Gut health matters, including the health of the bacteria that make up your digestive tract. These are the friendly bacteria that make up your gut microbiome. Why are these “good” bacteria so important? The microbiome is a key factor linked to a healthy weight. People with greater gut microbiome diversity also have lower body mass indexes (BMIs). Plus, research shows the microbiome plays a key role in immune health too. Shockingly, 70% of your immune system lies in the dark recesses of your gut.
Since the immune system affects other aspects of health, including the brain, it’s not a stretch to say the microbiome has a far-reaching influence on mental and physical health. Gut bacteria also affect nutrient absorption, appetite, and even food choices. Studies even show you can alter a person’s body weight by changing the composition of their microbiome.
Having a healthy gut microbiome is also lifestyle-dependent. The bacteria that make up your gut are influenced by what you eat and drink and the lifestyle you lead and the key, based on research so far, is to eat in a way that promotes diversity. Research shows a more diverse microbiome is healthier than having a microbiome made up of only a few species of bacteria. So, how can you jumpstart your microbiome and increase its diversity?
Lifestyle and diet matter. Let’s look at some steps you can take to upgrade your gut health and the health of your microbiome.
Add More Fiber to Your Diet
Bad dietary choices create a breeding ground for bad gut bacteria. It’s not just what you shouldn’t eat, but what you should consume to upgrade the bacteria that hang out in your gut. What they like to snack on is fiber, particularly a type of fiber called prebiotic fiber. Good sources of prebiotic fiber include:
- Unripe bananas
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Legumes
- Oats
- Onions
- Leeks Asparagus
- Garlic
However, simply upgrading the fiber content of your diet will help you get your gut back on the right track. Most people get about half the quantity of fiber they need for good health. For women, that amount is 25 grams of fiber, while for men it’s 37 grams of fiber daily. Are you getting that amount? If you aren’t, there’s plenty of opportunities to add more.
Eat a Greater Diversity of Plants
Plants are an excellent source of fiber to feed healthy gut bacteria, and they also contain polyphenols. These natural plant components have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, but research also shows they may be beneficial for the friendly bacteria that live in your gut.
Plant-based foods offer a unique combination of polyphenols and fiber, components that your gut loves. When you eat a diversity of plants, you get a wider array of polyphenols too, and that’s beneficial for health. So, vary the plant-based foods you eat and eat vegetables and fruits in a variety of colors.
Add More Fermented Foods to Your Diet
Fermented foods are rich in probiotics, healthy bacteria that increase microbiome diversity and support gut health. Yogurt is the most popular fermented food, but you can also enjoy an array of fermented vegetables, including the ever-popular fermented cabbage known as sauerkraut. Be sure it’s fresh though and keep it refrigerated. Canned sauerkraut is devoid of probiotics. Other sources of probiotics include kefir, kombucha, and kimchi. Expand your horizons and give these gut-friendly foods a try!
Nix the Artificial Sweeteners
Weight-conscious consumers sometimes add artificial sweeteners to their coffee and tea for the taste of sweet without the calories and sugar. However, there’s growing evidence that artificial sweeteners are harmful to the gut microbiome. Despite their lack of sugar, they may still fuel insulin resistance and prediabetes, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Plus, research shows that when people consume artificial sweeteners, they may compensate by eating more. When your body tastes something sweet, it expects calories to follow. Artificial sweeteners create a mismatch between taste and calories that can trigger cravings.
Only Take Antibiotics When You Need Them
Antibiotics can be lifesaving, but too many people take them for viral infections. Not only are antibiotics ineffective for viral infections, but they also destroy healthy gut bacteria, the kind that is beneficial to your microbiome. Studies show that it can take months for the gut microbiome to recover from a single antibiotic prescription.
Take antibiotics when you need them but question your doctor when they hand you a prescription and make sure they’re necessary. Also, consider taking a high-quality probiotic supplement if you must take antibiotics.
The Bottom Line
You need to feed your gut microbiome the right foods for a healthy gut. Hopefully, you now know what to eat to get your gut back on track, if it’s not where it should be, and keep it healthy if it is. Microbiome research is a rapidly expanding area of study and will surely bring about new insights on how to keep your gut healthy. Until then, eat real food with lots of fiber-rich plants and some fermented foods too.
References:
- Slavin J. Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients. 2013;5(4):1417-1435. Published 2013 Apr 22. doi:10.3390/nu5041417.
- Blaut M. Relationship of prebiotics and food to intestinal microflora. Eur J Nutr. 2002 Nov; 41 Suppl 1: I11-6. doi: 10.1007/s00394-002-1102-7. PMID: 12420111.
- Ruiz-Ojeda FJ, Plaza-Díaz J, Sáez-Lara MJ, Gil A. Effects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials [published correction appears in Adv Nutr. 2020 Mar 1; 11 (2):468]. Adv Nutr. 2019; 10 (suppl_1): S31-S48. doi:10.1093/advances/nmy037.
- 2019 Sep; 11 (9): 2216. Published online 2019 Sep 13. doi: 10.3390/nu11092216.
- Kumar Singh A, Cabral C, Kumar R, et al. Beneficial Effects of Dietary Polyphenols on Gut Microbiota and Strategies to Improve Delivery Efficiency. Nutrients. 2019; 11 (9):2216. Published 2019 Sep 13. doi:10.3390/nu11092216,
- Filosa S, Di Meo F, Crispi S. Polyphenols-gut microbiota interplay and brain neuromodulation. Neural Regen Res. 2018;13(12):2055-2059. doi:10.4103/1673-5374.241429.
- Avena NM, Rada P, Hoebel BG. Evidence for sugar addiction: behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2008; 32 (1):20-39. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2007.04.019. Epub 2007 May 18. PMID: 17617461; PMCID: PMC2235907.
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