Gut health plays a huge role in your overall health. That’s because approximately 70-80% of your immune cells live in your gut, and your gut microbiome influences overall immune function.
The gut microbiome is the community of microorganisms (fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc.) that live in your intestines. Your gut flora (the specific microorganisms in your intestines) changes in response to factors such as diet and exercise.
The gut also communicates directly with the brain via the gut-brain axis and vice versa. This association means that the brain can influence gut activity (such as in nervous diarrhea), and the gut, in turn, can positively or negatively influence mood, cognition, and mental health. To do.
Additionally, a weakened intestine can allow bacteria and inflammatory substances to be absorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream. This can lead to illness and systemic inflammation, leading to an increased risk of chronic disease.
Therefore, what you feed your gut is very important for your physical and mental health. Here’s a short list of foods and food groups that will maximize the functionality of your gut and its microbiome, as well as foods that should be minimized for optimal gut health.
Legumes support gut health. In addition to antioxidants from plant proteins and polyphenols, legumes contain nondigestible carbohydrates (NDCs), including soluble and insoluble fibers.
NDC acts as a prebiotic. This means that NDC acts as a nutrient source for the beneficial microorganisms that protect your health in your gut. When NDC is fermented by bacteria in the gut, anti-inflammatory compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are produced. Polyphenols found in legumes also have anti-inflammatory properties and act as additional prebiotics.
The anti-inflammatory effects of intestinal pulses have been shown to improve the health of the gastrointestinal tract and increase its strength as a barrier between the intestines and blood flow.
A healthy intestinal barrier selectively allows beneficial substances such as nutrients and water to enter the bloodstream. When the intestinal barrier is impaired or weak, harmful substances can enter the blood circulation and cause systemic or systemic inflammation, which can lead to disease. SCFAs in particular play an important role in maintaining intestinal barrier health.
Pulses include:
- beans
- Chickpea
- Dried peas (such as split peas or black-eyed peas)
- lentil
Probiotics can help rebuild the composition of the gut microbiome in ways that strengthen immune function, reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes, promote overall health, and improve multiple intestinal diseases. It is a living microorganism that has been proven to be Probiotics reduce the ability of harmful bacteria to multiply and change the intestinal environment so that healthy bacteria can thrive.
Probiotics may be found in unpasteurized fermented foods, such as raw sauerkraut. Studies have shown that microorganisms in fermented foods survive digestion and reach the colon, where they help support immune function.
A 2021 Stanford University study evaluated 36 healthy adults by randomly assigning them to a 10-week diet containing either fermented foods or high-fiber non-fermented foods. Compared to people who eat more fiber, people who eat fermented foods have 19 types of fiber, including a protein called interleukin-6, which is associated with positive changes in immune status and conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes. They experienced greater benefits, including lower levels of inflammatory proteins. , chronic stress.
Researchers say the findings suggest that fermented foods have a powerful impact on immune function and may help fight non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCDs), such as obesity and diabetes, which are primarily caused by chronic inflammation. I concluded that it did.
Probiotic foods include:
- fermented vegetables
- kefir
- kimchi
- kombucha
- miso
- Sauerkraut
- Tempe
- Yogurt
Prebiotics help feed the probiotic bacteria in your gut by promoting the growth of “good” bacterial strains such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. It also changes the pH in the intestines, preventing the growth of harmful microorganisms such as Clostridium perfringens and E. coli.
These changes are thought to reduce intestinal inflammation and increase production of a hormone called intestinal glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP2), which is known to strengthen the intestinal lining. Additionally, fermentation of prebiotic fibers leading to the production of SCFAs has been shown to reduce hunger and improve postprandial regulation of blood sugar and insulin levels. SCFAs have also been shown to reduce inflammation and positively impact cholesterol control.
A typical Western diet low in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains provides only 1 to 4 grams of prebiotics per day, but research has shown that prebiotic intake is effective. The amount is 5.5 to 20 grams per day.
Food sources of prebiotics include:
- asparagus
- bananas (especially unripe ones)
- barley
- chicory
- garlic
- Jerusalem artichoke
- green onion
- onion
- wheat bran
Some plants produce antioxidants called polyphenols. These natural compounds protect growing plants from damage and disease. In the human body, polyphenols are associated with heart and brain protection. Additionally, research has shown that the gut microbiome converts polyphenols into bioactive compounds that are absorbed into the bloodstream and have therapeutic effects in the body.
It is estimated that 5-10% of total polyphenols are absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream. The remaining 90-95% accumulates in the large intestine, where it exerts a prebiotic effect that positively changes the balance between “good” and “bad” intestinal bacteria. The breakdown of polyphenols in the intestine has also been linked to immune support and colorectal cancer prevention.
Foods rich in polyphenols include:
Avocado consumption is associated with a variety of beneficial health outcomes, including improved weight management and prevention of heart disease. A 2021 study found that this fruit, which contains good fats, also offers gut health benefits.
Researchers randomly assigned 163 overweight or obese adults to one of two groups for 12 weeks. Participants ate one meal per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) with or without avocado. Study subjects provided blood, urine, and fecal samples throughout the study.
Scientists found that people who ate avocado developed more abundant gut bacteria that break down fiber and produce beneficial SCFAs. They also developed a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome compared to people who didn’t eat an avocado diet. And although the avocado group ate slightly more calories, they had more fat in their stools, meaning less fat was absorbed from the digestive tract into the bloodstream. According to the researchers, this is the first study to evaluate the effects of avocado intake on the human gut microbiome in the absence of calorie restriction, excluding calorie changes as a factor in the observed changes. That’s what it means.
Some foods have been shown to negatively impact the health of your gut and its microbiome. Limit or avoid these foods to optimize your gut health.
red meat
Research shows that an amino acid called L-carnitine found in red meat is metabolized by gut microbes into a compound called trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), which is associated with increased risk factors for arteriosclerosis and heart disease. We know that Eating processed red meat (bacon, sausage, pepperoni) can also increase the level of microbes in your gut, increasing inflammation and increasing your risk of colorectal cancer.
ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods are defined as industrially produced ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat formulations that contain no food additives and little or no whole foods. Examples include soft drinks, fast food, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and sweets. Eating large amounts of these foods increases your risk of heart disease and obesity.
A 2021 research review concludes that ultra-processed foods reduce the number and variety of beneficial gut microbes compared to diets rich in minimally processed plant foods. This change promotes inflammation in the intestines and increases intestinal permeability. As mentioned above, these gut changes allow substances to be absorbed into the bloodstream that can promote systemic inflammation and increase the risk of diseases such as obesity, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
alcohol
Studies have shown that chronic alcohol consumption significantly alters the gut microbial community. Alcohol can reduce beneficial microorganisms, increase harmful pro-inflammatory microorganisms, and increase intestinal permeability, allowing pathogens to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
artificial sweetener
Artificial sweeteners contain no sugar or calories, but their use is associated with an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, and the effects can start in the gut. In experiments in which healthy mice were transplanted with gut microbiota taken from hosts that had consumed low-calorie sweeteners, the animals developed glucose intolerance. Other studies have shown that sugar substitutes can alter the microbial composition in the gut, reducing the production of beneficial SCFAs and increasing inflammation.
Gut-supporting foods increase the variety and number of beneficial gut microbes, reduce the growth of harmful bacteria, increase production of anti-inflammatory compounds such as SCFA, support immune function, and ward off harmful compounds. strengthens the integrity of the intestinal wall. of the bloodstream.
Some foods can counteract these positive effects in the gut, leading to decreased immune function, digestive disorders, and even an increased risk of chronic disease.
