I love trying new foods, but just like most people I fall into routines of meals that are both easy and reliable. If you read my most recent nutrition post, The Gut Biome Diet Spotlight, you know that variety in the diet is one of the best ways to encourage and maintain gut microbiome health. To avoid eating literally the same food over and over I regularly switch out ingredients within the same basic idea, thereby creating the "non-recipe, recipe". The Fruit & Quinoa Salad is one such recipe.
Printable Full-Recipe Card
Nutrition Facts
Nutrient Highlight
Excellent source of PROTEIN!
Excellent source of CALCIUM, VITAMIN C and IRON!
Excellent source of FIBER!
Protein
Everyone loves protein right now. Spread it out throughout the day instead of eating large amounts all at once and every cell in your body can enjoy the benefits. Our bodies only take in the protein it needs so there's no need to flood the system.
Iron
Iron is needed for growth and development, AND for moving oxygen through our bodies.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C protects the cells in our bodies, influences our immunity, and is integral when it comes to wound healing and recovery.
Calcium
We most often hear how calcium is related to our bone and teeth health. Calcium ALSO helps our muscles to contract and is integral to our heart functioning properly.
Fiber
We love fiber because while it passes through our body undigested, it simultaneously feeds our gut biome, keeps our gastrointestinal tract healthy and functioning properly, and increases satiation. Oh, and it lowers cholesterol levels and decreases risk of diabetes, heart disease, digestive disorders (like Chron's, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis), and also helps control blood sugar. Whew!
Gut Microbiome Connection
The Quinoa & Fruit Salad is high in fiber, giving all of the microorganisms plenty of work to do which helps increase their population.
The variety of fruits and whole grains help encourage diversity as different bacteria are needed to break down different foods.
Yogurt offers probiotics which can help diversify and increase the bacterial population in the biome.
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