Valentine's Day celebrations may have our hearts feeling warm, but the February cold means our body still needs a little heat to make it through the winter healthy. It is therefore essential to make wise food choices and take care of yourself by choosing foods that promote happiness, vitality and gut health to keep our immune system strong.

Make these choices on a daily basis! Remember to eat foods that are rich in fiber, prebiotics, antioxidants, and B vitamins. It is also important to consume foods that help promote healthy gut bacteria. By doing so, you will reap the benefits associated with healthy gut microbiota: these benefits include the alleviation or prevention of digestive issues, the prevention of certain chronic diseases, the alleviation or prevention of depressive symptoms, and increased immune system performance.  

The very best foods include colorful vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, whole grains, fermented foods, and Bio-K+ drinkable probiotics. The latter having a unique and patented formula ensuring that you benefit from the 50 billion probiotic bacteria found in each bottle.

It's not always easy to find ways to integrate these foods into your diet on a daily basis. Here are some tips and tricks for doing so.

• Find creative ways of consuming your probiotics: You can incorporate drinkable Bio-K+ probiotics into various recipes: for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even snacks and desserts. It's a very versatile ingredient (just make sure not to heat it as it will damage the bacteria)! Add it to your daily smoothie, your salad dressings, and your homemade dips. You can even use it in your chia pudding or gazpacho! 
• Eat red and green coloured foods every day: This will ensure that you get the variety of vitamins and antioxidants that your body needs at this time of the year. A stir-fry of broccoli and red peppers, a spinach and tangerine salad, or asparagus soup combined with a meal that includes tomatoes are perfect combinations!
• Choose whole grain products: Opt for whole grain pasta, bread, and cereals that provide the highest amount of fiber. Don't overlook the benefits of these carbohydrate sources as they promote better digestion and provide nourishment for good gut bacteria.

To celebrate love (because who doesn't love a smoothie?), we created a simple yet delicious recipe that will enable you to integrate some of the very best foods into your diet. This Valentine's Day smoothie contains the perfect combination of probiotics, fiber, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains!

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Storage time: 2 days, refrigerated

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1/2 medium beet or 1 small raw beet, sliced

1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 bottle of Strawberry Bio-K+ (with a fermented milk base)

½ cup unsweetened soy beverage

½ cup water

Garnish:

Grated dark chocolate for embellishment

Instructions:

Add beet slices, strawberries, and the remaining ingredients to a blender in the order listed above. Blend at high speed until the mixture has a smooth and uniform texture.

Pour into a large glass and garnish with a few shreds of grated dark chocolate.

Drink with breakfast or enjoy as a snack.

Bon appétit!

Did you try this recipe? Let us know in the comments below! For more healthy inspirations, join our community. Click here to find the closest point of sale. Contact us or find us on Facebook and Instagram.