Kefir, Berry & Chia Gut Smoothie

Why it works

Kefir carries a broader range of bacterial and yeast strains than most yogurt, dozens of them typically, rather than a handful, and it's one of the few fermented foods with human trials behind it for lactose digestion and gut symptoms. Live cultures alone are only half the story. The bacteria already living in your gut need feeding, and that's exactly what the chia, oat, and berry fiber does here. Chia in particular forms a gel that slows transit and adds bulk. If fermented foods are new to you, start with half this much kefir. A sudden jump in both probiotics and fermentable fiber is a reliable way to spend an afternoon bloated, and that's not proof it isn't working. It's just your gut adjusting.

Ingredients

• 300 ml plain whole-milk kefir
• 150 g frozen mixed berries
• 1.5 tbsp (18 g) chia seeds
• 20 g (1/4 cup) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Pour the liquid into the blender first, then add the soft ingredients, then anything frozen or hard on top. Blending in that order keeps the blades in liquid instead of spinning against a frozen block.
2. Let it stand for five minutes after blending if you like it thick. The chia keeps absorbing liquid, and the texture goes from drinkable to spoonable in about ten.
3. Blend on low until it breaks up, then on high for 45 to 60 seconds, until no flecks remain and the texture is even.
4. Taste and adjust: a splash more liquid if it is too thick to pour, a squeeze of citrus if it tastes flat, a few more ice cubes if you want it colder.
5. Drink it soon after blending. The texture separates within about ten minutes, and the colour dulls as the cut surfaces oxidise.