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While they might not be the most glamorous of produce, root vegetables are familiar, comforting and highly nutritious. They pack in essential minerals such as potassium and manganese, as well as vitamins A and C.
Sadly though, vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and swedes are often misinterpreted and avoided due to their higher carbohydrate content. However, carbohydrates in the form of fibre and starch that are found in whole, natural fruits and vegetables shouldn’t be feared. In fact, these complex carbohydrates are both crucial for gut health.
You see, dietary fibre and resistant starch can’t be digested in the small intestine. Instead, they pass intact through to the large intestine where they are fermented by the bacteria that live in the gut. By-products of this fermentation process are short-chain fatty acids, and these beneficial compounds help to maintain the lining of the gut and provide the cells that line the colon with a food source.
On top of this, these bacteria (often referred to as the gut microbiota) protect us from harmful pathogens that cause sickness, train the immune system in our early years, and contribute to many of our metabolic functions.
Although we don’t yet have a clear picture of all of the mechanisms the trillions of microbes (yes, trillions!) living in our gut are involved in, one thing we do know is that microbial diversity in the gut is associated with positive health outcomes. One way we can increase our microbial diversity is by eating a diverse range of plant foods.
Low FODMAP Root Veg Soup
Equipment
- 1 Food processor or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 medium leeks green parts only
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 medium parsnip
- 1 medium swede
- 1 Tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1/2 Tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander seed
- 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes optional, if tolerated / add more if you like it hot
- 1.5 litres water (~6 cups)
- black pepper to taste
- chopped fresh coriander for garnish
Instructions
- Wash, peel, trim, and dice the vegetables into roughly 1 inch cubes.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the aromatic vegetables (leek tops, and carrots) for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add in the grated ginger, celery salt and other spices, and cook for a further 2 minutes, before adding the remaining vegetables and water.
- Cover the pot and leave to simmer for 20-25 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.
- Remove the soup from the heat and leave to cool for ten minutes before transferring the mixture to a food processor and blending (you may need to work in batches). Alternatively, an immersion blender will do the job.
- Season with black pepper to taste and serve topped with the chopped coriander alongside some crusty sourdough spelt or gluten free bread.
This recipe was originally written for and published in International Therapist magazine.
