In this week’s blog we are sowing the seeds for good gut health. We want to plant the idea that including seeds in you diet several times a week can reap rewards in terms of gut and general health.

Nuts and seeds feature in our free Best Ever Poop plan. If you haven’t had chance to check that out yet, you can find it here.

Seeds are highly nutrient dense, and a great source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. You need at least 25g of fibre a day for regular poops, more if you want the heart health and longevity benefits that fibre can bring. Seeds are a great way to get you closer to your target.

Read on for the low FODMAP serving sizes of different seeds and their fibre content. We’ll take you through the specific health benefits of the different types of seeds and then focus in on our absolute favourite - chia seeds and provide recipes and tips for how to enjoy them whether you have IBS-C or IBS-D.

What if you have IBS-D rather than IBS-C? We’ve talked to a few dietitians in our network and opinions differ. Some think that there shouldn’t be a problem. The gel-forming properties of the soluble fibre should help improve firm up poop. Others are a little concerned that the insoluble fibre in the husks of the chia seeds may act to speed up movement through the gut. A good compromise is to blitz or grind the chia seeds to break up the husks, and start with a small serve and see how you go.

We tried a blended chocolate chia pudding, which was delicious. The recipe below serves 2, but is very rich, so you may want to split into 4 - thoroughly blitz:

• 4 level tbsp chia seeds

• 1 level tbsp cocoa powder

• 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 250 ml coconut milk

• 1/2 tspn vanilla essence

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Pour into jars and leave in the fridge to set for 4 hours. Serve with a few berries or chopped nuts.

Another alternative if you have IBS-D is to go for psyllium instead. Psyllium is the husk of seeds of Plantago ovata, a herb grown mainly in India. This also absorbs water and forms a gel.

Written by: Dr Mary Webberley, Chief Scientific Officer at Noisy Guts. Mary has a background in biology, with two degrees from the University of Cambridge and post-doctoral research experience. She spent several years undertaking research into the diagnosis of IBS and IBD. She was the winner of the 2018 CSIRO Breakout Female Scientist Award.