At Health-Ade, it’s our mission to help people in our community unlock the power of their gut and discover how impactful gut health is to overall health & wellbeing. Probably the best way to take care of your gut is through what you eat (and what you don’t) – with 4 general guidelines:

1. Eat an abundance of high fiber fruits and veggies
2. Eat/drink fermented foods on the regular
3. Avoid excess alcohol + toxins
4. Take antibiotics only when necessary

If you’ve been reading these blogs, that’s probably not big news. But the truth is that, for many, this information remains unknown. The harder truth is that this lack of education impacts the health of our community. So, in addition to making the best tasting and highest quality good-for-your-gut drinks you can buy, we’ve made it a point to improve access to nutrition education for those who need it most. 

Here are some facts that may surprise you:

• Low-income populations have significantly less knowledge about nutrition, especially in gut health, compared to higher income counterparts
• Less than 5% of low-income populations get enough fiber in their diet, which is one of the main ways to improve our gut microbiome and health, vs 60% of higher income populations
• Several bodies of evidence show that low-income populations eat the lowest amounts of fruits and vegetables, one of the main ways to improve our gut microbiome and health
• Low-income adults get most of their education on nutrition and wellness from influencers on social media, and not from health care practitioners, brands, or experts – whereas in higher income adults it’s the opposite
• Low-income populations express a desire to learn about nutrition and gut health – they want to learn more but don’t know where to turn!

What can we do about it?

Support Nutrition and Gut Health Education:

While nutrition education isn’t the ONLY lever needed to make an impact on behaviors, it’s an important one that can make change. Several population studies have shown that even short nutrition education programs (8 weeks) make positive impacts on dietary behaviors and outcomes, especially in underserved and lower income populations. Within the low-income population, those that are more educated in nutrition tend to purchase healthier foods.

Focus on the future:

Let’s face it – our children are going to be our leaders in only a matter of decades! We know that kids respond most to hands-on learning, so supporting foundations that teach kids in “seed to table” formats is a great way to make a difference. Using this approach, children learn not just about what foods are healthy, but also how to plant them, tend to them, cook with them, compost them, and hopefully fall in love with them! This type of learning builds the foundation for a lifetime of healthier behaviors.

For these reasons, Health-Ade is proud to support a number of organizations in our communities working hard to educate on and integrate nutrition, especially gut health. Here’s a look at some of the organizations we supported this year. Take a moment to explore — and if you’re feeling inspired to help, click the links to learn more!

GARDEN SCHOOL FOUNDATION in Los Angeles, CA

Garden School Foundation provides garden-based “seed to table” education to children at several Title-1 elementary schools across LA. Health-Ade has been partnering with GSF for 4 years now financially and with volunteers – you can learn more and join the cause here.

FEAST in several cities across the US

FEAST believes everyone deserves access to nutrition. They bring small groups together in an emotionally supportive circle for 16-weeks, to learn and make lifestyle changes. Health-Ade has sponsored several classes through graduation and built evergreen gut-health programming for participants. Interested in learning more or even getting involved? Check them out here.

HARLEM GROWN in Harlem, NY

HARLEM GROWN inspires youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through hands-on education in urban farming and nutrition in their famrs in Harlem. Health-Ade has been partnering with HG for 3 years financially and with volunteers. Ready to join the cause? Learn more here.

FEED BLACK FUTURES in California

Feed Black Futures feeds mamas of color & caregivers impacted by incarceration in the Los Angeles and Oakland areas with high-quality fresh food and the skills to produce it. Health-Ade partnered with FBF and Girls Garage, an organization empowering female youth with skills in construction, to sponsor in-home farm and garden boxes for the Feed Black Futures mamas. You can learn more and join the cause here.

We decided that to truly champion gut health, it’s also essential that we work to close the gap in knowledge about gut health and nutrition, especially in lower-income communities. There’s still a lot of work to be done, and we’re proud to do our part!

Today's blog is written by our very own Daina Trout, MS, MPH

Daina is our not just our Co-Founder and Chief Mission Officer, she is also our in-house nutritionist that has spent her adult life dedicated to finding and sharing health and wellness through food. With 2 masters' degrees in nutritional biochemistry and public health, Daina has called upon her education often while leading the way at Health-Ade - from how we make every batch of kombucha, to how we talk about gut health to consumers, to even how healthy our employee workplace is! She even writes a few blogs here and there. Happy reading! :)