‘I ate ‘poo porridge’ for two weeks and my skin’s never been better’

It tastes a lot better than it sounds, promise. 

Yup, that terrible selfie is filter-free my friends. Image: Supplied

Spread by word-of-mouth, Alison Izzo road tested this much-hyped breakfast recipe to see if the magical mix from Ahara Health lived up to the (literally) glowing reviews. 

There are a lot of things that you can supposedly do to get that lit-from-with, good skin… Invest in an actives-packed skincare routine (often expensive). Subjective yourself to IPL or laser resurfacing (often painful). Or go HAM on supplementation, like collagen or Vitamin C (often unpleasant tasting and easy to forget about). 

I’ve tried all of the above, so when I heard whispers from a friend that she swore by a very specific breakfast recipe that gave her skin an undeniable glow, I leaned in to know more. 

The recipe was coined by my friend - rather unfortunately - as ‘poo porridge’ due to the look (not taste!) of it, but also because… not to put it indelicately but it makes you go to the toilet. The humble breakfast dish was supposedly so effective in clearing up problem skin and boosting radiance that it had been shared widely amongst her group of friends, like a Holy Grail of sorts, and they were all now making and eating the gluten-free concoction every morning, without fail. 

The recipe was formulated by Ahara Health, and is refreshingly simple to make - no pot stirring or annoying clean-up required. 

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The ingredients include tigernut flour (which is surprisingly tricky to find in health food shops - so I’ve since substituted with quinoa flour or almond meal), chia seeds, coconut milk powder (which you can get at Woolies), sesame seeds, ground flax meal, shredded coconut and your choice of dried fruit (as long as they’re sulphur-free). Personally, I added a dollop of Greek yoghurt and sliced peaches on top - but you do you. 

Once all of the dry ingredients are mixed together, simply take a third-cup measure of the mixture, pop into your bowl and then add as much as hot water as needed to create a porridge-like consistency, stirring until combined. Afterwards, simply store the remaining ingredients in an air-tight container in the fridge for future use. 

I ate the porridge for two weeks straight, and have to say that not only was it a tasty and very convenient option for breakfast (less clean up than normal porridge! More fun than toast!), but in that time my skin got incredibly clear. And perhaps even had a bit more ‘glow’ than usual. 

I can’t say it banished my pigmentation, or reduced my fine lines - as you really need heavy-hitting skincare or aesthetic procedures for that - but my previously dull and congested complexion did look unusually ‘healthy’. In part, it could  also be because, as Scott-Young suggested, I upped my water intake significantly (this was prior to my epic hydration challenge). 

The reason it works? One word: fibre. 

I asked Sydney-based nutritionist Jessica Scott-Young why fibre is so important - and her answer went far beyond the benefits that my skin saw. Here's what she had to say... 

The recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. Image: courtesy of Alyce Cimino, Ahara Health

1. Fibre upregulates phase III detoxification

This is a key process as it is the final step in the detoxification process. Once all those pesky toxins and excess oestrogen are bound up and ready to be safely from the body, it is important that we are able to eliminate (AKA poop) them. This is a key waste removal process, and is why fibre is so important for healthy skin!

2. Fibre reduces overall toxic load

Toxins accumulates within the body due to our modern day lifestyles (think pollution, chemicals, BPAs, heavy metals, hormones in our meat, pesticides etc) so it is important we support our detoxification pathways to encourage regulate elimination

3. Fibre helps to regulates hormone health

By aiding the elimination of excess oestrogen. 

4. Fibre improves digestive function

It's great for bulking up bowel movements (goodbye constipation). 

5. Fibre boosts mood

Approximately 90 per cent of serotonin is made in our gut, so it is no surprise we all feel better after a big poo!

6. Fibre supports weight management

It helps to promote satiety, keeping you feeling fuller for longer. 

7. Fibre supports cardiovascular health

It binds up cholesterol to help lower blood pressure and blood lipids, whilst improving sugar metabolism. 

8. Fibre improves blood sugar regulation

It slows uptake of carbohydrate in the body to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes

"Whilst I always encourage my patients to get more fibre into their diet, diversity is also key. A mix of both soluble and insoluble is important because insoluble fibre acts like a broom to help sweep out your insides and remove waste from the body - whereas soluble fibre acts as more of binder, mopping up excess liquid (and cholesterol).

A key thing to remember when adding more fibre into the diet - you must drink more water!"

Want to try ‘poo porridge’ out for yourself? Head to Ahara Health to get the full recipe.

The consistency? Half chia pudding, half porridge. Image: Supplied

Jessica Scott-Young is a Sydney-based nutritionist with a focus on mood, thyroid, stress and digestive issues. You can find her on Instagram here.  

Originally published as ‘I ate ‘poo porridge’ for two weeks and my skin’s never been better’