5 of the best

GUT-FRIENDLY DRINKS

DIETITIAN Noor Al Refae tells MANDY FRANCIS about five of the best drinks for a healthy gut.

NO.1 LIVING KOMBUCHA GINGER WITH TURMERIC 275ml, £1.50, sainsburys.co.uk. Per 100ml: Calories, 17; saturated fat, 0g; sugar, 4.1g; salt, 0.03g A FERMENTED drink made with green tea, a culture of gut-friendly bacteria and yeasts, including saccharomyces, plus sugar, which is needed for the fermentation of bacteria in the drink.

PUKKA MAJESTIC MATCHA CHAI

90g, £7.99, farmdrop.com. Per 100g: Calories, 391; saturated fat, 8.9g; sugar, 4.2g; salt, 0.06g THIS contains matcha (powdered green tea leaves), coconut milk powder and spices. Matcha contains more protective antioxidants than black and regular green tea. It also contains inulin, which acts as a prebiotic, feeding ‘good’ gut bacteria.

TEAPIGS PEPPERMINT TEA

15 bags, £4.15, supermarkets. Per 100ml: Calories 0; saturated fat, 0g; sugar, 0g; salt, 0g RESEARCH shows peppermint oil has anti-spasmodic properties, helping to relax the digestive system. Although these studies used much larger doses of peppermint oil than found in a cup of peppermint tea, this sugar-free drink is far more gentle on the gut than caffeinated tea and coffee.

BIOTIFUL KEFIR ORIGINAL

250ml, £1.45, tesco.com Per 100ml: Calories, 58; saturated fat, 1.9g; sugar, 3.7g; salt, 0.1g THIS fermented drink is made from milk, gut-friendly bacteria and yeast cultures. While similar to yoghurt, kefir offers a much more diverse selection of potentially beneficial bacteria and yeast cultures — up to 40 strains.

RED WINE

Per 100ml: Calories, 85; saturated fat, 0g; sugar, 0.62g; salt, 0g NEW research suggests the polyphenols (antioxidant plant chemicals) in red wine may act as fuel for the useful microbes in our gut, as well as benefiting the heart.