Radiate Sunshine by Eating Sunchokes

Years ago, I saw this Instagram post that said something about people who are “sunshine in human form.”

I remember being really struck by this.

There are few things that I love as much as the sun. The warmth, the glow, the energy it provides, the way it signals when the day starts and ends. The way it feels when sunbeams radiate on your face, providing nature’s spotlight directly on you.

When I read that post, I remember thinking, “I’m not sunshine in human form, but I strive to be some day.”

My Bloating Issues

There are a lot of reasons why I wasn’t sunshine in human form.

I was insecure, irritable all the time, and afraid to be myself.

And although there were several causes to this, one big factor was always my gut health.

I had chronic constipation from the time I was 2 years old. By the time I was 18, I was dependent on laxatives. At 19, I had a colonoscopy. By 22, I was getting violently sick most days. By 24, my stomach would bloat out like an inflatable pool toy almost every time I ate.

I hated how round my belly was all the time.

I hated how I could never rely on my body to look a certain way.

I hated how it affected my school, work, and social life.

But more so than anything else, I hated the lack of control I felt over my life.

back when my gut issues were worse, I used to DREAM of being able to throw on whatever I wanted & to feel comfortable. I used to will away hot weather because I wanted to hide my body in oversized sweaters. now that my gut health is so much better, I love feeling good in my body & no longer trying to hide!

Enter: Prebiotics

Around this time, I first started hearing about prebiotics.

I remember thinking “wtf is this shit? I JUST wrapped my mind around probiotics, now there’s a whole new ‘biotic’ to learn about?!”

But boy am I glad I did…

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that your body can't digest, but they’re crucial for your gut health because they act as food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Unlike probiotics, which are live bacteria, prebiotics fuel the growth and activity of these good bacteria. Here’s why they’re so good for your gut:

1. Feed Beneficial Gut Bacteria: Prebiotics, such as inulin, oligosaccharides, and resistant starch, pass through your small intestine undigested and reach your colon, where they become food for your gut bacteria. This process encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria, like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, which support a healthy microbiome.

2. Enhance Digestive Health: A healthy balance of gut bacteria, supported by prebiotics, improves digestion. These fibers help maintain regular bowel movements by increasing stool bulk and promoting proper motility, preventing constipation and discomfort.

3. Promote Short-Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) Production: When gut bacteria ferment prebiotics, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), like butyrate, acetate, and propionate. SCFAs play a vital role in nourishing the cells lining your colon, reducing inflammation, and maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier, which can prevent leaky gut and other digestive issues.

4. Support Immune Function: A well-fed microbiome helps regulate immune responses. Since about 70% of your immune system is housed in your gut, prebiotics can boost immune function by encouraging a healthy, diverse bacterial population, which plays a key role in defending against pathogens and infections.

5. Reduce Inflammation: By promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and SCFA production, prebiotics help reduce inflammation not just in the gut but throughout the body. This can be especially important for preventing chronic diseases linked to inflammation, such as heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers.

6. Improve Mineral Absorption: Prebiotics can also enhance the absorption of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium, which are important for bone health and overall wellness.

In short: prebiotics are the fuel your gut bacteria need to thrive, supporting digestion, gut integrity, immune function, and overall health by maintaining a balanced and healthy microbiome.

like...can you even?!?

This Dish

sunchokes, avocado, raw “pickled” red onions, sunflower greens, lemon dijon dressing, drizzled with basil-olive sauce

The Benefits

good for constipation & bloating. specifically:

• sunchokes are the best natural source of inulin out there! inulin is a prebiotic fiber that passes through your digestive system without being broken down. Instead, it becomes food for the good bacteria in your gut, particularly Bifidobacteria. this helps promote a healthy balance of gut microbes, which is key for digestion, immune function, and even mood regulation

• the high fiber content in sunchokes helps bulk up your stool and supports regular bowel movements, making them great for preventing constipation. because fiber helps draw water into your colon, it also softens the stool, which can relieve bloating and discomfort

• pairing the fiber in sunchokes with healthy fats from olives, olive oil, and avocados helps lubricate your colon and creates a laxative-like effect

• the inulin in sunchokes helps fortify the gut barrier, reducing leaky gut/intestinal permeability; which is one of the primary causes of bloating

• when gut bacteria ferment inulin, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), like butyrate. SCFAs are crucial for gut health because they help nourish the cells lining your colon, reduce inflammation, and support overall digestive health

roasted & chopped sunchokes preparing to get saucy. this Lemon Dijon sauce is 🤤🤤🤤

The Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups sunchokes

• 1/2 avocado

• 1/2 cup quick pickled red onions

• 1/2 cup sunflower greens

• 1/2 cup lemon dijon dressing

• 1/4 cup lemon basil olive sauce

• black pepper to taste

Lemon Dijon Ingredients:

• 2 lemons, peeled

• 4 pitted medjool dates

• 2 tbsp dijon mustard (make sure it has no sugar added)

• 1/4 cup EVOO

• 3 tbsp chickpea or white miso

• 1 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup water

• 4 tbsp grainy mustard

Basil Olive Ingredients:

• 2 lemons

• 10 cloves garlic

• 6 tbsp chickpea or white miso

• 2.5 oz fresh basil

• 5 oz baby spinach

• 1 10.6 oz pitted frescetrano or castelvetrano olives

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tbsp EVOO

Instructions:

1. preheat oven to 425F conv roast

2. roast the sunchokes until they are cooked through, roughly 15-20 min, depending on the size of your bits

3. meanwhile, prep the sauces

   1. for the Lemon Dijon:

      1. peel the lemons

      2. blend everything OTHER THAN the grainy mustard together

      3. once everything is super smooth, pour it into a jar, add the grainy mustard and shake 

   2. for the basil olive:

      1. peel the lemons

      2. strain the olives

      3. blend everything together

4. dice the sunchokes & toss with dijon

5. serve on a plate, drizzle with green sauce, add avo, onions, sunflower greens, and black pepper

edible flowers are completely optional! I add them because I think they're beautiful, and it's a fun way to treat yourself like you are eating at a Michelin star restaurant, but you can totally do without! the green sauce + the onions add so much vibrance that you really don't need much else to make it beautiful!

Links

• I used South River Sweet White Miso

• I love Maille dijon mustard, for grainy mustard I used one from the farmer’s market; but this one is good too! Most mustard is pretty clean ingredient-wise, it’s just that some have sugar added, so double check!

• Hopefully I didn’t miss anything, but just in case, here is a roundup of links to my common recipe ingredients

For More on Gut Health & Bloating

If you want more recipes that will help you debloat & eliminate regularly, I highly recommend checking out my [free] Gut Health Cookbook, which has 5 yummy, gut-friendly, recipes. You can download it here.