Yet the most useful advice is considerably less exotic. Eat enough fibre<\/a>. Vary the plants<\/a> on your plate. Drink water<\/a>. Move your body. Get some sleep. Above all, keep doing those things rather than attempting to transform your diet overnight.<\/p>\n That is the thinking behind this year\u2019s Love Your Gut Week<\/a>, which runs from 14-20 September and focuses on the relationship between the digestive system and wider everyday wellbeing. Central to it is the gut microbiome<\/a> \u2013 the vast community of microorganisms, including bacteria, that live in the digestive tract. No two are exactly alike: diet, lifestyle, sleep, stress, age and environment can all influence their makeup.<\/p>\n For most of us, of course, interest in the gut starts somewhere rather more tangible: bloating, an unhappy stomach or a digestive system that suddenly seems to have developed opinions of its own. But researchers are increasingly interested in how the gut communicates with other parts of the body too, through connections commonly described as gut axes.<\/p>\n \u201cGood health often begins with the gut, with small, repeatable choices that support the microbiome and help your body feel more balanced day to day,\u201d says registered dietitian Jo Travers. \u201cBecause the gut communicates with different parts of the body through what are often described as \u2018gut axes\u2019 \u2013 including the gut-brain, gut-immune, gut-skin, gut-metabolic and gut-hormone \u2013 it can play a role in areas such as energy, immunity, mood, skin and hormonal balance.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of those relationships are already familiar, even if we have never given them a scientific name. Butterflies before a job interview, losing your appetite when stressed or finding your digestion goes awry during a particularly frantic week are everyday examples of the two-way communication between gut and brain. The gut also plays an important role in the immune system, while digestion itself affects how the body breaks down food<\/a>, absorbs nutrients and releases energy.<\/p>\n None of which means dinner needs to become a microbiology experiment. Travers\u2019 advice for supporting the gut is strikingly ordinary, beginning with fibre. Wholegrains, beans, lentils, chickpeas, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds all supply it, helping food move through the digestive system while also providing fuel for beneficial bacteria. Different fibres behave differently in the gut, which is another reason to eat a range of fibre-rich foods rather than fixating on one supposedly miraculous ingredient.<\/p>\n The important word, though, is gradually. A sudden enthusiasm for bran, beans and lentils can be rather less pleasant than the wellness industry might have you believe. \u201cIt is understandable to want quick results, but the gut generally prefers consistency,\u201d Travers says. \u201cGoing from a low-fibre diet to a very high-fibre diet overnight can cause discomfort. Start gradually, drink enough fluids and give your body time to adapt.\u201d<\/p>\n Fluids matter because fibre needs them to do its job properly, while movement can help food travel through the digestive system. Sleep and stress deserve some attention too: poor sleep can disrupt the microbiome and many people notice changes in appetite, bloating or bowel habits when life becomes particularly busy or anxious. Travers\u2019 seven-day gut-health guide deliberately treats all of these as small adjustments rather than a programme demanding wholesale reinvention \u2013 a glass of water before your morning coffee, a 10-minute walk after lunch or a calmer evening routine all count.<\/p>\n Food, meanwhile, is less about hunting down specialist \u201cgut-friendly\u201d products than making greater use of what is already readily available. Different gut bacteria thrive on different plant foods, so variety is useful: vegetables and fruit, certainly, but also wholegrains, pulses, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Frozen and tinned produce counts just as readily as fresh, which is welcome news for anyone without the time, budget or inclination to maintain a fridge resembling a greengrocer\u2019s display.<\/p>\n \u201cConvenience matters,\u201d Travers says. \u201cGut-friendly eating is much easier when you have simple ingredients ready to go. Tinned, frozen and store-cupboard foods can be just as helpful as fresh ingredients when life is busy.\u201d<\/p>\n That is also where the idea of \u201cplant points\u201d can be useful, provided it is treated as encouragement rather than another target to fail at. A pepper, handful of herbs, spoonful of seeds or portion of beans all help broaden the range of plants in a meal. The four recipes<\/a> below do much the same without turning supper into homework: roast cabbage<\/a> comes with mixed grains, red pepper and a herb-packed chermoula; cod sits on peas, broad beans and cannellini beans; pearled spelt is folded through broccoli, peas, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach; while chicken tagine brings together wholewheat couscous, courgette, almonds, pomegranate and herbs.<\/p>\n A healthy gut is not something you complete in a week. As Travers puts it: \u201cA reset should feel supportive, not punishing. It is not about cutting everything out \u2013 it is about building more of the habits that help your gut and wider wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n A 7-day gut health reset<\/p>\n Day 1: Make one fibre swap<\/p>\n Start small rather than attempting a complete diet overhaul. Swap white rice for brown rice or another wholegrain, add chickpeas to a salad or top yoghurt with nuts and berries. Increase fibre gradually and make sure you are drinking enough alongside it.<\/p>\n Day 2: Add more colour<\/p>\n Different plant foods provide different nutrients and fibres, so variety is useful. Aim to bring more vegetables, fruit, pulses, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices into meals \u2013 frozen and tinned options count too.<\/p>\n Day 3: Hydrate before you caffeinate<\/p>\n Fluids help digestion and allow fibre to do its job properly. Travers suggests starting the morning with a glass of water before tea or coffee and keeping water within reach during the day.<\/p>\n Day 4: Take a walk<\/p>\n Even gentle movement can help food move through the digestive system. If regular exercise feels daunting, start with a 10-minute walk after lunch.<\/p>\n Day 5: Think consistency, not quick fixes<\/p>\n Supporting the gut is also part of supporting normal immune function. Travers advises focusing on everyday habits rather than dramatic interventions, alongside the usual autumn and winter vitamin D advice.<\/p>\n Day 6: Give your gut a calmer evening<\/p>\n Stress, poor sleep and irregular routines can all affect digestion. Try one simple wind-down habit, whether that is switching screens off earlier, preparing breakfast for the next day or taking a few minutes to decompress.<\/p>\n Day 7: Find what you can actually stick to<\/p>\n The aim is not to \u201ccomplete\u201d gut health<\/a> in a week, but to identify habits that feel realistic enough to keep. As Travers puts it: \u201cThe best gut habits are the ones you can keep doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Roast cabbage with chermoula<\/p>\n Golden roast savoy cabbage wedges are served on a bed of mixed grains and red pepper, then finished with a punchy homemade chermoula made from parsley, coriander, lemon, garlic, chilli and spices. It\u2019s colourful, simple and ideal as a plant-forward main or side.<\/p>\n Jo\u2019s gut friendly hero ingredient: \u201cCabbage is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, alongside broccoli, radish, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. It provides fibre, which supports healthy digestion and helps feed beneficial gut bacteria.<\/p>\n \u201cCruciferous vegetables also contain natural plant compounds, which can reduce inflammation and support the gut lining.<\/p>\n \u201cPaired with mixed grains, red pepper, herbs, garlic and spices, this recipe delivers 6.5 plant points – helping add variety, fibre and flavour to your plate.\u201d<\/p>\n Serves: 4<\/p>\n Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes<\/p>\n Plant points: 6.5<\/p>\n Ingredients:<\/p>\n For the chermoula sauce:<\/p>\n 25g parsley, roughly chopped<\/p>\n 25g coriander, roughly chopped<\/p>\n Zest and juice 1 lemon<\/p>\n 3 cloves garlic<\/p>\n 1 green chilli, roughly sliced<\/p>\n 1 tsp ground cumin<\/p>\n \u00bd tsp smoked paprika<\/p>\n 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<\/p>\n For the cabbage wedges: <\/p>\n 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<\/p>\n 1 whole savoy cabbage, cut into 4 wedges<\/p>\n 500g pouches mixed grains (or 2 x 250g pouches mixed grains)<\/p>\n 1 red pepper, diced<\/p>\n 250ml hot vegetable stock <\/p>\n Method:<\/p>\n 1. Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6.<\/p>\n 2. To make the chermoula sauce, place the herbs, lemon (zest and juice), garlic, chilli, spices and 2 tbsp oil in a food processor and blitz to a coarse paste.<\/p>\n 3. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and fry the cabbage wedges for 2 minutes each side, in 2 batches, until golden.<\/p>\n 4. Put the grains and red pepper in a large roasting tin, top with the cabbage wedges and pour over the hot stock. Drizzle the chermoula over the wedges and roast for 20 minutes until tender.<\/p>\n Cook\u2019s tip: Serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of extra paprika. Grains can be swapped with cooked brown basmati rice. Try using chopped chives instead of coriander.<\/p>\n Curried cod with crushed peas and beans with sweet potato wedges <\/p>\n A flavour-packed dinner combining Madras-spiced cod with sweet potato wedges and a crushed pea, broad bean and cannellini bean mash. It\u2019s a good example of how gut-friendly ingredients can be built into familiar, fuss-free meals.<\/p>\n Jo\u2019s gut friendly hero ingredient: \u201cCannellini beans are a versatile store cupboard ingredient and an easy way to add more fibre and plant-based protein and variety to meals. Fibre helps support healthy digestion, promotes fullness and feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here, the cannellini beans are blended with peas and broad beans to create a simple, creamy base, while the cod adds lean protein for a balanced, satisfying and easy midweek meal.\u201d<\/p>\n Serves: 2<\/p>\n Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes<\/p>\n Plant points: 4.5<\/p>\n Ingredients:<\/p>\n 1 medium sweet potato, cut into wedges<\/p>\n 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<\/p>\n 2 cod fillets<\/p>\n 1 tbsp Madras curry paste<\/p>\n 100g frozen peas<\/p>\n 100g frozen baby broad beans<\/p>\n 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed <\/p>\n Method:<\/p>\n 1. Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6.<\/p>\n 2. Toss the potato wedges in oil on a large baking tray and cook for 20 minutes.<\/p>\n 3. Spread the cod with the Madras paste, place on a small piece of baking parchment and add to the tray with the potatoes, turn the wedges over and bake for a further 10 minutes.<\/p>\n 4. Cook the peas and broad beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and allow to cool slightly. Tip into food processor with the cannellini beans and blitz to a coarse paste; season to taste.<\/p>\n 5. Serve the cod on top of the crushed pea mixture, with the wedges alongside.<\/p>\n Cook\u2019s tip: Swap the cod for haddock or any other sustainably sourced white fish.<\/p>\n Green spelt risotto<\/p>\n A green, vegetable-packed take on risotto using pearled spelt, broccoli, peas, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan and mixed seeds. It\u2019s comforting while still packed with plants, making it a strong fit for hitting your recommended 30 plant points a day.<\/p>\n Jo\u2019s gut friendly hero ingredient: \u201cSpelt is an ancient grain that brings a nutty flavour, satisfying bite and useful plant-based nutrients to this comforting risotto. It contains fibres, to help food move through the gut more easily, over time helping to feed good bacteria, plant protein and minerals including magnesium, that supports a balance, making it a nourishing alternative to traditional risotto rice.<\/p>\n \u201cVarying the grains you eat is also a simple way to increase plant diversity across the week. Paired with broccoli, peas, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and seeds, this recipe delivers 7.25 plant points – helping add colour, texture and variety to your plate.\u201d<\/p>\n Serves: 4<\/p>\n Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes<\/p>\n Plant points: 7.25<\/p>\n Ingredients:<\/p>\n 300g broccoli florets<\/p>\n 200g frozen peas<\/p>\n 1 tbsp oil<\/p>\n 150g button mushrooms, halved<\/p>\n 2 cloves garlic, crushed<\/p>\n 250g pearled spelt<\/p>\n 500ml hot vegetable stock<\/p>\n 200g cherry tomatoes<\/p>\n 100g baby spinach<\/p>\n 50g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated<\/p>\n 1 tbsp mixed seeds <\/p>\n Method:<\/p>\n 1. Cook the broccoli and peas in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and cool under cold water. Reserve 100g of each and set aside. Puree the remaining vegetables in a food processor to create a coarse paste.<\/p>\n 2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms and garlic for 2 minutes, add in the spelt and then the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.<\/p>\n 3. Add in the vegetable puree and tomatoes; cook for a further 5-8 minutes.<\/p>\n 4. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, then add the reserved broccoli and peas and the Parmesan, season to taste.<\/p>\n 5. Serve sprinkled with the mixed seeds and extra grated Parmesan.<\/p>\n Cook\u2019s tip: Try using frozen broccoli instead of fresh. This meal can be made ahead and divided into portions ready for freezing.<\/p>\n Pomegranate, almond and chicken tagine<\/p>\n A vibrant, gently spiced chicken tagine with onion, courgette, spinach, almonds, pomegranate seeds, mint, coriander and wholewheat couscous. It feels special enough for the weekend but is still achievable for a midweek meal.<\/p>\n Jo\u2019s gut friendly hero ingredient: \u201cWholewheat couscous is a quick, fibre-rich base that helps make this tagine feel hearty and satisfying. As a wholegrain, it also provides useful nutrients including B vitamins and minerals, such as selenium that fights gut inflammation and aids gentle digestion, while helping add more variety to the grains eaten across the week.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this dish, it\u2019s paired with vegetables, herbs, almonds and pomegranate seeds, adding colour, crunch and plant diversity. Together, the ingredients deliver 6.5 plant points \u2013 making this a simple way to bring more texture, flavour and gut-friendly goodness to the plate.\u201d<\/p>\n Serves: 4<\/p>\n Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes<\/p>\n Plant points: 6.5<\/p>\n Ingredients:<\/p>\n 1 tbsp oil<\/p>\n 600g chicken breast fillets, diced<\/p>\n 1 onion, chopped<\/p>\n 100g tagine paste<\/p>\n 250ml pomegranate juice<\/p>\n 1 courgette, diced<\/p>\n 100g baby spinach<\/p>\n 30g toasted flaked almonds<\/p>\n 50g pomegranate seeds<\/p>\n 4 sprigs mint, leaves chopped<\/p>\n \u00bd pack (25g) coriander, leaves chopped<\/p>\n 250g wholewheat couscous <\/p>\n Method:<\/p>\n 1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken and onion for 6-7 minutes until golden. Add the tagine paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the pomegranate juice and simmer for 5-8 minutes.<\/p>\n 2. Add the courgette, spinach, almonds and half the pomegranate seeds and cook until the spinach has wilted. Season and stir in half the herbs.<\/p>\n 3. Meanwhile, place the couscous in a small bowl and add 300ml boiling water, cover and set aside for 5 minutes, fluff up with a fork.<\/p>\n 4. Serve the tagine with the couscous sprinkled with the remaining herbs and pomegranate seeds.<\/p>\n Cook\u2019s tip: Try adding a chopped red chilli for a kick of heat or serve with warmed flatbread, instead of couscous, with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.<\/p>\n Love Your Gut Week runs from 14-20 September 2026. This year\u2019s theme is Good Health Begins in the Gut, exploring how gut health can support wider everyday wellbeing, from mood and immunity to energy, skin and hormonal comfort. For more gut health advice, recipes and resources, visit loveyourgut.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":770267,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-770266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-nutrition","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/770266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=770266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/770266\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/770267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=770266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=770266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=770266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Roast](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gut-recipes-cabbage.jpeg\")
Roast savoy cabbage gets a gut-friendly boost from mixed grains, herbs and spices (Love Your Gut)<\/p>\n![\"Madras-spiced](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gut-recipes-curried-cod.jpeg\")
Madras-spiced cod with sweet potato and a fibre-rich mash of peas, broad beans and cannellini beans (Love Your Gut)<\/p>\n![\"Pearled](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gut-recipes-risotto.jpeg\")
Pearled spelt, broccoli, peas, mushrooms and seeds make this risotto big on plant variety (Love Your Gut)<\/p>\n![\"Chicken](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gut-recipes-tagine.jpeg\")
Chicken tagine with wholewheat couscous, almonds, pomegranate and plenty of herbs (Love Your Gut)<\/p>\n