Go With Your Gut (Win a Yummy Welo Prize Pack!)

As Toronto-based Welo gets set to take its probiotic-rich, plant-based, gluten-free, vegan and low-sugar cold presses, drinking vinegars, ferments and bars to store shelves across Canada, we’re chatting with holistic nutritionist and gut-health enthusiast Ciara Foy about why it’s important to include these and other good-bacteria-packed foods into our diets on the daily (read to the end to find out how you could win a Welo prize pack!). —Noa Nichol

Hi Ciara! "Gut health" is a pretty buzzy phrase these days—what does it really mean and why should we embrace it?

Gut health refers to the balance of good and bad bacteria that makes up our own unique “microbiome” which is responsible for at least 70 per cent of our immune system. We have 10 times as many bacteria in our body compared to our own human DNA. The type of bacteria we feed (yes, what you eat either supports good or increases bad bacteria) and allow to flourish in our gut shapes who we are as it impacts every part of us including our risk for disease and mental health as our gut has as many nerve cells as our spinal cord.

What are good bacteria and why should we love them?

Good bacteria are those strains that support healthy digestion, immune function, mental health and prevent disease as opposed to pathogenic varieties that increase risk factors for disease and digestive issues among others. We should embrace good bacteria because: they help increase our immune system, protecting us during the cold and flu season, but also from disease; they help keep our digestion running smoothly, thereby preventing constipation, as well as loose stool, preventing traveller’s diarrhea and can help to recover from a stomach bug faster; they help prevent skin breakouts and treat acne effectively, the better your digestion, the less toxins excreted through your body’s largest detoxification organ, your skin; they help increase nutrient absorption from the food you eat; eating a nutritious whole-food diet that supports good bacteria helps to prevent obesity as bad bacteria cause more cravings for processed and sugar laden foods; good bacteria increase energy levels; and good bacteria prevent yeast infections.

What are some of the best and easiest ways to welcome good bacteria into our lives (and bodies)?

Choosing whole, unprocessed food including lots of vegetables and some fruits helps to support good bacteria. Stay away from sugary, processed foods which support the growth of bad bacteria. Choose pre-biotic sugars from food like underripe bananas, onions, garlic, leeks and dandelion greens that help good bacteria form naturally. Include fermented food in your diet daily such as tempeh (fermented unprocessed organic soy), sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented coconut, brined pickles and vegetables, apple cider vinegar and miso soup. Make healthier, more informed snacking choices. Newcomer Canadian brand Welo has developed a line of products that are tasty, functional and amazing for your gut—from probiotic-rich bars to drinking vinegars to ferments to cold-pressed juices—that contain up to 4 billion probiotic cultures. If you’re looking for a fruit juice, pick a probiotic-enriched cold press. If you’re looking for a chewy snack bar, Welo’s version is plant-based, gluten-free, and is low in sugar.

Your favourite, gut-friendly, probiotic treats to eat include what?

There are some amazing new products out there for those of you who can’t seem to stomach plain apple cider vinegar and just can’t get on board with all the strong tasting fermented food listed above. My favourite innovative new health food products include fermented coconut yogurt that can easily be made into a delicious fruit parfait when paired with homemade granola (or try a crumbled Welo bar in Coconut Cashew, Matcha Almond or Peanut Butter Chocolate) and fresh fruit, as well as Welo’s cold pressed juices with added probiotics and low-sugar snack bars with added probiotics. Welo’s Drinking Vinegars also have added superfoods like kale, ginger, and grapefruit that make tangy apple cider vinegar so much more enjoyable to include into your everyday!

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Win! A Welo Prize Pack!

We have a winner! Tory C. from Vancouver has won a Welo prize pack of cold-press juices, ferments, probiotic bars and drinking vinegars. Congratulations!