Drink Your Way to Gut Health (2 page)

While scientists are still determining which strains of microbes have the biggest impact on health status, what we know is that good bacteria can ultimately help our health. Enjoy the recipes in this book as a way to improve your intake of probiotics and potentially impact your gut health.

equipping your kitchen

You don't have to spend a fortune to start making your own probiotic-rich beverages at home. Many of the supplies you will need are likely items you already have around; here is a list of the basics to get you started.

tools and gadgets

Pots and pans:
You will need a small (4-quart) soup pot to boil milk and water to prepare kefir, yogurt, and kombucha.

Thermometer:
Working with active cultures and kefir grains requires you to know the temperature of the liquids.

Blender:
You'll need a standard kitchen blender or high-powered blender to blend the smoothies. Note: Some recipes work best with a high-powered blender (like a Ninja or Vitamix), although they can still be made with a standard kitchen blender or a food processor.

Quart jars or containers:
Keep a number on hand for storing and fermenting beverages.

Cheesecloth or coffee filters:
Either is good for covering the jars while fermenting beverages.

Rubber bands:
These are needed for securing cheesecloth or coffee filters to the containers during the fermenting process.

optional

Yogurt incubator (aka yogurt maker):
A yogurt maker will take yogurt prep time down to minutes. The yogurt recipes in this book include steps to make yogurt without a yogurt maker too.

Yogurt strainer:
You can make your own Greek yogurt with a yogurt strainer or you can use cheesecloth.

For more equipment recommendations, see
Resources
.

the base ingredients

There are several ingredients used in the recipes that provide health-helping probiotics. Most of these products are widely available in grocery stores, and throughout the book there are recipes to make many of them yourself. For some ingredients you may need to go to a specialty health food store or the “natural” or health food section of the grocery store.

Buttermilk
is milk that has been cultured with lactic acid to form cultures and probiotics. It is low in calories with just 100 per cup. Although butter is in the name, it actually does not contain any butter.

Cultured almond milk yogurt
is cultured from milk made from ground almonds mixed with water. Almond milk is naturally cholesterol free and low in protein compared to cow's milk.

Cultured coconut milk
is cultured from coconut “milk” (made from the white pulp of coconuts that is gently pressed to release the flavorful liquid). Also called cultured coconut milk yogurt, it is cultured through the same process as regular yogurt.

Filmjölk
is a traditional drinkable yogurt from Sweden that is slowly fermented using
Lactococcus lactis
and other live
cultures to provide a soft butter-like flavor. Filmjölk can be used as a substitute for kefir, yogurt, or buttermilk in recipes.

Greek yogurt
is a thicker style yogurt that has been strained to remove the whey (clear liquid), which in turn results in a thick yogurt with a distinctive, sour taste and higher protein content.

Kefir
comes from the Turkish word
keyif,
which means “good feeling.” It is a thick, tangy, yogurt-like beverage that contains a wide variety of probiotic bacteria. Kefir is made from the addition of kefir grains to milk; bacteria, yeasts, and proteins in kefir grains work together to produce kefir. The three main types of probiotics in kefir are
Lactobacilli, Lactococci,
and
Leuconostoc
.

Kefir water
is a fermented beverage made from water, sugar, and water kefir grains. The bacteria in the water kefir grains then metabolize the sugar and produce beneficial bacteria.

Kombucha
is a fermented tea drink that is traditionally made from sweetened black tea that is fermented by a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), aka kombucha mushroom. Different teas are often used to provide different flavor profiles.

Lassi
is a probiotic beverage popular in India and Pakistan that is traditionally savory in nature and consists of a blend of yogurt, water, spices, and sometimes fruit.

Miso
is a fermented soybean paste that is believed to have originated in China in 600
AD
or earlier. It is a thick paste-like substance produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and the fungus
kojikin
. It is a traditional salty and tangy Japanese seasoning used as a base for soup, sauces, and vegetable dishes.

Pickles
are cucumbers (or other vegetables or fruits) that are preserved in brine or vinegar. All pickles are not created equal when it comes to probiotics. The types of pickles that are rich in probiotics have traditionally been pickled without vinegar, so look for varieties that are processed without it.

Soy milk
is made from soy beans and naturally contains some probiotic benefits.

Soy milk yogurt
is made from cultured soy milk. It has been found that cultured soy milk has enhanced the availability of the soy isoflavones. Additionally, the fermentation process assists in protein digestion, enhances intestinal health, and supports a healthy immune system.

Tempeh
is an Indonesian food that is made from fermented soy beans or other grains and is a source of protein with a nutty flavor.

Yogurt
is a fermented milk product that is made from cow's milk.

the ingredient basics

frozen fruit

Frozen fruit is in many of the beverages and smoothie recipes. From week to week, vary the types of frozen fruit you buy to switch up the variety of flavors and nutrients.

Bananas whip up nicely in smoothies and provide a slightly sweet creamy texture to drinks. Freezing bananas is perfect for those times when you may have bought too many bananas! To freeze them, simply remove the peel, break the banana into smaller pieces, and place in a labeled freezer bag.

Tip:
When purchasing frozen fruit, look for frozen whole or sliced fruit varieties and skip those with added sugar or sauces.

frozen vegetables

Some frozen vegetables, like carrots and butternut squash, work well in smoothies.

Tip:
When purchasing frozen vegetables, opt for varieties without added sauces.

milk

Many of the recipes in the book include milk—some specify a particular type of milk, others just list “low-fat or nonfat milk.” For those, choose what type of milk you prefer—almond milk, light almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk, cow's milk, etc.

Almond milk vs. regular milk:
Some of the recipes in the book specify light almond milk because it has only 40 calories per cup. The downside is that almond milk is lower in protein, with only 1 gram per cup compared to its cow's milk counterpart (8 grams per cup). Yet, most people tend to get plenty of protein in their daily food intake so the swap can help lighten up the calories while still adding a slight creamy flavor. But keep in mind that regular milk (cow's milk) can be used in recipes that call for almond milk.

Coconut milk vs. coconut milk beverage:
Coconut milk is literally the “milk” from pressed coconut meat blended with water (a 1:1 ratio). Coconut milk beverage is coconut milk that is blended with water, sweetener, and thickeners. In the recipes that include coconut milk, either could be used, although nutritionally, coconut milk beverage (even though it is sweetened) is lower in calories and fat compared to coconut milk.

Note:
Coconut milk is typically sold in cans and coconut milk beverage is sold in refrigerated section of the grocery store or in shelf-stable boxes or cartons. Many of the recipes in the book call for light coconut milk simply because it is lower in calories than regular coconut milk; light coconut milk has only 45 calories per ¼ cup compared to the 100 calories of regular coconut milk.

yogurt

Many recipes here call for plain yogurt so you can control the sweetness of the drink rather than starting with the sweetness that comes with flavored yogurt. Making your own yogurt is super simple, especially with a yogurt incubator (aka maker), and it can actually save you a bundle of money, once you recoup the initial purchase of the yogurt maker. For more on making your own yogurt, see the
recipe
.

Note:
If you have a flavored yogurt on hand that matches well with the flavors in the drink or smoothie, it could be used as a substitute for the plain yogurt; just skip adding any additional sweeteners as flavored yogurt already has added sugar.

Greek vs. regular yogurt:
From a nutrition perspective, Greek yogurt has significantly more protein than regular yogurt and a thicker texture. If you prefer a protein boost in the recipes, swap in Greek yogurt for those that call for regular yogurt. But note that you may need to increase the amount of liquid in the recipe on account of the thicker texture of Greek yogurt. Any regular yogurt can be turned into Greek yogurt by straining it; see the
Resources
for more details.

Nondairy options:
From coconut milk to almond milk there are many cultured nondairy yogurt options available commercially. Making your own nondairy yogurt is also an option, although it takes a little more practice than making your own cow's milk yogurt because it is more watery in texture.

kefir

Making your own kefir requires just a few supplies. A bonus is that you can choose what milk you want to use to make kefir and get started. If you opt not to make your own kefir, bottled kefir is available at grocery stores in a range of flavors from plain to strawberry or peach. Just like yogurt, most recipes use plain kefir as the base, then you can adjust the sweetness to your preference.

kefir water and coconut kefir water

Kefir water is made with specific water kefir grains. There are commercially available flavored kefir water beverages and coconut kefir water, which can be used in the recipes in this book in place of the Water Kefir recipe. See
Resources
for more details.

kombucha

Made through a process of fermentation, kombucha is available in many brands and options. In addition, there are several online options for purchasing kombucha brewing supplies and ready-made kombucha. See
Resources
for more details on kombucha supplies. If you choose to buy kombucha rather than brew your own, notice the flavor variety that you are buying to make sure it will match well with your recipe.

ginger beer

The simple brewing process used to make ginger beer includes ginger, yeast, sugar, and water. Making ginger beer takes only a matter of minutes to put together, then 24 to 36 hours to ferment and get bubbly. Depending on your preference, you can adjust the quantity of ginger used for a milder or stronger ginger flavor. Store-bought varieties are available in grocery stores.

Ginger beer vs. ginger ale:
Ginger beer is a fermented, brewed beverage that is naturally carbonated through the brewing process. This is much different from ginger ale, which is just carbonated water that is flavored with ginger and sugar; ginger ale does not contain probiotics.

sugar

Some of the recipes call for a specific type of sugar (agave nectar, honey, maple syrup) because the flavor profile of the sweetener works well with the recipe. Some recipes will just list “sugar” as the ingredient and that can be a sweetener of your preference such as granulated sugar, raw sugar, agave nectar, or honey. Even more importantly than what type of sugar you choose is to keep the amount of sugar you add to a minimum.

While some sugar varieties may have health-helping properties or have a lower glycemic index, they are still sugars and need to be used in moderation. Some of the recipes in this book do not add sugar, others add a modest amount, and some need the sugar as “food” for the fermentation process (like ginger beer and kombucha). When you are mixing up a smoothie recipe that calls for sweetening, try tasting the drink first without adding any extra sweetener and then gradually add sugar to your taste preference, or skip it all together.

Sugar substitutes:
The recipes in this book do not use sugar substitutes like stevia, aspartame, or sucralose; I do this because although they would lower the sugar content of a recipe, they still come with a super sweet taste. Overall, in my opinion, getting hooked on super sweet taste—whether it is from “real” sugar or sugar substitutes—is something to avoid.

safety and tips

hand washing 101

The first step to preparing safe and healthy food is proper hand washing. While it seems like a simple step, if overlooked you can spread harmful bacteria to the foods you are preparing.
Before
you begin making these recipes that are rich with healthy bacteria, follow these steps for proper hand washing to keep the harmful bacteria out.

• Rinse your hands under warm water then apply soap.
  
• Rub your hands together vigorously and scrub between your fingers and under the nails! Don't forget the back of your hands, as bacteria can hang out there too.
  
• Then continue scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds.
  
• Rinse your hands under running water and then dry well with a clean dry towel.
  

kitchen cleaning

Make certain to keep all surfaces and cooking utensils clean because harmful bacteria can easily spread around the kitchen.

• Prepare countertops by washing them with hot soapy water before you get started.
  
• Wash your dishcloths and kitchen towels often on the hot cycle of the washing machine.