Polyphenols are phytochemicals contained in the rich, deep colours of many plants. They are a well-loved food of gut bacteria – the more you can feed them, the better for you too. Every single ingredient in this salad brings polyphenols to the meal. This makes a wonderful starter to boost your daily plant intake to feed your gut microbes, or as a side dish with a main meal. It takes just a few minutes to make with a few supermarket items - the bag of rocket, ready-cooked beets, and pomegranate seeds ready cut from the skin are all readily-available in many stores.
4 cooked beetroots sliced
Bag of rocket leaves (70g)
Large handful of pomegranate seeds
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs red wine vinegar
A small red onion peeled and chopped into tiny pieces
A pinch of sea salt
Put the beetroot, rocket, and pomegranates in a large salad bowl. In a separate cup mix together with a fork, the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and red onion and salt. If you have time, let the onion soak into the vinaigrette for about 10 minutes (this makes the onion less sharp). Pour the vinaigrette over the salad items and serve.