Food swaps for digestion: Should you have ice water or hot lemon tea, juice, or smoothie?

According to a nutritionist, smoothies have some additional nutrients since the vitamin-rich fibrous pulp is not eliminated

healthy eating, healthy foods, healthy drinks, healthy food choices, digestive health, gut health, digestive swaps for gut health, healthy food alternatives, indian express newsLemon and ginger both include plant chemicals that may help relieve minor stomach aches caused by indigestion, said a nutritionist. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)
If you are someone who faces digestion issues, know that it could primarily be because of the food choices you make. In order to maintain gut health, one needs to consider some healthy options, which includes knowing what to pick over another.

Nutritionist Bhakti Kapoor explained in one of her recent Instagram posts that while certain food and drink options are more popular, they do not really do much for digestive health, and one should consciously swap them for something that is healthier in nature.

She listed some examples, starting with the first digestive swap between ice water and hot lemon/ginger tea. The expert mentioned in the accompanying caption that one of the primary reasons to avoid drinking chilly water is because it has a negative impact on digestion.

“Cold beverages, such as chilled water, constrict blood vessels and impair digestion. When you drink chilly water, the natural process of absorbing nutrients during digestion is hampered,” Kapoor wrote. She further explained that the combination of lemon, ginger, and water in lemon-ginger tea may help with indigestion. “Lemon and ginger both include plant chemicals that may help relieve minor stomach aches caused by indigestion.”

The next swap that she talked about was between cold-pressed oil and inflammatory (refined) oil. According to the expert, one must opt for cold-pressed oils since they are rich in “important fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin C, and other beneficial fats”, and because they “retain the potency of their components and keep them in their natural form”.

Next, instead of pasta/refined grains, choose vegetable noodles. “Veggie noodles are a good gluten-free option for reducing carbs found in pasta, but they also provide a more complete set of nutrients, such as vitamin A (good for vision and the immune and inflammatory systems), C (an antioxidant that is good for skin and bones), E (good for heart health), K (good for blood and bone health), and fibre (good for digestion and cardiovascular health),” Kapoort wrote.

Pasta noodles, she explained, contain none of these nutrients. “Zucchini, carrot, sweet potato, turnip, broccoli, parsnip and squash are some examples of vegetable noodles.”

Which is healthier, juices or smoothies? According to the nutritionist, smoothies have some additional nutrients since the vitamin-rich fibrous pulp is not eliminated. “Smoothies can be an excellent source of important nutrients, minerals, and phytochemicals as a snack or as an addition to a meal, especially if a variety of fruits and vegetables are utilised,” she said.