cashew and cacao smoothie

This simple smoothie is a great little gut-supporting drink. I use cashew butter because it’s a good source of resistant starch (a prebiotic), which means it helps to feed the good bacteria in your microbiome. Banana is also a source of resistance starch, especially if it’s a little under-ripe. If you choose a riper banana it will be sweeter, but it’s resistant starch content will be lower, meaning that it’s a less valuable source of prebiotics to feed your beneficial gut bacteria.

The research is still unfolding, but it appears that collagen may help to support gut permeability and protect against leaky gut syndrome, as well reducing gut inflammation. If you’re eating plenty of bone broths and animal skin, you may not need any further collagen in your diet. If not, a collagen powder added to smoothies can be a helpful supplement.