Probiotic, polyphenol rich and high protein/fibre caramel & pistachio ice cream bars
Last summer I gave you endless ice cream and “magnum” recipes, and I’ve been acutely aware that this summer, I haven’t given you any!
So I am making up for it this week, with this decadent, high protein pistachio ice cream bar/choc ice with a chewy caramel layer - packed with nutrients and gut loving ingredients, yet indulgent and perfect for the heat.
Supercharged with powerful antioxidants to help lower oxidative stress and inflammation.
Pistachios, dark chocolate, dates and vanilla are all significant sources of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are types of plant compounds that fight oxidative stress - in the simplest terms, oxidative stress is a chemical reaction in the body that when high, causes inflammation and significant damage. People with endo have been found to have lower levels and lower intake of certain antioxidants, with higher levels of circulating oxidative stress and oxidative stress markers in the peritoneal fluid (fluid in the pelvic area). In fact, oxidative stress is a key player in endometriosis development and progression, but the good news is, research has shown we can actually modulate these inflammatory markers and pathways through nutrition and food.
Blood sugar balancing to keep inflammation, pain and PMS at bay.
High sugar foods and processed foods can potentially contribute to morePMS, menstrual pain and endo pain, so to make this recipe more blood sugar friendly, I have focused on the presence of healthy fats, fibre and protein, which have all been shown to help stabilise blood sugar levels and slow down the uptake of glucose from our food (chocolate and fruit, in this case) to our blood stream, preventing blood sugar spikes. The fibre comes from the pistachios and dates, the protein from the yoghurt and the pistachios (providing 12g per choc ice), and the fat comes from the yoghurt, pistachios and chocolate (though chocolate is a source of added sugar here, so don’t rely on that as your fat source!).
Nuts have also been shown to have a positive effect on blood sugar, showing improvement in blood sugar responses when paired with high glycemic/high sugar foods. This is especially true for pistachios. These green gems were shown to significantly improve the glucose to high carbohydrate foods including white bread, rice, pasta and potatoes! The studied added 28g, 56g and 84g and the glucose response to starchy foods improved in a dose dependent manner - meaning the more pistachios, the better the blood sugar response. That’s why I’ve aimed for around 30g per serve in this recipe, as we know that it's evidenced based to lower post-prandial (post-meal) blood sugar levels.
But the pistachios are not the only blood sugar super foods here. I’ve also included yoghurt, not just for it’s creamy and probiotic benefits, but the additional fat and protein can help to make this recipe both blood sugar stabilising and satisfying, curbing those luteal phase cravings.
Additionally, fermented dairy, like yoghurt, has been associated with lower rates of type 2 diabetes and insulin levels, as well as lower glucose and insulin levels.
Finally, in stark contrast to most ice creams, this recipe is sweetened only with dates, and uses a high percentage dark chocolate, which is low in sugar (I like to use 90%, which is about 7g sugar per 100g).
Dates have a low to moderate glycemic index, so they shouldn’t cause a dramatic or quick rise in blood sugar.
However, research has shown that individual blood sugar responses vary from person to person, and if you eat a lot of even a low glycemic index food, it may have a greater impact on your blood sugar levels because you’re eating more in one sitting.
Therefore, I’ve only used four dates in this recipe, as I found that it’s enough to give that caramel flavour.
Keeping blood sugar levels stable helps to prevent oxidative stress, which leads to more inflammation in the body and that may trigger further pain and symptoms. In fact, oxidative stress is higher in people with endo, and it’s a key driver of endo growth.
To add to that, constant blood sugar swings can take their toll on hormones, leading to issues like elevated androgens (think testosterone), which can affect ovulation and cycle length. Blood sugar swings may also cause oestrogen excess or dominance and low progesterone if ovulation is interrupted or stopped entirely.
Additionally, this ice cream bar can help us out with luteal phase cravings. When we’re in our luteal phase, we often experience more blood sugar swings because oestrogen, which dominates in our follicular phase, helps us to regulate our blood sugar response, but is lower in the luteal phase. As a result, we tend to get cravings for sweet foods or foods high in starch. The problem is, these foods keep us on a blood sugar rollercoaster, and raise inflammation levels, resulting in more of those inflammatory symptoms and pain that we’re trying to avoid. This lolly, being low in sugar and rich in fibre, can help us get our fix without the pain triggering spikes.
Finally, blood sugar swings are linked heavily with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, so if you struggle with low moods in your luteal phase, supporting blood sugar can actually support your mental health!
A great source of probiotics to replenish good gut bugs.
The yoghurt in this recipe (providing you buy one with live cultures) offers probiotic benefits, even when frozen. Probiotic foods provide us with more beneficial bacteria, to help top up and diversify our own. Given the strong connection between endo and the microbiome, it’s important for us to introduce new and varied bacteria through various probiotic sources, so that we can build up our healthier bacteria, but also outcompete the pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria (such as e.coli and klebsiella).
Rich in polyphenols to help heal the endo belly and reduce systemic inflammation.
Polyphenols are types of antioxidants found in certain plant foods that not only reduce inflammation levels and improve overall health, but they are also an absolute favourite food for our gut microbiome, which means that can support our good gut bugs to thrive.
Polyphenols can be found in various plant foods, and are in high amounts in dark chocolate, dates, pistachios and vanilla bean.
Research is finding a strong correlation between microbiome disturbances and endometriosis development, such as reduced levels and variety of good gut bugs and higher levels of pathogenic (bad, infectious), opportunistic (in high numbers, can cause problems like inflammation) gut bugs, as well as gut bugs linked to elevated oestrogen levels. These microbiome differences have also been associated with higher IL-8 levels, a type of inflammatory cytokine shown to be involved in the development of endometriosis.
Polyphenols are like gut bug boosters - the more we provide to our good gut bugs, the more they grow and outnumber the bad guys. This helps to bring the gut back into harmony, which can improve gut symptoms and intestinal inflammation and whilst we need to do more research, could even help us fight endo.
High in fibre and plant points to support a heathy gut microbiome.
The latest data shows that 96% of UK adults are getting less than the recommended 30g fibre a day. That’s not great for our guts, which rely on fibre to thrive, and people with endo need extra gut support already so a lack of fibre isn’t going to help the situation (though you may find you need to tailor your fibre sources if you have IBS or SIBO). Thanks to the addition of dates, pistachios and dark chocolate, these pistachio ice cream bars offer you around 8g of your recommended 30g, per serve.
Additionally, a major study of 10,000 people found that eating 30 or more plant foods a week helps to create a healthier and more diverse microbiome. This recipe offers you 3 of your 30 already, and with herbs, spices, olive oil, fruits, veggies, beans/legumes, teas and coffee and whole grains all counting, you can easily top up your levels further. For extra guidance on how to reach your 30 a week, check out this article by The Gut Health Doctor or this one by Zoe.
A good source of hormone and endo supportive vitamins and minerals.
Amongst several other micronutrients (there are so many goodies in this!), this pistachio ice cream bar is a good source of vitamin E, calcium, B12, zinc and magnesium to name a few.
Vit E
A recent meta-analysis of over 589 participants, concluded that vit E supplementation can reduce period pain, pain with sex, daily pelvic pain and even improve quality of life with endometriosis patients. And a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight studies and over 1000 people concluded that vitamin E significantly reduced period pain and could be used as a treatment for dysmennorhea. But it’s not just supplements that help - food helps too! One study found people with endo had a 40% reduced intake of vitamin E, but levels increased after following a high antioxidant diet, and oxidation levels reduced by 20%!
Calcium
Low levels of calcium have been repeatedly associated with increased PMS symptoms and research has shown that treatment with calcium supplements can reduce the syndrome and even period pain because low levels of calcium can cause more contractions. Calcium may also be a supportive option for PMDD.
B12
Research on the use of B12 for pain suggests that B12 can reduce chronic pain (and menstrual pain) through various methods. Firstly, B12 can inhibit the production of the inflammatory prostaglandins which are responsible for pain and inflammation, and are found to be especially high in people with endometriosis and dysmenorrhea (which is the medical term for period pain). Additionally, B12 plays a role in supporting nerve health and pain signally pathways, which can influence pain perception. If nerves or pain signalling pathways are comprised, this could increase pain levels.
Zinc
Low levels of zinc have been linked to endo, and research has shown it can significantly reduce period pain thanks to its anti-inflammatory benefits. It additionally supports follicle development and ovulation, while deficiency has been linked to infertility.
Magnesium
Research has shown magnesium to be an effective treatment in preventing dysmenorrhea (period pain) because it reduces inflammatory prostaglandins that are the drivers of both endo and period pain. One study showed that six months of magnesium treatment reduced prostaglandin F2a by over half! In fact, in recent research, magnesium is being explored as a dietary treatment for endo and a higher intake of magnesium rich foods was associated with a lower risk of endo. Additionally, magnesium helps to regulate our sex hormones, and as result, is a recognised treatment for preventing PMS.
IMPORTANT NOTES TO HELP YOU TAILOR THIS RECIPE TO YOUR OWN BODY AND NEEDS (AND TASTEBUDS!)
Everything you’ve said about blood sugar and processed foods, does that mean I can never have my favourite treats again?
Absolutely not. I am all for ‘worth it moments’. Enjoy our fav foods, whatever they are, in moments when we really desire them. But I am a health coach, and my goal is to minimise your symptoms and lower things like oxidative stress and inflammation that could contribute them, so I am going to encourage snacking smarter and leaning on healthier treats on a day to day basis, and that’s way these recipes are for. So you can have your cake, and eat it!
Are these bars low FODMAP?
Pistachios are inly low FODMAP at servings under 11g, so if you want to make these bars low FODMAP, I’d use much smaller moulds so you’re mores making ice cream bites (like these). You’ll also need to opt for a lactose free yoghurt, as Greek yoghurt is only low FODMAP at serves under 23g.
Is this recipe suitable for SIBO?
Everyone’s triggers vary with SIBO, but this recipe may not be as pistachios are high FODMAP at the serving sizes we’re using.
Further resources
If you’re struggling with your endo symptoms or gut health, you might find my courses and one to one coaching helpful. You can find out more here. I’ve also got endless podcast episodes on endometriosis and SIBO.
Probiotic, polyphenol rich and high protein/fibre caramel & pistachio ice cream bars
Ingredients:
250g full fat Greek yoghurt (10% fat ideally, unflavoured)
200g shelled pistachios (I used these)
200g 85% or 90% dark chocolate (choose lower sugar options)
2 medjool dates plus six medjool dates for topping (assuming your mould makes six bars, one per bar)
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla pod
Makes: about six bars
soak time: 4 hours
prep time: 20 mins
Freeze time: overnight
Coating time: 15 mins
Method
Soak the pistachios for four hours.
Optional step: absolutely not necessary for us endo peeps who have limited energy, but if you want the ice cream to be very green, after soaking, you can pinch the skins and they come off fairly easily. I did this and it took me about 20 minutes. You can also then roast the pistachios for added flavour, but I didn’t do this and found the flavour strong enough!
Add the pistachios, yoghurt, vanilla and two medjool dates to a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
Slice the dates in halve to make two long pieces per date.
Pour into moulds of choice (I used large chocolate bar moulds like this but you could use lolly moulds too) and top with one date each (two halves). Freeze overnight.
The following day, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly for a few minutes so it doesn’t melt the ice cream too much.
If topping the bars with chopped pistachios, prepare those now.
Line a chopping board with baking paper or cling film, then roll each bar in the chocolate and lift with a fork. Place on the chopping board, scatter with chopped pistachios if using and refreeze.
Summer special offer - if you’ve got half way through the year and endo has taken much of that time from you, for June and July only, I’m offering £500 off my 12 session 1:1 coaching or £250 off the six session coaching. Learn more about coaching here.
Looking for tools to help you manage endo and your hormones?
These are some of my favourite brands…
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Need more help or want to learn how to work with me?
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This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook
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