The Healthy Gut Cookbook: How to Keep in Excellent Digestive Health with 60 Recipes and Nutrition Advice

APPLES

It makes me want to call out – ‘Is there an apple in the house?’

C.A. LEJEUNE

Ancient healers valued apples as one of nature’s most healing foods. Today, scientific research suggests they contain a high level of natural antibiotics. Apples are an excellent source of soluble fibre, vitamin C and bioflavonoids. Peeled, grated and raw, apples are an old and trusted treatment for constipation. Stewed, they are useful in the treatment of gastritis and diarrhoea. Apples can be used as healing foods for people suffering from colitis and diverticulitis. Paul Pitchford, an internationally respected nutritional therapist, claims that apples and their juice benefit the liver and gall bladder, and actually soften gallstones.

Flavour apple sauce with healing spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg, to aid digestion and calm flatulence.

Remember: always wash apples well so you can enjoy eating the peel.

APRICOTS (DRIED)

Apricots are rich in nutrients including iron, copper, cobalt, potassium and betacarotene. They are an ideal ingredient when cooking for people suffering from gastric ulcers and/or mouth ulcers. A high fibre content makes apricots a useful choice when you are trying to avoid constipation, especially when you are pregnant or taking medications known to cause this problem.

ARTICHOKES (GLOBE)

The secret substance in these delicious flower heads is cynarin, which is thought to promote the flow of bile and aid the digestion of fats. Artichokes are used as a healing food in cases of gallstones and liver disease.

Artichokes are thought to settle the lower bowel and help control flatulence, thus aiding the management of irritable bowel syndrome.

Scientific evidence suggests that artichokes may help control blood cholesterol levels.

Remember: globe artichokes and Jerusalem artichokes are not related to one another, and only the former contains these health benefits. Jerusalem artichokes are root vegetables known for causing flatulence.

AVOCADOS

Ripe avocados can be used as a healing food in cases of stomach ulcers. A mild and nutritious fruit, they are a delicious and highly digestible source of the omega-6 essential fatty acid, linoleic acid. Some nutritionists believe these delicious fruits also contain a substance that helps eliminate uric acid from the body.