Probiotic everything!

WHAT IS IT?

Say bye to bloating and hello to a flatter, happier tummy because healing our gut from the inside out is still trending everywhere.

“Probiotic-rich favourite foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha,” says nutritionist and Supercharge Your Gut author Lee Holmes.

THE BENEFITS

“Probiotics help balance and grow gut microflora, which in turn supports positive moods, boosts energy and helps produce other essential nutrients,” adds Lee, before warning newbies about the early days. “Some sensitive tummies can suffer from gas and bloating when consuming probiotic-rich foods initially so it's important to start off with a teaspoon and build up from there.”

WHAT IS IT?

Despite many of us avoiding high-fat foods, 2018 is embracing them thanks to the Keto diet – a low-carb, high-fat way of eating.

“You eat lots of vegetables that grow above the ground like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus, as well as eggs, meat, fish and chicken,” says Cayte. “The diet also allows for healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and butter.

It’s best to avoid fruit, starchy carbs (generally vegetables that grow beneath the ground such as potatoes and yams), as well as pasta, bread and rice, and sugar along with sugar substitutes. Lollies, ice-cream, cake, alcohol and soft drinks are also no-nos.”

THE BENEFITS

“The proven benefits of a Keto diet include mental clarity and better focus, increased energy, weight loss, blood-sugar control, improved insulin resistance and even a reduction in acne,” says dietitian Hayley Blieden.

And because you’ve ditched those carbs, your body burns up stored fat for energy instead, a process known as ketosis. “When in ketosis, the body produces ketones, which act as natural appetite suppressants,” says dietitian Kate Save.