Stewed Apples: Superfood for the Gut

In general, I hate the word superfood—but if there’s one food I’d consider using it for, it’s stewed apples. They’re a true example of food as medicine, plus they’re really easy and delicious. Super, right?

Cooking apples using the recipe I’ve shared here makes a very pectin-rich applesauce that’s full of nutrients that help heal the mucosal lining of the gut and nourish the beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome. If you’re dealing with increased intestinal permeability (aka “leaky gut” or trying to support your good gut bacteria solely with probiotics alone, stewed apples are a great addition to your diet.

This recipe is adapted from Dr. Michael Ash, who, as least as far as I’m aware, is the person who really popularized using stewed apples as a therapeutic food.

If you can’t do apples, pears may also be used.

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STEWED APPLES RECIPE

Ingredients

6 organic apples

½ cup water

2 tsp cinnamon

½ organic raisins (optional)

Instructions

• Wash and core the apples, and chop them into 1-inch pieces.

• If you’re super-sensitive, you can peel the apples before chopping them to make them even easier to digest; however, if you can tolerate the peels, they can be a great source of additional pectin and other nutrients.

• Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed stainless steel or ceramic pot. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly.

• Cook until the apples are soft and mushy and (unless apples are peeled) until the skin starts to take on a sheen. The color should be a russet brown due to the cinnamon.

• May be eaten warm or cold. When stored covered in the refrigerator, stewed apples will keep 5-6 days. Any extra portions can be frozen in small ramekins or plastic containers for later use.

Dosing note:

Start slowly, with 2 spoonfuls per day and work up to 5 spoonfuls per day. If well-tolerated, you can eat more than 5 spoonfuls if desired.

If you experience any bloating or digestive changes, reduce your dose for a little while, the same as you would when getting used to a new probiotic supplement.

Powdered supplements, like prebiotics, probiotics, or immunoglobulins may also be added to stewed apples. Typically it’s best to start with plain stewed apples for a few weeks first though.