Gut Health Recipes: Five Fermented

Gut Health Foods

To Keep Your Digestion Optimal This Summer

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is one of the most accessible and well-studied foods for gut health. It is made by fermenting milk with bacterial cultures, primarily Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which are also among the most thoroughly researched probiotic strains.

What it does for your body

Consuming yoghurt may support digestive health by relieving many of the digestive symptoms suffered by many Indians worldwide. It helps in managing chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Yoghurt has probiotics that help keep a balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the digestive tract. Yoghurt is also high in calcium, protein, selenium, and B12.

How to consume it and how often

It is recommended that adults consume one to two servings of yoghurt per day to maintain gut health. This translates to about 250 to 500 grams of yoghurt daily. There’s also ample protein in dahi or yoghurt, so you can use it to meet your daily protein quota. Always choose plain, unsweetened yoghurt with live and active cultures, for flavoured or fruit yoghurts often contain added sugars that counteract the benefits. 

Kanji

One of India's oldest fermented beverages that functions as a probiotic drink long before the word probiotic existed, it is the best gut health food, or rather drink for summer. It is a traditional North Indian drink prepared through natural fermentation. It is traditionally made with black carrots, water, and spices, and is commonly consumed as a digestif.

What it does for your body

The fermentation process of kanji produces natural probiotics that help replenish beneficial bacteria in the gut. This improves digestion and helps with nutrient absorption. Kanji is a natural detoxifier, with antioxidants that help flush out toxins from the body. Kanji is also a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, and manganese.

How to consume it and how often

You can safely have 100-150 ml, and it is really good for your gut health since it is naturally probiotic. Start with a small glass the first time around, a quarter cup, as your gut needs to adjust to the probiotics, especially if you are new to fermented foods. Kanji is typically drunk before meals as an appetiser or digestive aid, ideally on an empty stomach or before lunch.

Buttermilk

Chaas, or chhachh, is arguably the most ubiquitous gut-health drink in the subcontinent during summer, especially across the hot plains. Made by diluting curd with water and spicing it with cumin, ginger, salt, and mint, it is light, hydrating, and probiotic.

What it does for your body

Buttermilk helps maintain regular bowel movements and relieves constipation, according to research. The probiotics in buttermilk also aid digestion and gut health, promoting nutrient absorption and easing common summer woes like bloating and indigestion. Buttermilk is also a natural source of electrolytes, which help replenish fluids lost due to sweating and keep you hydrated.

How to consume it and how often

Consuming one to two glasses of buttermilk per day is considered healthy, but individual needs may vary. In summer, the ideal time to drink chaas is after lunch as it settles the stomach, eases post-meal bloating, and counteracts the heaviness of a midday meal. Having it after lunch improves digestion, mid-afternoon to beat heat fatigue, or after light meals to prevent acidity.

Pakhala

This is a fermented rice dish from Odisha, also consumed across other parts of India. Leftover rice is soaked in water overnight, sometimes with a small amount of curd to accelerate fermentation. It is one of the most culturally significant gut health foods in eastern India.

What it does for your body

Pakhala helps maintain electrolyte balance due to its high potassium content. The fermentation process boosts iron, adds probiotics, and increases resistant starch, which aids digestion, lowers cholesterol, and supports gut health. Research shows that cold-cooked rice forms resistant starch, which slows digestion and helps maintain a gradual release of blood glucose, making it a safe food for diabetics.

How to consume it and how often

Since it is served with water and rice, pakhala helps keep the body hydrated while providing carbohydrates that give it energy to fight the heat. Pakhala is best eaten as a summer lunch. Serve it with fried onions, raw onion slices, green chilli, a squeeze of lemon, and fried fish or sautéed greens on the side. It can be eaten daily during the summer months. When consumed moderately, your health will be at its best.

Pickles 

The distinction between fermented achar and vinegar-based pickles is the difference between a probiotic food and a preserved food with no live cultures. Unlike many Western pickles that rely on vinegar, authentic Indian achar ferments through the action of Lactobacillus bacteria – the same beneficial microbes found in yoghurt and other probiotic powerhouses. 

What it does for your body

Pickles are good for your gut, be it the fermented ones that Indians make or the brined ones, mostly in the West. According to scientific reports, the fermentation process produces healthy bacteria in the pickle, known as probiotics, which aid digestion and improve gut health by making the gut tolerant to harmful bacteria and pathogens. Spices used in traditional achar add anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, in addition to the probiotic benefit.

How to consume it and how often

One teaspoon a day is enough to enjoy all the benefits of eating pickles daily without worrying about excessive salt or oil intake. Eat fermented achar as a small condiment alongside meals – never as a main ingredient, given its high salt content. To ensure you are getting the probiotic benefits, opt for homemade or traditionally fermented achar made without artificial additives.

Why Summer is the Right Time to Start

Fermented foods work particularly well in summer because most of them are naturally cooling, hydrating, and light on the stomach. The fermentation process breaks down food components, making them easier to digest. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with lactose intolerance or other digestive issues. Starting with one or two of these gut health foods and building up gradually rather than adding them all at once.