Name: Easy Matcha Clove Gut Healing Smoothie made with Kefir
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 cup milk kefir; 1/2 cup frozen blueberries; 1 scoop Matcha powder; 1 scoop Collagen peptide powder; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp MCT oil; (optional) 1/2 tsp manuka honey

Jump to Recipe

?The combination of matcha, clove, and kefir makes for the perfect smoothie to help repair leaky gut and improve digestive health!

Leaky gut, SIBO, and SIFO plague over half of Americans due to rampant abuse and overuse of antibiotics, c-section, formula feeding, herbicides, pesticides, and ultra-processed food consumption. Where there is a chronic disease or symptom, there is probably a leaky gut!

You’ve probably heard of leaky gut before, but if you’re not exactly sure what it is or how it works, check out this blog post. Leaky gut allows toxic breakdown products from harmful bacteria or fungi to enter the bloodstream where it wreaks havoc throughout the body, manifesting in all different kinds of symptoms and diseases.

The first step to healing a leaky gut usually involves a temporary elimination diet to focus on eating healing, nutrient-dense foods that are easy to digest and help repair the intestinal lining while pushing back bacterial and fungal overgrowth + strengthening the immune system.

The combination of matcha + clove is something I’ve added in to my daily gut healing routine after reading about the benefits in Dr. William Davis’ book Super Gut. He recommends drinking matcha clove tea daily – this smoothie is just a variation that adds in the benefits of milk kefir and serves as the perfect afternoon pick-me-up for me since I’m currently nursing my 4-month-old and could use the extra calories and nutrients.

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Why are Matcha and Clove good for gut healing?

Matcha: Matcha makes our list of gut-healthy ingredients because of the green tea catechins in matcha leaves that reduce inflammation in the small intestine, encourage the growth of good gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria species, and has a mucus-protein cross-linking effect that strengthens intestinal mucosa. Matcha is green tea powder made from finely ground Japanese tea leaves. Matcha is an amazing addition to a gut-healing diet because it contains an array of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and specialized branched-chain amino-acids (BCAAs) and essential amino acid (EAAs).
Clove: Adding clove to a healthy gut smoothie is a must because the eugenol in clove can kill harmful bacteria such as E. Coli which is SO important in pushing back SIBO.
Kefir: Using milk kefir as the base for this smoothie is a great way to incorporate more beneficial bacteria from ferments in your diet. Re-seeding the gut microbiome with good bacteria is a crucial part of gut healing. The kefir also gives this gut health smoothie a nice, creamy texture.
MCT Oil: Adding a bit of MCT oil to healthy smoothies is one of the best ways to get a good dose of quality fat in your diet and turn breakfast smoothies into a complete meal when you’re on the go – but more importantly, MCT oil has been shown in studies to decrease intestinal permeability (leaky gut), improve metabolism, and reduce the production of pathogenic (bad) bacteria while encouraging the production of good bacteria.

What is SIBO?

SIBO is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Gram-negative bacteria is normally present in the colon and in human waste in small numbers. But sometimes it proliferates in the colon due to circumstances mentioned earlier in this post – this is called colonic dysbiosis. Colonic dysbiosis is problematic for health, but not nearly as problematic as SIBO. SIBO occurs when colonic dysbiosis is left unchecked and the overgrowth of bad bacteria ascends up in to the small bowel and sometimes even the stomach.

SIBO damages the digestive tract and entire digestive system by breaking down the gut lining and increasing permeability which leads to all kinds of problems – from digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome to autoimmune diseases.

Healing SIBO and establishing healthy gut flora is a process and takes a lot of work. This gut-healing smoothie can be added into a SIBO healing protocol after an elimination diet is established to get rid of processed foods and any trigger foods that need to be avoided until the gut is healed.

What You’ll Need

SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS

1 cup milk kefir
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 scoop Matcha powder
1 scoop Collagen peptide powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp MCT oil
(optional) 1/2 tsp manuka honey

TOOLS

high-speed blender

Nothing in this post should be considered medical advice. This post is strictly for informational purposes and is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour & enjoy this delicious smoothie.

FAQ

Is this matcha clove smoothie safe for pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Yes. This is a great question as many gut-healing protocols include recommendations that aren’t pregnancy or breastfeeding safe. All of the ingredients in this smoothie are safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding and very nutritious.

?If I can’t tolerate dairy, will I be able to tolerate this smoothie?

You may still be able to tolerate this smoothie because the lactose is broken down in kefir. If not, you can substitute coconut milk, coconut yogurt, or almond milk.

If I don’t have matcha collagen powder, can I just use protein powder in this smoothie?

Yes, you can substitute your favorite protein powder or collagen peptide powder, just be mindful of added sugar content.

Can this smoothie be a meal replacement for weight loss?

Yes. I would recommend doubling the ingredients in this smoothie if you’ll be having it as a meal replacement. Weight loss isn’t the primary goal of gut healing, but it’s often a very pleasant result if someone starts an overall gut health journey carrying extra weight.

?Can I use coconut oil instead of MCT oil?

Yes. You can use a high-quality coconut oil instead of MCT oil.

Tips

When focusing on good gut health, use the freshest, cleanest ingredients you can source within your budget. Using fresh, organic ingredients really does make a difference in overall health!

Storage

Drink this smoothie right away or multiply the recipe and freeze in popsicle molds.