Hear Us Out: Why You Should Give Doughnuts a Try Today!
Doughnuts tend to have a bad reputation in health and nutrition, and rightfully so with their high carb, fat, and sugar content. But there’s a new trend out there that may actually change your perspective on this classic treat! If you’ve ever avoided going into a deliciously smelling doughnut shop because you thought they were unhealthy, that intuition is great but “probiotic donuts” are starting to pop up which just may warrant a taste this National Doughnut Day!
During World War I, American volunteers who wanted to do more were recruited by the Salvation Army to make food for troops on the front lines in France. Doughnuts were easy to prepare in battle-tested helmets and proved very popular. The Salvation Army of Chicago originated National Doughnut Day in 1938 to bring awareness to their charitable outreach and honor these “doughnut lassies.”
Today, Americans consume around 10 billion doughnuts, approximately 21 doughnuts per person, per year. Bakeries and doughnut retailers love the annual first Friday of June celebration as studies show more people buy doughnuts on this day than any other day.
But this year you may not need to feel totally guilty by taking part in the “festivities.” Probiotics we’re all familiar with - kefir and Greek yogurt - can be incorporated into tasty, healthier versions of the doughnuts we know and love. Here are three options we found:
- Take a homemade or store-bought doughnut and top it with a vegan Blueberry Cranberry Doughnut Glaze (https://goodbelly.com/tag/donut/)
- Make mini Fudgy Chocolate Espresso Doughnuts with Greek Yogurt Glaze (https://www.displacedhouswife.com/chocolate-espresso-donuts-yogurt-glaze/)
- Light and airy Olive Oil Kefir Doughnuts (https://www.lifewaykefir.com/recipes/olive-oil-kefir-doughnuts/) are baked and capped with cinnamon and coconut sugar.
Probiotics are beneficial living organisms that support our gut microbiome by boosting immunity and aiding digestion. The gut and the brain are intimately inter-connected via hormones, signaling pathways, and the nervous system. Improving gut microbiome is beneficial to mood, relieves stress and anxiety, and has shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Doughnut lovers say hooray and enjoy these improved guilt-free options now!
