odds in favor of a successful bowel flora transition.
The âwater and fertilizerâ for your bowel flora come from some unusual sources, since we are trying to choose modern equivalents of primitive sources. These are fibers or starches that are indigestible by our own digestive apparatus (and thereby do not raise blood sugar) but are digestible by microorganisms in the bowels. These fibers are distinct, however, from celluloseâwood fiberâthe fiber in bran cereals and other products that provide âbulk,â or indigestible filler, and yield bowel regularity. We want more than bulk and bowel regularity. We want facilitation of weight loss, improved metabolic measures, better sleep, etc., that comes from the unique form of fibers that are metabolized by bowel flora to fatty acids and yield these wonderful health benefits. We obtain such fibers from:
Green bananas (truly green and unripe) and plantains: Up to 27 g fiber in one medium banana
Raw white potato (peeled): 20 g fiber per 1 medium (3½ inches long)
Hummus or roasted chickpeas: 15 g fiber per ¼ cup (10 g net carbohydrates)
Inulin powder: 5 g fiber per teaspoon
Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) powder: 5 g fiber per teaspoon
Lentils: 2.5 g fiber in ½ cup (11 g net carbohydrates)
Beans: 1.8 g fiber in ¼ cup (11 g net carbohydrates)
We aim for a total prebiotic fiber intake of 20 g per day. The easiest way to accomplish this is to include a coarsely chopped green banana or raw white potato in a smoothie every day. Wheat Belly Detox Shake recipes (see Chapter 5 ) in the 10-Day Menu Plan incorporate the needed quantities of these fibers. Once youâve graduated from your 10-day initiation, you can obtain your fibers by other means than the shakes. Inulin or fructooligosaccharide (FOS) powders, found in health food stores, are an especially convenient way to obtain such fibers. In addition to the convenience of inulin and FOS powders, there are some other convenient commercial products that can be used, listed in Appendix B .
I like to slice or chop a raw potato to include in salads, blend a chopped raw potato or green banana into a smoothie, add a couple of teaspoons of powdered inulin to various dishes, and dip vegetables or grain-free crackers into hummus. Consuming small quantitiesâe.g., no more than ¼ cup per mealâof lentils, chickpeas, and starchy beans (black, kidney, white, lima) adds to your daily total. Root vegetables (onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, maca, celeriac, daikon, and others) likewise add a gram or two of these fibers, but be careful to not exceed your 15 g net carbs per meal, most important during your initial 10-day detox experience and during any weight-loss effort.
You can get creative with ways to include prebiotic fibers in your daily routine, even slipping them into your familyâs diet. For example, slice a green banana into 1-inch pieces and dip the slices into 4 ounces (one bar) of melted 85 percent cocoa dark chocolate. (Use waxed paper to keep the chocolate from sticking to the plate and store in the refrigerator to keep the banana from ripening; theyâre good for about 3 days.) These chocolate-covered banana bites provide 3 to 4 g prebiotic fibers per bite. Add inulin or FOS fibers to dishes such as Apricot Ginger âGranolaâ . Or, for the kids, pour a glass of coconut milk and add unsweetened cocoa powder, a few drops of liquid stevia, and 1 teaspoon inulin or FOS. As you get comfortable with the sources of these fibers and begin to appreciate the power of this bowel flora-supporting strategy, you will see that there are many opportunities throughout the day to supplement your intake.
An important precaution: Start slowly at no more than 10 g prebiotic fibers. Only use, for instance, about half of the green banana or half of the raw potato in your smoothie to start, and build up over the 10-day detox period, or else abdominal discomfort and excessive gas can
The âwater and fertilizerâ for your bowel flora come from some unusual sources, since we are trying to choose modern equivalents of primitive sources. These are fibers or starches that are indigestible by our own digestive apparatus (and thereby do not raise blood sugar) but are digestible by microorganisms in the bowels. These fibers are distinct, however, from celluloseâwood fiberâthe fiber in bran cereals and other products that provide âbulk,â or indigestible filler, and yield bowel regularity. We want more than bulk and bowel regularity. We want facilitation of weight loss, improved metabolic measures, better sleep, etc., that comes from the unique form of fibers that are metabolized by bowel flora to fatty acids and yield these wonderful health benefits. We obtain such fibers from:
Green bananas (truly green and unripe) and plantains: Up to 27 g fiber in one medium banana
Raw white potato (peeled): 20 g fiber per 1 medium (3½ inches long)
Hummus or roasted chickpeas: 15 g fiber per ¼ cup (10 g net carbohydrates)
Inulin powder: 5 g fiber per teaspoon
Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) powder: 5 g fiber per teaspoon
Lentils: 2.5 g fiber in ½ cup (11 g net carbohydrates)
Beans: 1.8 g fiber in ¼ cup (11 g net carbohydrates)
We aim for a total prebiotic fiber intake of 20 g per day. The easiest way to accomplish this is to include a coarsely chopped green banana or raw white potato in a smoothie every day. Wheat Belly Detox Shake recipes (see Chapter 5 ) in the 10-Day Menu Plan incorporate the needed quantities of these fibers. Once youâve graduated from your 10-day initiation, you can obtain your fibers by other means than the shakes. Inulin or fructooligosaccharide (FOS) powders, found in health food stores, are an especially convenient way to obtain such fibers. In addition to the convenience of inulin and FOS powders, there are some other convenient commercial products that can be used, listed in Appendix B .
I like to slice or chop a raw potato to include in salads, blend a chopped raw potato or green banana into a smoothie, add a couple of teaspoons of powdered inulin to various dishes, and dip vegetables or grain-free crackers into hummus. Consuming small quantitiesâe.g., no more than ¼ cup per mealâof lentils, chickpeas, and starchy beans (black, kidney, white, lima) adds to your daily total. Root vegetables (onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, maca, celeriac, daikon, and others) likewise add a gram or two of these fibers, but be careful to not exceed your 15 g net carbs per meal, most important during your initial 10-day detox experience and during any weight-loss effort.
You can get creative with ways to include prebiotic fibers in your daily routine, even slipping them into your familyâs diet. For example, slice a green banana into 1-inch pieces and dip the slices into 4 ounces (one bar) of melted 85 percent cocoa dark chocolate. (Use waxed paper to keep the chocolate from sticking to the plate and store in the refrigerator to keep the banana from ripening; theyâre good for about 3 days.) These chocolate-covered banana bites provide 3 to 4 g prebiotic fibers per bite. Add inulin or FOS fibers to dishes such as Apricot Ginger âGranolaâ . Or, for the kids, pour a glass of coconut milk and add unsweetened cocoa powder, a few drops of liquid stevia, and 1 teaspoon inulin or FOS. As you get comfortable with the sources of these fibers and begin to appreciate the power of this bowel flora-supporting strategy, you will see that there are many opportunities throughout the day to supplement your intake.
An important precaution: Start slowly at no more than 10 g prebiotic fibers. Only use, for instance, about half of the green banana or half of the raw potato in your smoothie to start, and build up over the 10-day detox period, or else abdominal discomfort and excessive gas can
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