processed foods and skip the confectionery isle.
These home made “lollies” are packed with collagen, protein and probiotics. This means they can aid in the prevention and healing of an inflamed gut, reducing unpleasant digestive symptoms, promote better nutrient absorption addressing potential nutrient and mineral deficiencies. Including probiotic rich foods, good protein and essential amino acids is a good place to start when working on improving gut health and in turn over all health.
Kombucha as you no doubt already know, is a tasty, fizzy fermented tea drink and a source of probiotic goodness. Probiotics are good bacteria and by consuming a variety of probiotic foods in our diet we can not only improve our digestive health and restore balance to our microbiome. Probiotics can also discourage bad bacteria from taking up residence in our gut.
Gela what ?
Gelatin, which you may associate with jelly, pana cota and other sweet desserts, when used without the added sugar is actually a great addition to your diet. Gelatin powder is derived directly from collagen. You can also get your collagen boost from eating meat, fish and bone broths. Often you may see it in the bottom of a meat and veg stew after it has cooled and the jelly like substance has settled to the bottom of the dish. Gelatin is a fabulous source of collagen, protein and vital amino acids that are particularly important in the body including glycine, proline, glutamic acid and lysine.
This makes gelatin an incredible healing food for the gut lining, enhancing gastric acid secretion and supporting healthy mucosal lining in the stomach, assisting in the calming and modulating of inflammatory gut disorders such as IBS and IBD. By reducing inflammation, gelatin promotes digestive regulation as well as the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. Research also shows gelatin can aid in the reduction and prevention of heartburn, ulcers and acid reflux. This is achieved by binding digestive acids with food and help the contents gel within the stomach for consistent digestion. Aside from the gut, gelatin also helps build lean muscle, promotes healthy skin, body tissues, joints and bones as well as reducing inflammation plus even assists in sleep.
Learn more about the amino acids in gelatin in the following study: DETERMINATION OF GLUCOSAMINE AND GALACTOSAMINE
For more on the potential benefits of gelatin check out: Steph Lowes blog -The benefits of gelatin
Choosing a good gelatin powder
I must admit when I whipped up these gummies recently I didn’t have a preferred brand of gelatin on hand as I am still settling in to land life and I haven’t quite established my “Base camp”. So I had to go with what was available at the local supermarket, because I wanted to get some of these jellies to a loved one of mine who is in hospital and needs some gut loving goodness asap. However I recommend when it comes to selecting any sort of animal product, look for the highest quality possible. Check your local health food store if you cant find in your local supermarket.
The things I look for in a good quality gelatin powder are:
A product that is 100 percent natural
Produced from pasture-raised (instead of grain-fed) cows using ethically and sustainably-raised beef
Ideally made in Australia (reducing the carbon miles from shipping it from far-flung destinations).
So what do you need for the Recipe?
Ingredients:
4 table spoons of gelatin (A brand like Great Lakes Gelatin)
1 cup Orange Juice (Freshly squeezed is best)
1 cup of kombucha (home made or a low sugar store bought)
1/3 cup extra kombucha (or filtered water)
Optional: 2 heaped teaspoons rice malt syrup to sweeten (I find the fruit juice sweet enough)
You will need moulds for the jellys or a glass container. I just used a class container and sliced into bite sized cubes once the gelatin had set.
Method:
Step 1. dissolve gelatin in the 1/3 cup of kombucha (or water), It will firm immediately so stir quickly and leave it until a rubber ball-like consistency forms
Step 2. Put orange juice ( and rice malt syrup optional )in a saucepan on low heat to warm the juice but not bring to boil.
Step 3. Spoon the gelatin and kombucha mix into the orange juice in the saucepan and stir to dissolve the gelatin. Once all the chunks are dissolved, turn off the heat and add the 1 cup of kombucha. You do not want your mixture to be too hot or it will destroy the good bacteria. So try not to over heat the juice. If you do over heat it, let it cool a little before adding the 1 cup of kombucha.
Step 4. Pour mixture into moulds or a 9cm x 15cm glass container, pop in the fridge and let set for 3 hours. Take out of fridge once set and cut into cubes or pop out of moulds. Store in the fridge in container 4-5 days. Enjoy !
Notes:
You could substitute orange juice for another juice if you want to mix things up or even add a combination eg. Apple orange and ginger. If you make your own kombucha at home then that is awesome, if you are buying a store bought kombucha choose one with low sugar.
I would love to know how your gut healing gummies turn out and if you, your family or friends also enjoyed them. Please leave your feedback and comments below xxx
- Liss