Best gut health shots in Australia reviewed
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review some of the Australia’s best and most popular gut health shots, including ones from Nudie, Coco Earth and Juice Lab.
Gut health shots have become popular especially for their benefits regarding digestion. As we’ll see below, gut shots can be quite different with some focusing on gut health nutrients and fibre while others include probiotics.
Let’s take a look at the best gut shots available in Australia!
Nudie Juice Shot Antioxidant
This gut shot is very natural with clean ingredients. It has apple juice, blueberry puree, blackberry puree, raspberry puree, orange juice, probiotics, cayenne pepper and vitamin C.
There’s plenty of fibre in the juices, especially from the raspberries and blackberries.
And also plenty of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, A, K, folate, potassium and more.
This gut shot also includes probiotics (ie live beneficial bacteria) for further gut health benefits. It includes the strain Bacillus coagulans - which is common in commercial kombuchas.
The aroma is mostly apple and pear-like, with a generic red fruit background.
The taste is surprising. It starts with a lovely rich forest red fruit sweetness and then suddenly the heat of the cayenne pepper hits! I was not expecting it and it was quite strong.
Overall the fruit juices taste great, but the heat of the cayenne pepper may not be for everyone.
The shot sells for $3.60 in Woolworths.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5.
A enlivening gut shot with plenty of health benefits - great as long as you can handle the heat!
Pros
lots of fibre from the various juices
good source of vitamins and minerals
contains cayenne pepper (with its various health benefits)
contains probiotics
great taste if you don’t mind the heat
energising
very natural ingredients
Cons
perhaps not such a great taste if you don’t like the heat of the cayenne pepper
only one strain of probiotics
Coco Earth bio-active gut shot
This shot has lots of ingredients which your gut will love, including ginger and lemon.
It also includes the probiotic Bacillus Subtilis and prebiotics in the form of inulin from chicory root. These prebiotics will feed the good bacteria in your gut.
As a point of difference with most other gut shots, it has spirulina which is high in protein and rich in various vitamins and minerals which support energy production and immune function.
It has a vegetal aroma of leafy greens, with some lemons and apple coming through.
The taste is mostly like lemon juice with a subtle green vegetal background. And it has a moderate acidity.
Overall the taste is good and refreshing.
The shot sells for $4.50 in Coles. In my local Coles it is kept warm in the supplement aisle, not in the chilled drinks section where you might expect it.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5.
A good quality and nice tasting gut shot which has many health benefits.
Pros
probiotics
prebiotic fibre
good source of vitamins and minerals
various health benefits from spirulina, ginger and lemon
no nasty ingredients
good flavour
Cons
just one strain of probiotics
not the cheapest
Juice Lab Digest gut health shot
The main health benefit of this gut shot is its high fibre content from celery puree, apple fibre and acacia fibre. It has 1.4 grams of fibre per shot which is impressive.
It also contains apple cider vinegar which can help with blood sugar control, weight loss and heart health.
And it includes wheatgrass which is high in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids.
Unlike other gut shots it doesn’t include large amounts of probiotics. There may be some in the apple cider vinegar, but not many. (See our full review for more information.)
The aroma is mostly pear with a hint of leafy greens.
The taste is similar with a strong pear showing, along with a slight earthy vegetal note and a decent sourness from the vinegar.
Overall the taste is fine and not offensive in any way.
The shot sells for $3.50 in Coles and Woolworths.
Summary
4.25 stars out of 5.
A shot which will give your gut a healthy kick of fibre, vitamins and minerals - however it will not give it (much, if any) probiotics.
Pros
lots of fibre from various ingredients
good source of vitamins and minerals
contains apple cider vinegar and wheatgrass
no nasty ingredients
Cons
no (or very low levels of) probiotics
not super cheap
Health benefits of gut shots
Below are some of the benefits of common ingredients in gut shots. But please note that ingredients vary widely in different brands and a gut shot won’t include everything listed below.
Probiotics
These are the beneficial living microbes you are ingesting with every sip!
Probiotics offer many health benefits including:
better digestive health
better immune function
reduced inflammation
reduced allergies
better nutrient absorption
Postbiotics
In simple terms, postbiotics are essentially things probiotics produce. These include short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Prebiotics
These fibres (for example, inulin and apple fibre) will feed the good bacteria in your gut and help them multiply to create a healthy microbiome.
Read more about the benefits of prebiotics.
Ginger
Digestive health: Ginger can alleviate nausea and vomiting
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects: Contains gingerol, a substance with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
Pain relief: Studies have shown it may help reduce muscle pain and soreness due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Lowering blood sugar levels: Studies show ginger can help in managing blood sugar levels.
Read more about ginger’s proven benefits.
Apple cider vinegar
Blood sugar control: May improve insulin sensitivity and help lower blood sugar responses after meals.
Weight loss: Can increase feelings of fullness, leading to eating fewer calories and potentially losing weight.
Heart health: May help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, although more research is needed.
Read more about the evidence supporting apple cider vinegar’s health benefits.
Wheatgrass powder
In terms of vitamins and minerals, it contains:
iron
calcium
magnesium
vitamins A, C, E, K, and B complex
It also contains enzymes and 17 amino acids.
Wheatgrass can help with inflammation, immunity, energy levels, digestion and more.
Read more about the evidence-based benefits of wheatgrass.
Spirulina
Spirulina is high in protein and rich in various vitamins (such as A, B, C and E) and minerals (like copper, zinc and iron). These vitamins and minerals are especially helpful in supporting energy production and immune function.
It also is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Read more about the health benefits of spirulina.
Cayenne pepper
Apart from including various vitamins (C, A, B6, K), cayenne pepper:
stimulates digestion: Cayenne pepper can increase the production of digestive enzymes
boosts metabolism: The compound capsaicin in cayenne pepper stimulates metabolism and may help with weight management
improves circulation: It promotes healthy blood flow
reduces inflammation: Capsaicin has anti-inflammatory properties which can soothe inflammation in the gut
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis - learn more about me!
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