microbiome supportive Salted Caramel apple Pie date bites
Whilst I’ve been loving the transition into autumnal outfits, I have been struggling with the change in season. More dampness means more fungi spores being released into the air, which means my MCAS symptoms are playing up, and my mental health does better in sunny climates.
So, whilst we’re set to be in the UK for a while, I’m leaning into autumnal inspired flavours to try and get me into the autumnal mood, rather than resisting the season!
However, a lot of the fall flavours require lots of baking, and I absolutely appreciate this is not always possible when you’re battling multiple health issues. So for my tired spoonies who don’t have the energy to bake but want the taste of autumn, this is for you.
These date bites are inspired by salted caramel apple pie, just without so much effort, more nutrients and no added sugar!
These salted caramel apple pie date bites are…
Better for blood sugar to stabilise hormones, reduce PMS and lower oxidative stress.
The typical ingredients in standard apple pie like sugar and flour are some of the biggest blood sugar spikers, which can pose a problem for us endo peeps.
Blood sugar spiking foods such as high sugar foods and processed foods can potentially contribute to morePMS, menstrual pain and endo pain. Blood sugar spikes increase oxidative stress, which leadsto 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 avoid these issues, I have focused on the presence of healthy fats (from the nut butter and ground almonds), fibre (nut butter, oats, almonds, and dates) and protein (nuts and oats ), which have all been shown to help stabilise blood sugar levels and slow down the uptake of glucose/starch from our food (dates, and apple, in this case) to our blood stream, preventing blood sugar spikes. In fact, just one date bite gives us almost 2g of protein and just over 2g of fibre, helping you to top up your levels over the day.
One of the easiest ways for us to support our blood sugar is to opt for whole food carbohydrates, such as dates, instead of sugar or maple syrup, as I have done here. Whole foods still contain their fibre, which helps slow down digestion and the resulting absorption of glucose to the blood stream, creating a steady drip rather than a flood.
Another great way to support blood sugar is with lower glycemic index foods, and every ingredient in this recipe, is low to moderate on the glycemic index scale. The glycemic index is a tool that looks at foods and the impact they can have on your blood sugar, on a scale of 0-100. A high GI index would be 70 and above, a medium GI is 56-69 and a low GI index is 55 or less. High GI foods are very likely to spike your blood sugar levels and do so quickly, foods with a medium GI rating tend to cause a moderate rise and low GI foods tend to keep blood sugar levels stable and steady over time with a gentle rise. This is because low GI foods break down slowly in the gut because they are rich in fibre and slow release carbohydrates, this means that the release of glucose to the blood stream is slow and gradual.
A quick word about dates: Dates have a low to moderate glycemic index, which means 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. You can learn about this here. Therefore, whilst I have added nuts to help curb any blood sugar spike, if you’re currently struggling with blood sugar issues, you may be better off sticking to one date per serving, and having after a meal that contains healthy fats, fibre and protein, to minimise any impact.
I’ve also intentionally used oats, almonds and cashew butter in this recipe to further support blood sugar.
Rolled oats contain beta-glucan, a special type of fibre found in oats that offers a wide range of health benefits, including stabilising blood sugar post-meals, and as a result, makes oat-based foods more effective than wheat based foods (like using regular flour) for blood sugar stability.
Nuts have been shown to have a positive effect on blood sugar, and whilst less attention has been focused on cashews in the research, they are rich in 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 (dates and chocolate, in this case) to our blood stream, preventing blood sugar spikes.
In fact, one study found that consuming mixed nuts, including cashews, improved post-prandial glucose and insulin levels (this means how high glucose and insulin rose after a meal) and a meta-analysis found that 3 weeks of mixed nuts, again, including cashews, reduced fasting glucose levels and HbA1c levels (average glucose levels). Finally, cashews have also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which can help those of us struggling with insulin resistance.
To top it off, cashews help to provide a hefty dose of the magnesium in this recipe, and magnesium plays a significant role in blood sugar stability and low levels are associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. It’s so vital, that research has demonstrated that simply an increase in dietary intake of magnesium can actually improve insulin resistance .
Lastly, apples contain a type of fibre, called pectin, which can help slow down digestion and the rate of glucose absorption. In fact, one study found that eating an apple before eating white rice, reduced the post-prandial (after meal) glucose spike. Whilst we’re not eating a whole apple, and the apple is pureed, the fibre is still left remaining (unlike juice), resulting in a low glycemic index and load.
So why does this matter?
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. Both of these imbalances can cause more PMS, heavier periods, and may also exacerbate endometriosis symptoms.
Additionally, blood sugar balancing treats like this cake can help us out with luteal phase or period 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 cake, being lower in sugar and rich in fibre, can help us get our fix without the pain and PMS 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.
Now, let’s be clear before we wrap up this section. I am not saying you have to avoid sugar or refined carbs for the rest of your life, but if like me, you enjoy a sweet treat as a snack or after dinner, it can help to make these regular goodies a bit more blood sugar balancing, so that we’re looking after ourselves on a day to day basis.
Rich in prebiotics and polyphenols to help heal the endo belly and reduce systemic inflammation.
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 (as you’ll come to learn shortly) 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).
One apple pie bite offers nearly 2.5g fibre. It also contains pectin from apples, a type of prebiotic fibre which feeds our good gut bacteria.
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 around 5 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.
And thanks to our specific ingredients of apples and dates, this recipe is also a good source of polyphenols.
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 (prebiotic) for our gut microbiome, which means they can support our good gut bugs to thrive.
But why does this matter for us endo folk?
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 and prebiotic fibre 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.
These prebiotic fibres help us to increase our production of gut friendly fats, called short chain fatty acids, which are made when good bacteria consume fibre. Research shows that people with endo may be low in short chain fatty acids and that this may be linked to endo pathogenesis, so by improving our fibre levels, we may actually be improving some of our defences against endo.
A good source of hormone and endo beneficial nutrients, including magnesium, B6 and zinc.
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.
B6
B6 is one of the most important B vitamins for balanced hormones as it supports progesterone production and oestrogen metabolism. Additionally, research has shown that B6 treatment can help reduce PMS, especially the mood challenges that can come with the syndrome.
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.
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 oats gluten free?
Oats are naturally gluten free, but are often processed in a factory that handles gluten, so if you’re coeliac, then go for gluten-free oats which have been processed in a factory without gluten.
Are these bites low FODMAP?
Normally I make as many of my recipes low FODMAP, but this one isn’t due to the apple puree. However, it is such a small amount, you may be able to tolerate it. Cashews are high FODMAP but cashew butter at servings under 9g is low FODMAP, so that should be okay!
Is this recipe suitable for SIBO?
Everyone’s triggers vary with SIBO, but this recipe may not be, as apples are high FODMAP, but see what works best for you.
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.
microbiome supportive Salted Caramel apple Pie date bites
Ingredients:
For the filling
30g apple puree
20g cashew butter
4 medjool dates
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
For the pie crumb topping
5g oats
5g ground almonds
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut oil (melted) or mild tasting olive oil
Makes: 4 bites (can double for more)
Prep time: 10 mins
chill time: 1 hour
Method
In a small bowl or even a mug, mix the cashew butter, apple puree and vanilla (if using) until well combined.
Destone the dates and then cut lengthways down the middle, to create a little pocket. Stuff the dates with the apple and cashew blend, and pop in the fridge to firm up for at least an hour.
In another small bowl, using your fingers, rub together the oats, ground almond, oil and vanilla extract until you have a crumb.
Once the dates are chilled, sprinkle the cashew blend with a crumb topping and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.
These freeze well and will be like ice cream bites if stored in the freezer!
Endo of summer special offer - if you’ve got half way through the year and endo has taken much of that time from you, 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?
Ways to work with me:
One to one coaching info and application
Live and Thrive with Endo 2.0 DIY online course
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This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook
Free resources:
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