Digestion – What You Should Be Teaching Your Kids
October 23, 2023
Written By: Eva Papadogiorgaki
First Things First
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I’m about easy, nutritious, filling and most of all simple recipes. No matter your lifestyle or how many people you need to feed, cooking should not be a “chore”, it should be a regular daily part of our routine which supports and sustains our bodies, much like exercising, socializing with friends or even bathing.
I am not a chef and I know most of you reading are not professional chefs either, so do we really need to cook fancy, time consuming meals that look stunning enough to photograph, instead of just making simpler, probably healthier and much faster meals?
Fancy or Simple?
Truthfully, most of our daily homemade food does not look anywhere near as beautiful as Instagram foodie accounts, and chances are it’s not going to taste like a 5-star restaurant meal either, but again – does it need to? And this brings me to my next, more serious point.
Do we always need to taste the most amazing, eyeball-popping, drool worthy foods?
Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned early on with packaged foods and fast food where flavours are “intense”, bold and always at the far end of the flavour spectrums. So it makes sense that a home-cooked meal may feel bland. Now let’s not jump to blame our parents for feeding us from a package. Whether they did or didn’t and whether you look the other way at those eye-catching food commercials or not, makes no difference. Even if you occasionally indulge in a high-calorie, pre-made or packaged fast food or store-bought treat (healthy or not, this is not the point) you have already subconsciously set off your poor unknowing taste buds. And while you may of course still enjoy the plainer, more boring of foods on a regular basis, the bar has been set.
The scary fact is that as we increasingly enjoy these ‘hi-flavour’ super-satisfying foods, the blander everything else will taste. Something to be aware of, particularly for young children who are bombarded left and right with flashy neon-coloured treats and who are not yet aware of nutritional values in food.
Is 10 Really Better Than 2?
What may be even more important for us to understand is that our bodies don’t like large, elaborate meals with dozens of ingredients that include multiple forms of macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat). Our bodies function better with simpler meals containing few ingredients, and this is especially relevant if you have any type of digestive issue, including a slow digestion or even acid reflux.
Have you noticed feeling bloated, gassy or heavy after eating out, or eating a 3-course meal? That’s exactly what I’m talking about! Have you noticed how you feel after eating an orange for a snack? Just an orange. Or a home-made salad with a simple dressing? Or how about dinner consisting of your protein and steamed greens or roasted veggies? That’s our body effectively digesting fewer, nutrient rich ingredients and liking it! After all, healthy digestion ensures proper absorption of nutrients and elimination of waste.
So How Does Each Macronutrient Digest?
Carbohydrates digest the fastest with the digestive process actually starting in the mouth; proteins need more time and that digestion happens primarily in the stomach; and fats take the longest and they digest in the small intestine. So if you’re prone to bloating, gas or indigestion, you can see how a heavy meal with protein, carbs AND fats can be an overload of work to your system.
Funny Story…
A quick search on Google about protein digestion and absorption showed right at the top how to speed up your protein digestion. The answer was “eat more acidic foods with your protein, such as x, y and z, and….fruit!" Ok, but…… If you have any digestive sensitivities whatsoever (and trust me, most of us do even if we don’t know it, we are just accustomed to living with it) do not do this! What will end up happening is that the fruit will try to digest quickly (as it does) and your body will naturally try to absorb the nutrients, while the protein on the other hand will take longer breaking down every molecule (as it does!).
This combination can cause bloating, gas and general discomfort but again, only if you have underlying issues with your digestion. In a strong and effective digestive system you should even be able to eat fruit with nut butter (fast digesting carbohydrate with slow digesting fat and protein!) which in fact is an excellent snack and one that will keep you feeling full much longer versus a plain piece of fruit.
Ways to Support Effective Digestion:
Drink plenty of water, especially in the morning. It keeps digestion flowing and cells hydrated and “energetic” (yeah, that’s a thing).
Contain your eating window to 12, 10 or even 8 hours, depending on what works for your body and lifestyle. Not eating for a minimum of 12 hours gives your digestive system a break and a chance to fully move food through completely. If you can go 16 hours, you’ll also start to move from metabolizing glucose to metabolizing fats as your fuel (a.k.a. ketosis) and who doesn’t want that? (other benefits include feeling energized, mental clarity and a mood boost) – However this isn’t advisable for diabetics or anyone with low blood sugar, low blood pressure, anemia or other conditions.
Probiotics and fermented foods promote a diverse and thriving gut microbiota, which aids in digestion. Increase gut-healthy foods like natural yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh and kefir. I aim for one of these at least once a day!
Incorporate ginger in your cooking or even better make your own ginger tea, it’s so easy and delicious, but you can also just buy ginger tea. Ginger ale is not the same! It usually doesn’t even contain real ginger but rather ginger-flavour mimicking chemicals, plus it’s full of sugar, which brings me to the next point;
Reduce sugar. Sugar dehydrates you, blocks nutrient absorption and just makes you want more sugar.
Move your body! Regular physical activity supports healthy digestion by stimulating intestinal movement and literally “gets things going”.
In Conclusion
Truly understanding the role of digestion is essential for overall well-being.
There’s an overused cliché.. which I’m using anyway. Listen to your body. Not literally; just be aware of how you feel after you eat an ABC meal. And how do you feel after eating an XYZ meal? Here are some cues.
Uncomfortable? Sleepy? Energetic? Gassy?
Are you combining too many ingredients? Try dialing it back a notch.
Are you eating outside food more than you’re eating homemade food? It’s easier said than done in our busy lifestyles, but aim for one extra home-cooked meal a week. Just one. When you’ve tackled that, keep going.
Avoid the ultra-colourful, ultra-processed food, especially for children! Many food additives and in particular artificial food dyes pass straight through the blood-brain barrier directly to the brain. Just like drugs and alcohol. And while the full effects are still unknown, that just doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.
Last but not least, when you’re aware of how certain foods (or the combination of those foods) affect your gut, it gives you a picture into your health. Healthy digestion is the basis for overall wellness!
