How Stewed Apples are an Underrated Food for Healing Leaky Gut

We are often reaching for the latest supplement to improve our health, and we forget the medicinal benefits of foods that we reach for often.

If you have researched about leaky gut in the past then I am sure you are familiar with some common foods recommended to seal the gut: bone broth, aloe vera, fermented veggies, ghee, etc.

Leaky gut is a condition in which there's a disruption in the intestinal barrier and an increase in intestinal permeability. This is often caused by food allergies or sensitivities, stress, infections and other environmental factors that damage the intestinal lining. The result is a leaky gut syndrome, which can lead to digestive problems such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation and more serious conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect your gut health — starting with your diet.

A powerful food for healing leaky gut that is drumroll please: Apples, especially applesauce or stewed on the stovetop.

Cooked apples help heal leaky gut and reverse antibiotic damage!

Cooked apples help release pectin, which is a type of soluble fiber. Pectin is great for helping our body’s detoxification and elimination pathways. Pectin also helps reduce inflammation by binding with bile acids found in feces; this prevents them from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream through the intestines. A healthy balance of bile acids has been linked to better intestinal health as well as lower cholesterol levels.

Pectin is also a great source of food for our good gut bugs (probiotics), they then produce SCFAs (short chain fatty acids) that benefit the lining of your colon. In addition, SCFAs promote growth of epithelial cells in the intestines.

The rich source of flavonoids in apples may help our gut health by reducing inflammation in our intestinal tissue.

Cooking apples allows for easier digestion compared to its raw state.

How to make stewed apples?

• Wash your apple well.

• Chop up an organic apple (apples are part of the dirty dozen so I chose to buy organic).

• Saute in some coconut oil or ghee over low heat until they are soft.

• Optional: Add some cinnamon and coconut butter

Some people like to make a bigger batch and cook with water. It is up to you how you would like.

Typically it would be the same method but cook 6 apples in 1 cup of water over low heat until soft. This will take approximately 10-15 minutes.

*Apples are high in FODMAPs so if you are currently on a low FODMAP diet then I’d wait until the reintroduction stage before trying stewed apples.