Dietitian's gut-healthy nourish bowl recipe for women's digestive issues

A simple "nourish bowl" packed with fibre, protein and fermented foods could help tackle gut issues that disproportionately affect women.

Bloating, abdominal pain and sluggish digestion are significantly more common in women, driven by slower digestive transit times and hormonal fluctuations that impact how food moves through the gut.

Nutritionist Sarah Di Lorenzo says small, practical changes to diet can make a meaningful difference, with a focus on regular meals, hydration and prioritising gut-friendly ingredients.

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Her "Women's Nourish Gut Healthy Bowl" brings those elements together, combining fibre-rich vegetables, legumes, quality protein and fermented foods like sauerkraut to support digestion and reduce discomfort.

The bowl is designed to be balanced and easy to prepare, offering a simple way to improve gut health while supporting overall energy, mood and wellbeing.

Ingredients

Prep time: 10 minutes

Base

• ½ cup cooked quinoa

Vegetables

• 1 large handful baby spinach
• ¼ cup shredded red cabbage
• ½ cup roasted sweet potato, cubed
• ¼ Lebanese cucumber, sliced
• 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ avocado, sliced

Legumes

• ½ cup tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Protein

• 1 x 95g tin of wild salmon or tuna in olive oil, drained

Fermented

• 2 tbsp sauerkraut

Seeds

• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Dressing

• 1 tbsp tahini
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Small pinch of cumin and salt
• 2–3 tsp warm water to thin — stir until smooth and pourable

Method

1. Place spinach in the base of a wide bowl.
2. Add quinoa to one side, chickpeas to another.
3. Arrange sweet potato, cucumber, tomato, and cabbage around the bowl.
4. Lay avocado slices on top.
5. Flake salmon over the centre.
6. Spoon sauerkraut to one side.
7. Scatter pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds over everything.
8. Drizzle dressing over the top.
9. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.