Instead of talking about the bacterial strains of the intestines anymore, the gut microbiome has started to be talked about. This covers the bacteria, viruses, archaea, protozoa, and yeasts living in the intestines. It has been estimated that around 100 trillion of these can be found in the intestines. The makeup of the gut microbiome influences, e.g., immunity, metabolism, digestion, and moods.
Dysbiosis behind many diseases
The imbalance of the bacterial strains of the intestines, dysbiosis, can be greatly harmful for the health. Diseases, which it can influence, include irritable bowel syndrome, autism, anxiety disorders, bipolar syndrome, depression, and Parkinson’s disease. Perhaps surprisingly, the gut microbiome has also been linked to several cancers, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s (Rinninella 2019). Repairing dysbiosis provides the interesting opportunity, according to researchers, to prevent and treat diseases and their symptoms.
Gut bacteria help with weight management
Weight management is also an area where the gut microbiome has an effect. An unhealthy diet narrows the range of bacterial strains in the intestines and increases the amount of bad bacterial strains. You can try to improve your success in weight management by feeding the intestinal bacterial strains, which support wight management, such as Akkermansia muciniphilaa, Bacteroides theraiotaomicronia, Christensenella minutaa, and Oscillospiraa. The amount of Akkermansia muciniphilan can be increased by eating, for example, garlic, onions, leeks, and asparagus. Consuming citrus fruits and peas may have a positive effect on the amount of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. The formation of Christensenella minutan can be supported by extra-virgin olive oil, as well as raw vegetables and legumes, in particular. Eating according to the Mediterranean diet has been linked to both the formation of Christensenella minutan, as well as the formation of Oscillospiran.
Eat a variety of plant-based ingredients, as well as fermented products
It is good for the health if the gut microbiome is varied, meaning there live a broad range of different microbes in the intestines. If the number of beneficial microbes decreases for some reason, dangerous microbes can start to multiply, with the result of dysbiosis. The gut microbiome is individual to each person and generally stays about the same throughout life.
One good way to improve the gut microbiome is to include a variety of different plant-based ingredients in the diet. In the American Gut Project cohort studies, it was noticed that those whose diets contained over 30 different types of plant-based ingredients over the week had a more versatile gut microbiome that those whose diets only contained 10 plant-based ingredients. Eating a plant-heavy diet is a fairly easy way to achieve this amount. The beneficial effect of plant-based ingredients is partly due to the resistant carbohydrates and soluble fiber they contain, the latter of which feeds the good bacteria of the intestine. The best way to feed the good intestinal bacteria is to eat an ample amount of fruits, vegetables, and berries, as well as legumes, such as lentils, beans, and soy.
Many plant-based ingredients, such as berries, fruits, and vegetables, contain polyphenols, which positively affect the gut microbiome. For example, onions and apples contain quercetin, which prevents the formation of harmful intestinal bacteria. Berries, on the other hand, contain anthocyanins and anthocyanidins, which both prevent the formation of harmful bacteria and increase the growth of beneficial bacteria. Beneficial polyphenols can also be found amply in tea, wine, grapes, pomegranate, and walnuts.
Fermented foods contain probiotics and therefore have a positive effect on the gut microbiome. According to a Spanish study, those who ate unsweetened, natural yoghurt had more of the Akkermansia strain of bacteria in their intestines, which has an effect against obesity, for example. The CRP was also lower for these individuals. (González 2019). Other fermented foods beneficial to the intestines include, for example, sauerkraut, kimchi, and other fermented vegetables, as well as fermented soy products, such as miso, tempeh, and natto. Additionally, moderate alcohol consumption and, in particular, consuming red wine can be considered beneficial. The following examples, on the other hand, can be considered harmful: excess red meat and processed meat products, sugar, artificial sweeteners, additives, highly-processed foods, and pesticides.
