Tuesday: Day 2 of our 3-Day Pukka Matcha Makeover

Focus: Soothing digestion and bloating

Ok, so you spent yesterday detoxing and cleansing your system and are hopefully ready for day 2 of your Pukka Matcha Makeover! Today is all about beating the bloat, soothing digestion and getting you on your way to a flatter tum! With the help of our good friends over at Pukka, we’vre going to be sharing some of our top tips to help you feel lean, happy and energized! Every single day our bodies come into contact with a huge amount of toxins, all these toxins, combined with our stressful lives and sometimes bad eating habits, eventually cause us not only to bloat and feel lethargic, but, we also become far more prone to falling ill. We all know that bloated feeling we get after over indulging on the office cake or after a jam packed weekend, and let’s be honest, sometimes we need a few days to reset our systems!

So, here are our top tips on beating that bloat and flushing out those toxins!

Every morning upon waking, don’t be tempted to rush for the coffee, and yes, we know that’s a tough one! Instead, start your day with a hydrating and de-bloating Mint Match Green… this little tea bag is filled to the brim with antioxidants and cleansing properties, as well as the key ingredient, mint, which is known to help ease bloating and soothe digestion.

Steer clear of sugars – Just for today try and avoid all sugars (natural and not) as when it comes to detoxifying and aiding digestion, sugar just gets in the way of the flat tummy process!

The importance of staying hydrated can not be stated enough! So often, we feel hungry when, in fact we are simply thirsty. As you can imagine, this is disastrous when were trying to de-bloat, especially if were diving into sugary snacks to satisfy our cravings. If you are one of those people who tend to stray towards the sweet side of life then Pukka’s ‘Sweet Vanilla Green’ tea or Pukka’s ‘Peppermint and Liquorice’ tea, are the perfect solutions to cure those sweet cravings. Both these tea’s will give you that hint of sweetness, whilst nourishing you with their de-bloating properties.

SUGGESTED EXERCISE: A stretch session

You won’t reap any benefits from over doing it on day 2 of your matcha makeover, so we suggest a relaxing, rejuvenating stretch session. Now stretching isn’t just good for lengthening muscles and reducing injury, it’s also extremely helpful when you’re feeling a bit congested in your digestive system.

Your digestive makeover plan

This sample menu plan is based on low-FODMAP foods. ‘FODMAP’ stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols – these are types of sugars that are poorly digested and may trigger symptoms for people with digestive problems such as bloating and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Eating low-FODMAP foods can be a great way to get your digestion back on track.

On rising: One cup of Mint Matcha Green tea.

Breakfast

Poached eggs on sourdough spelt bread, with grilled sliced tomatoes. Sip one cup of Mint Matcha Green tea.

Why? Traditional spelt sourdough bread can be much easier to digest than standard wheat bread, as the sourdough process breaks down the sugars in the grains. Eggs contain little or no carbohydrate so are generally gentle on the digestion, and tomatoes are a low in FODMAPs (the fermentable carbohydrates) too.

OR

Porridge made with 50g (½ cup) of gluten-free jumbo oats, unsweetened almond milk (or lactose-free milk) and chopped pecan nuts, topped with sliced strawberries. Sip one cup of Mint Matcha Green tea.

Why? Oats are considered low in FODMAPs and are generally a much better alternative to wheat-based cereals for those with digestive problems. They’re also great for slow-releasing energy! Lactose can be a problem, so avoid it by going for almond milk, oat milk or lactose-free milk.

Lunch

Corn tacos with shredded chicken, tomato and rocket. Shred a cooked chicken breast or thigh and divide between two or three gluten-free corn tortillas (taco-sized) – or use one larger gluten-free wrap. Sprinkle over chopped tomato, a quarter teaspoon of chilli flakes, rocket leaves and fresh herbs – e.g. coriander, basil or chives. Drizzle with fresh lime or lemon juice and season with black pepper. Wrap up and enjoy. Sip one cup of Mint Matcha Green tea.

Why? Wheat-based bread can cause digestive problems and bloating for some people – this is particularly common in those who suffer with bloating or IBS. But corn flour is generally better tolerated – although look for tortillas that are gluten-free or at least have no added wheat flour. Chicken and the vegetables and herbs chosen are all low in FODMAPs.

OR

A large Greek salad with olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, sliced red or green pepper, cucumber, and olive oil. If you’re making it at home, sprinkle over a tablespoon of chopped mint too. Avoid onions, however, as they are high in FODMAPs and can be difficult to digest for some people. Sip one cup of Mint Matcha Green tea.

Mid-afternoon snack

Gentle digestive smoothie. Half a ripe banana, 1 small handful of baby spinach, 3–4 sprigs of mint (leaves removed), 1 handful of blueberries, and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds (if you have a high-powered blender). Blend with 300ml unsweetened almond milk or oat milk.

Why? Again, this amazing smoothie contains only low-FODMAP ingredients. The mint – like that in the Mint Matcha Green – may help to soothe digestion and relieve bloating.

OR

Goat’s milk natural yoghurt with raspberries and chopped walnuts stirred in.

Why? Although some dairy foods can be high in lactose, which causes digestive problems for some individuals, goat’s milk yoghurt tends to be lower in lactose and more easily digested. It can also contain some natural ‘friendly bacteria’. Walnuts and pecan nuts are among the low-FODMAP nuts and therefore a good choice.

Dinner

Baked salmon with rice noodles, pak choi and green beans. Make a foil parcel with one fillet of salmon per person seasoned with sea salt and pepper and topped with a couple of lemon slices – bake for 10–12 minutes. Cook the rice noodles (about 60g per person dry weight) as per pack instructions. Sauté or stir-fry in ghee a handful of green beans and half a pack of pak choi (chopped). Serve the cooked and drained rice noodles topped with the veggies and the cooked salmon.

Why? Rice noodles are another good carbohydrate choice for those who tend to get bloated when eating other grains or pasta. Pak choi and green beans are low-FODMAP vegetables.

OR

Spicy roast chicken thighs with roasted vegetables. Serves 2–3. Coat four skinless organic chicken thighs in gentle spices – try turmeric, cumin, coriander, dried oregano, and pinch of cinnamon. Leave to marinate for a couple of hours or roast straight away, as per pack instructions. Wash and chop into 1-inch pieces 4 carrots, 2 parsnips, 4 baby potatoes, 1 courgette and 1 red pepper. Coat the veg with 1 or 2 teaspoons of melted ghee or coconut oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast the carrots, parsnips and potatoes for 1 hour at 200°C, adding the courgette and pepper in for the last 25 minutes. Serve with a side salad of rocket and watercress drizzled with lemon juice.

Why? The vegetables and spices chosen here are all low in FODMAPs. Best avoided during your digestive makeover are sweet potatoes, butternut squash and beetroot, which are amazingly nutritious and brilliant for roasting, but unfortunately higher in FODMAPs! The bitterness in watercress and rocket can help stimulate digestive juices, so are great to include with any meal.