Living by the sea means a lot of beach days, with coffee and picnics, but I am always aware that we need to add some healthy choices in the mix to keep a balance when it comes to ice cream and snacks.

With this in mind, I’m delighted that Nutritional Therapist, Eve Kalinik, a renowned author, podcaster and specialist in gut health is here on YOMU today. Eve has partnered with Remedy Kombucha, the UK’s favourite kombucha brand, to highlight some healthier variations on the nation’s favourite picnic treats – so that your gut will thank you when the sunshine finally comes out to play!

“Picnics are synonymous with summertime and whilst some of the foods and drinks typically featured can be gut-friendly, our hampers can often feature many ultra-processed foods (or UPF’s) and high-sugar drinks. These UPF’s and drinks can contain a multitude of different additives, emulsifiers, refined sugar and high amounts of salt that can compromise the health of our gut. By making some mindful swaps (like switching your sugary fizzy drink for a sugar-free Remedy), not only can we nourish and support our gut microbiome, but we can have fun doing it and find some foods that can be even more delicious than their not-so-gut-loving counterparts.”

Top tips are…

Create ‘Crisps’ with Baked Sliced Root Vegetables
“Rather than using crisps to dip, which can often contain inflammatory oils and high amounts of salt, go for a rainbow of baked root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and beetroot – simply finely slice these types of fibre-dense and colourful root vegetables, and cook them in the oven until crispy. This will provide fibre and polyphenols that help to feed the beneficial microbes in our gut.”

Swap White Bread in Sandwiches for Sourdough
“Sourdough, made in the traditional way via a fermentation process, means that many of the proteins contained in the bread, including gluten, are pre-digested. This makes it easier for us to digest, especially if you find more commercial loaves problematic for your gut. Moreover, during the fermentation process, it produces compounds such as organic acids that also help to support our gut, as well as making many of the vitamins and minerals naturally present in sourdough more easily absorbed.

“White bread, on the other hand, has usually been processed via a very high-speed method, with all the fibre stripped out and often with additives to increase shelf-life.”

Switch Sugary Soft Drinks for a Functional Fizz
“Many fizzy soft drinks contain high amounts of sugar or added artificial sweeteners which can impact on the health of our gut microbiome. There are loads of great alternative options in the shops today which make for a simple swap and can easily be packed in a picnic.

“Kombucha is one of my go-tos, as it also contains sources of live bacteria and yeast (aka a ‘SCOBY’) that can help to support the health of our gut. It’s still worth checking for sugar content though, as some kombuchas can be high in sugar – not like Remedy, which has zero sugar or artificial sweeteners. My favourite flavour is Raspberry Lemonade!”

Opt for a Rainbow Salad instead of a Potato Salad
“While potato salads made from scratch can be tasty, they are not particularly high in fibre and, if using shop-bought, can also contain sugar and other additives. Instead, swap this out for a rainbow salad, using as many different colours as possible. This provides a variety of fibre and polyphenols to help to nourish our gut microbes.

“If the potato salad is non-negotiable, try subbing out white potatoes for sweet potatoes instead. Sweet potatoes are a high source of the antioxidant compound beta-carotene, which can also have a positive impact on our gut microbiome.”

Change Quiche for Vegetable Frittata
“Frittatas are brilliant for food on-the-go and arguably taste even better cold. Try to include at least three types of vegetables to increase diversity of plants. If you also add in some herbs and spices (even the dried ones count), these can also increase the amount of polyphenols which can help to nourish our gut microbes even further.

“Quiche on the other hand is typically based on a milk custard filling and pastry, which doesn’t provide any fibre and is typically lower on the vegetables too. With the shop-bought versions, these can often contain other additives such as emulsifiers and inflammatory oils which are not great for our gut.”

Swap Coleslaw for Sauerkraut
“Whilst you can get differing versions of coleslaw many of the pre-packaged ones contain sugar as well as other additives such as stabilisers which can be problematic for our gut microbes. Swapping this out for sauerkraut which is unpasteurised not only means no sugar or additives, but also crucially provides natural sources of beneficial bacteria and yeast that can be actively supportive for our gut. If you want a little extra kick in your ferment, you can always go for kimchi. Sauerkraut is also very easy to make yourself – here’s a link to my own grandfather’s recipe!”

Swap Cookies for Medjool Dates with Peanut Butter
“Dates have a sumptuous flavour and they are also high in fibre, which is great news for our gut microbes. With their distinctive gooey texture they can also feel indulgent, making them a great alternative to refined sugar laden cookies. Adding a teaspoon of peanut butter (or other nut butter of your choice) as a filling gives them an even more decadent feel and, because they are so filling, you only need two or three to feel perfectly satisfied.”

Processed ‘junk’ Chocolate for Dark Chocolate
“Dark chocolate, or more specifically cocoa, is one of the highest sources of polyphenols, which can have a positive effect on the health of our gut microbiome. The higher the better but aiming for 70% and over would be ideal. There is literally no comparison with this; many of the highly processed ‘junk’ chocolate will often contain sugar as the predominant ingredient over cocoa. Plus, the cocoa used isn’t typically very high in concentration, so the polyphenols themselves would be negligible.”

Choose Strawberries and Full Fat Natural Greek Yogurt instead of Strawberry Ice Cream
“Natural Greek yogurt contains microbes that are believed to be beneficial for our gut, while opting for full fat means it gives us more of a satiety factor. Pair this with strawberries for extra fibre and vitamin C which are also both crucial for our gut health. Ice-cream is mostly made up of sugar and milk or cream, so it doesn’t have any of the same benefits and, with the flavoured ones, usually doesn’t mean actual strawberries - but flavourings and colourings as well as many additives.”

To find out more about Remedy Kombucha, visit Remedydrinks.co.uk or follow the story at Instagram.com/remedydrinks/