The Ultimate Guide to Fresh Juice for Gut Health

The gut is considered the body’s second brain. This is because the gut contains neurotransmitters that impact the immune system, metabolism, mood, hormonal balance, and other essential bodily functions. Juicing for gut health is one way to promote a diverse microbiome. 

In addition to gut health, adding freshly squeezed juice to your menu supports the growing trend of functional nutrition. Consumers pay more for functional foods and beverages, making your gut-healthy juice a high profit margin menu item for your restaurant or hotel.

What juice is the best for gut health?

There’s not a single juice or ingredient that is better for the gut than others. However, some fruits and veggies contain more digestion-friendly micronutrients than others. These micronutrients come from enzymes, antioxidants, and fiber.

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of soluble and insoluble fiber. This is important because fiber feeds and fuels gut flora. There are trillions of bacteria in the gut, from thousands of strains. Nutrient diversity is key to growing, maintaining, and promoting healthy microbial balance.

So, create recipes with a diverse range of nutrients.

Juice ingredients

Consider combining the ingredients and add-ins below when creating juice recipes that support gut health. Prioritize organic produce, as the pesticides on fruits and vegetables may disrupt your microbiome.

• Celery: Celery is high in anti-inflammatory antioxidants and is a source of prebiotics, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber.
• Papaya: Papaya contains fiber and the digestive enzyme papain. Papain improves digestion by helping the body break down carbohydrates and proteins.
• Pineapple: Pineapple contains fiber, prebiotics, and the digestive enzyme bromelain. Bromelain improves digestion by helping the body break down proteins.
• Plum or prunes: Plums and prunes (dried plums) contain sorbitol. This is a sugar alcohol that draws water into the colon, providing a mild laxative effect.
• Carrot: Carrots contain prebiotic fiber. Prebiotics help your body grow new bacteria to promote microbial diversity.
• Lemon: In addition to the prebiotic pectin, lemons stimulate the production of bile. This aids the body in breaking down fat and eliminating excess cholesterol.
• Mint: Mint is antispasmodic, meaning that it may ease cramps, bloating, gas, and other digestive discomfort.
• Leafy greens: One of the many reasons green juice is popular, is because it’s nutrient-dense and supports gut health.

Optional juice add-ins

Stir, shake, or pulse the upsells below into recipes that support juicing for digestion. If you pulse in a blender, only pulse a few times. Blending juice whips air, creating and accelerating oxidation.

• Apple cider vinegar: ACV (with the mother in the bottle) is an excellent juice add-in. It infuses juice with gut-healthy bacteria produced during the fermentation process.
• Aloe vera gel: Another optional add-in, aloe supports nutrient absorption, helps the body digest sugar and fat, detoxifies, and soothes digestive inflammation.
• Ginger: Fresh and dried ginger contains gingerol, a compound that promotes efficient digestion. It may also help with bloating, gas, and inflammation.
• Fiber powder: Add juice to a blender and pulse it a few times with a soluble or insoluble fiber powder.
• Fiber-infused protein: If you’re going to offer fiber as an add-in, select a variety that has at least a few grams of fiber to support gut health.
• Cumin: Dried spices are an increasingly popular juice add-in. Cumin has anti-inflammatory properties. It supports healthy bacteria growth and inhibits unhealthy bacteria growth.
• Coriander: Coriander stimulates your body to produce enzymes that aid in digestion. It may also ease bloating and digestive inflammation.

If you serve bottled juice, consider creating a juice-infused Kefir water, that is fizzy and fermented.

What is the number one drink for gut health?

Hydration in general is key to gut health. Proper hydration promotes nutrient absorption and gut health.

• Water: Most hydration should come from flat or sparkling water and unsweetened herbal tea.
• Juice: Freshly squeezed juice provides hydration with vitamins, minerals, and gut-healthy compounds.
• Bone broth: You can buy or make bone broth to add to soup and other recipes or to serve as a nutrient-dense and gut-healthy beverage.
• Bottled fermented beverages: Consider adding kombucha, Kefir, fiber-infused sparkling water, and other functional beverages to your menu.

What type of juicer is best for gut health?

Health-savvy consumers know what to ask for when it comes to juicing for gut health. They prefer cold pressed juice. Cold pressing juice preserves more digestive enzymes than other juicing methods. The Zumex Mastery juicer is the gold standard in cold press juicing technology.

If a cold press isn’t right for you, we offer a premium range of juicers to meet your needs in budget, size, flavor, efficiency, and quality.

Reach out to learn more!