A health enthusiast has revealed the ‘one key ingredient’ that could be absent from your healthcare routine, potentially helping you fend off illnesses this winter.
As we enter the season where many of us start to fall ill due to colds, flu and other diseases that peak during the colder months, it’s important to find ways to bolster our immune systems and improve our chances of warding off infection.
One method is eating a healthy diet to support our bodies. The Happy Pear, a pair of plant-based recipe developers, took to Instagram to share a tip for supporting gut health and reducing susceptibility to illness.
“Don’t eat this if you [don’t] care about gut health,” they advised, showing off a healthy home-cooked meal. “You might be missing one key ingredient to keep colds and flus at bay this winter.”
They then explained that the ‘missing ingredient’ in many people’s diets is ‘diversity of plants’. “70% of your immune system lives in your gut,” they highlighted.
“It’s recommended to eat 30 different plant-based foods a week to feed your gut bacteria and strengthen your immune system.”
They then shared a recipe for a chickpea, chard and coriander curry that takes just 15 minutes to prepare but includes 17 different types of plants – more than half the weekly recommended amount all in one dish.
In the caption, they wrote: “One of the keys to gut health is to eat a DIVERSITY of plants, according to the American Gut Project, It’s recommended to eat 30 different plant-based foods a week to feed your gut bacteria and strengthen your immune system.”
They noted that “only 1 in 250 people” consume the suggested 30 plant varieties weekly.
To make the curry, you will need:
- 2 tins chickpeas
- 1 onion
- 1/2 thumb size piece of ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 red chilli
- 1 bunch rainbow chard 100g
- handfu; baby spinach
- handful fresh coriander
- handful fresh fennel fronds if available
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin coconut mik
- 2 tbsp tamari
- pinch of salt
Method:
- Peel and finely dice the onion, ginger and garlic. Finely slice the stalks of the rainbow chard and roughly chop the leaves. Finely dice the coriander and the fennel fronds.
- Heat a wide-bottomed pan on high heat, then ad 1 tsp of oil and the onion and ginger, fry for three to four minutes until the onions start to brown.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the cumin seeds and the rest of the spices, followed by the garlic. Fry for another two minutes, mixing regularly.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the pan along with the chard stalks, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, and tamari and bring to a boil, stirring regularly.
- Reduce to a simmer and season with salt and pepper and juice of the lime. Finish the dish with the fresh coriander and fennel fronds.
- Serve with some pickled cabbage or red onion and your favourite grain, such as rice.
For more recipes, visit the Happy Pear website here.