5 things you can eat to help your Gut microbiome

Jan 13

What is the gut microbiome?

The microbiome refers to the billions—possibly trillions—of bacteria residing in our gut, collectively capable of encoding over three million human genes.

What’s fascinating is that each person’s microbiome is unique, much like a fingerprint. Its composition is shaped by factors such as body measurements, genetics, medications, and, most importantly, diet.

Only recently have scientists begun to understand the microbiome’s role—could it be that our gut has been calling the shots all along?

Here are a few things you can do and eat to help improve your gut microbiome—and possibly enhance your overall health.

#1 Include fibre in every meal:

Research shows that consuming fibre plays a crucial role in supporting the gut microbiome by promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids—such as butyrate, propionate, and acetate (1 2 3). These fatty acids are essential for maintaining a healthy, well-sealed gut lining, reducing inflammation, and lowering the risk of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Fibre is also a prebiotics to your gut !

To help boost your fibre intake, here are some fibre-rich food groups to include in your daily diet:

Vegetables and fruits

Beans

Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, whole wheat flour, etc.)

Whole grain bread

Nuts and seed

#2 Include food with probiotics in your diet

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, help maintain a balanced gut microbiome and offer potential health benefits to the host.

Several foods are rich in probiotics, and incorporating them into your daily diet can support gut health. Here are some great options:

Kefir and yogurt with active cultures
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Kombutcha
Sourdough bread

#3 Avoid artificial sweetEners

Often regarded as “safe” and “low-calorie” alternatives, artificial sweeteners have been shown in numerous studies to pose potential long-term risks. These include:

Increasing pro-inflammatory gene expression
Disrupting fecal metabolites
Inducing glucose intolerance

#4 Avoid high processed food AKA fructose

Simple sugars, especially fructose, aren’t exactly friends with the gut microbiome. Fructose is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in fruits. However, the food industry quickly realized how great fructose tastes and began adding it to many highly processed foods.

The problem? Our bodies aren’t designed to handle large amounts of fructose. Instead of being properly digested, excess fructose remains in the gut, creating disorder and increasing inflammation.

In short, minimizing or avoiding highly processed foods can benefit not only your gut health but your overall well-being.

Be consistent!

Consistency is key. Maintaining a high-fibre diet, minimizing highly processed foods and artificial sweeteners, and adding probiotics daily is essential for keeping your body and health on the right track!

If you’re dealing with any bowel, liver disease or any chronic disease, make sure to consult your registred dietitian to help and assist you with your diet.

Schedule a consultation with our Dietitians

Bibliography:

1- Zhao L, Zhang F, Ding X, et al. Gut bacteria selectively promoted by dietary fibers alleviate type 2 diabetes. Science 2018;359:1151-6. doi:10.1126/science. aao5774

2- asaki D, Sasaki K, Ikuta N, et al. Low amounts of dietary fibre increase in vitro production of short-chain fatty acids without changing human colonic microbiota structure. Sci Rep 2018;8:435. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18877-8

3- Cheng W, Lu J, Li B, et al. Effect of functional oligosaccharides and ordinary dietary fiber on intestinal microbiota diversity. Front Microbiol 2017;8:1750. doi:10.3389/ fmicb.2017.01750

3- Administration FaD. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 Subpart E: Specific Requirements for Health Claims[23 pp.]. EFSA J 2016;14:4369.

4- Rodriguez-Palacios A, Harding A, Menghini P, et al. The artificial sweetener Splenda promotes gut Proteobacteria, dysbiosis, and myeloperoxidase reactivity in Crohn’s disease-like ileitis. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2018;24:1005-20. doi:10.1093/ibd/ izy060 105 Suez J,

5- Korem T, Zeevi D, et al. Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature 2014;514:181-6. doi:10.1038/ nature13793

6- Ana M Valdes and colleagues Role of the gut microbiota in nutrion and health

RIma Meriem hadjal