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Gastroenterologist and the author of Gut Renovation, Dr. Roshini Raj, explains that there's a connection between how we age (both externally and internally) and our gut health. "There's a concept called 'inflammaging', which means as we age, we accumulate more inflammation in our body." This inflammation is directly correlated to skin wrinkling and skin conditions, which are linked to aging. "But, there's actually something you can do about your overall inflammation and it really does start in your gut."
For optimal anti-aging, Dr. Raj suggests eating these foods to promote gut health.
In the Morning...Try Coffee with Cinnamon
"Something like coffee can actually reduce your risk of death by three to four percent. Coffee itself is very healthy, it contains phytonutrients, which act as antioxidants, and are great for fighting free radicals that damage your cells and cause aging. It's also great for your gut healthy bacteria, it fosters the growth of good bacteria," explains Dr. Raj.
To make your coffee even better for your gut, add some spice to the grounds, the doc says. "We know that spices have a variety of phytonutrients—and cinnamon actually has 11 different types of phytonutrients," says Dr. Raj. "And what's great about cinnamon is when you use it, you don't need as much sugar." By adding cinnamon to your coffee, you'll get that added dose of spice every single day.
For a Snack...Go For Garlic Popcorn
"Popcorn is a great source of fiber, which means it's important for your gut. So, I love to snack on popcorn, and then I just add garlic powder to give that delicious flavor," explains Dr. Raj. "Garlic itself is a prebiotic—a prebiotic is something that fuels the growth of probiotics—so it's going to give you energy and provide food to your healthy bacteria to allow them to grow and be more balanced," Dr. Raj explains. Garlic popcorn is a snack we can absolutely get behind—get Dr. Raj's recipe here.
For Dessert...Homemade Frozen Yogurt
"I have a sweet tooth like many people out there, but we want to reduce sugar as much as we can—especially processed or refined sugar, because that is damaging to your gut lining and to your healthy bacteria. It promotes unhealthy bacteria, not the good bacteria," explains Dr. Raj. "So instead of regular ice cream, I go for yogurt. We know yogurt is a great source of probiotics with live and active cultures. I like to make my own frozen yogurt with frozen berries. So, I'm adding frozen berries, yogurt, a little drop of vanilla and a tiny squeeze of honey for some sweetness. And then blend it up. It comes out like delicious ice cream," Dr. Raj says. Get Dr. Raj's Homemade Frozen Yogurt recipe here. Yum!