I’m not saying those questions aren’t important, but they all miss the one nutrient critical to a healthy life that almost everyone is deficient in: fiber

Are you getting enough fiber? It depends on what you eat, of course. But in the words of Toy Story’s Magic 8 Ball, “don’t count on it.” Fewer than 10% of U.S. women and 3% of U.S. men get the recommended amount of fiber. In the U.K., more than 9 out of 10 adults fall short.

In places where people still eat relatively traditional diets, like many of the Blue Zones that are home to some of the planet’s longest-lived peoples, eating fiber-rich foods is par for the course. In fact, it may well be that fiber is a major factor in the longevity of Blue Zone residents.

A meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who consumed the most fiber were 16% less likely to die during the following ten years, compared to those who ate the least.

Researchers analyzed 17 studies that included nearly a million participants and found that every 10 grams of fiber consumed per day cut mortality risk by 10%. To put that amount in perspective, one small cherry tomato weighs roughly 10 grams, according to my kitchen scale. 

But why is fiber good for you? How can it benefit your health? How much fiber do you need daily? And how can you ensure you’re getting enough fiber in your diet?

What Is Fiber, Exactly?

Fiber provides structure to plant cell walls, functioning kind of like a skeleton. When you eat plants, your body does a great job of extracting macro and micronutrients, but it doesn’t manufacture the digestive enzymes needed to break down fiber. So that fiber passes through your digestive system intact.

That might sound like an argument for fiber being unnecessary, or even a problem. But wait — there’s more to the story. A lot more.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Each performs a different job in your body. 

Soluble fiber dissolves into a gel in your digestive tract with the addition of water. It slows down digestion, which helps with blood sugar balance and cholesterol levels, as well as nutrient absorption. Good amounts of soluble fiber are found in foods like whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, as well as some fruits and vegetables. 

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools and acts like a broom, cleaning out your digestive tract. It promotes healthy bowel movements and also helps with insulin sensitivity. You can find good amounts of insoluble fiber in whole grains, vegetables, and wheat bran.

Both soluble and insoluble fiber are found naturally, to varying degrees, in all unrefined plant foods. Meat, dairy products, fish, eggs, added sugars, and oils, however, don’t contain any fiber. And processed foods made with refined flour generally contain very little, if any, because natural fiber is lost or removed in their manufacture.

Prebiotics and Resistant Starch

Soluble fiber does more than regulate the traffic in your digestive tract. While your body doesn’t have the digestive enzymes that can break it down into useful compounds, it “knows a guy.” Specifically, your gut is host to a veritable universe of bacteria, collectively known as your microbiome.

Like any universe, your microbiome includes many different characters; some helpful, some neutral, and some downright dangerous. Beneficial bacteria, known as probiotics, have the tools to metabolize fiber for energy. In that process, they also produce a wide range of compounds that are crucial to your health that you can’t make without them.

Prebiotics fall under the umbrella of soluble fiber and also serve as food for those beneficial “probiotic” gut bacteria. Prebiotic-rich foods include things like jicama, allium vegetables, legumes, and leafy greens.

Resistant starch is a type of indigestible, fermentable carbohydrate that also serves as a prebiotic. Whole grains, potatoes cooled after cooking (hello, potato salad!), and green bananas are all good sources of resistant starch. This type of starch improves insulin sensitivity and promotes the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which keep your gut and immune system healthy. These fatty acids also circulate throughout your body, communicating with your cells and tissues to help regulate inflammation and promote healing.

Benefits of Fiber

The evidence for the health benefits of fiber is overwhelming. Let’s explore some of it here.

Fiber and Gut Health 

Does fiber help you poop? Yes, it does! And being able to do so daily is more important than you might think. Constipation is not only uncomfortable, but it may also increase your risk for chronic diseases like cancer, hormonal imbalances, and even cardiovascular disease.

By speeding things along, fiber helps eliminate toxins from your digestive tract. The longer those toxins hang around, the more likely they are to be reabsorbed into your body through your intestines and wreak havoc on your health.

Fiber also benefits your digestive system by improving the composition of your microbiome. As we saw, certain fiber-filled foods are also prebiotics that feed your population of good gut bacteria. Increasing your fiber intake can alter your microbiota in as little as two weeks, enabling those beneficial bacteria to crowd out any “bad guys“ that could be causing gastrointestinal and other health issues.

Does Fiber Help You Lose Weight?

Consuming more fiber can indeed support weight loss. A 2019 study, the POUNDS Lost Study, asked overweight and obese participants to follow a reduced-calorie diet that provided at least 20 grams of fiber per day.

That number is worth putting in context. It’s well below the 25–40 grams per day recommended by the U.S. Institute of Medicine (the range depending on age and sex), but it’s significantly more than most Americans currently eat. So even that modest target represented a meaningful dietary shift for most participants.

Fewer than half of the participants consistently hit the 20-gram mark — those who did lost about 3 more pounds than those who fell short. One likely reason is that adequate fiber helped them more easily stick to their calorie targets.

So why does fiber help with weight management? A big part of the answer is satiety. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the gut and forms a gel-like substance that slows the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream and activates stretch receptors in your stomach. This is the physical signal that tells your brain you’ve eaten enough.

Fiber-rich whole foods reinforce this effect in another way. Compared to animal products and processed foods, whole plant foods tend to be higher in water and lower in fat, which means they deliver fewer calories per bite. You end up eating a satisfying volume of food while taking in fewer calories overall — and your stretch receptors do the rest, sending the message to your brain that it’s time to stop.

Fiber and Cancer Prevention

Fiber is an essential part of your waste removal system, constantly eliminating carcinogens before they become a problem. For instance, fiber works to prevent colorectal cancer by improving intestinal transit time — literally sweeping away carcinogens.

In a study at the National Cancer Institute called the Polyp Prevention Trial (PPT), published in the Journal of Nutrition, participants were put on a low-fat, high-fiber diet high in fruits and vegetables. Researchers focused on the recurrence of colorectal adenomas (polyps), viewing them as precursors or early warning signs of cancers that might take years or decades to show up clinically. 

After adjusting for variables, it was found that the one food that made a difference in whether or not participants had a recurrence of adenomas was the amount of beans they consumed. The researchers note that for most study participants, beans were their primary source of dietary fiber. 

Fiber’s anticancer benefits don’t stop at colorectal cancer. It also reduces the risk of cancers of the breast, prostate, mouth, and throat. A meta-analysis published in the BMJ found that every 10 grams of fiber consumed daily is associated with a 10% reduced risk of colorectal cancer, and a separate meta-analysis in the Annals of Oncology found the same 10-gram increase linked to a 5% reduction in breast cancer risk.

But perhaps the most striking finding comes from a long-term study published in Pediatrics that followed over 90,000 women for 20 years. It found that what you eat as a teenager and young adult may shape your breast cancer risk for the rest of your life. Women who consumed the most fiber during adolescence and early adulthood — around 20 grams or more per day — had a 24% lower risk of developing breast cancer before menopause. Every additional 10 grams of daily fiber in early adulthood was associated with a 13% further reduction in risk. And the women with the highest overall fiber intake reduced their lifetime breast cancer risk by 16%.

In other words, this isn’t just advice for adults trying to course-correct. If you have daughters, nieces, or young women in your life, or you are a young woman yourself, this is worth sharing and taking to heart.

Is Fiber Good for Your Heart?

Many cardiologists recommend eating oatmeal for breakfast. Their #1 reason? Oatmeal is a rich source of soluble fiber, and studies have found that it has a positive impact on cholesterol.

In fact, a review and meta-analysis of 22 different studies found that the more fiber people ate, the lower their risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease. 

One possible way dietary fiber achieves these effects might be its ability to reduce systemic inflammation markers associated with cardiovascular disease and other diseases. Its impact on inflammation is important for heart health because inflammation may be a risk factor for high blood pressure.

Fiber and Blood Sugar

Fiber helps regulate blood sugar. This is one of the reasons that many dietitians and other lifestyle medicine practitioners recommend that people with type 2 diabetes consume beans and other legumes. These high-fiber powerhouses help slow glucose absorption while regulating blood sugar over time.

In a study published in Nutrition Journal, researchers compared the glycemic response of traditional bean-and-rice meals with rice alone.

Seventeen men and women with diabetes were given either plain white rice, white rice with black beans, white rice with pinto beans, or white rice with red kidney beans. Then, researchers measured their blood glucose at 90, 120, and 150 minutes.

When they ate beans with their rice, the participants exhibited better blood sugar control. This makes sense, considering that beans and other legumes are good sources of resistant starch, which can improve insulin sensitivity and prime the body to move glucose from the blood into cells, where it can be stored or used.

So, whether you have type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, or just want to have a steadier blood sugar balance and improved insulin sensitivity, a high-fiber, plant-powered diet that includes beans may help you feel your best.

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

Dietary guidelines for fiber vary, but most countries and professional health agencies recommend intakes between 25 and 35 grams per day for adults. Although the U.S. updated its daily fiber reference value in 2016 from 25 to 28 grams per day for a 2,000-calorie diet — based on the long-standing standard of 14 grams per 1,000 calories — most adults are still getting only about half that amount daily.

While 28 grams of fiber would obviously be a step in the right direction, some experts believe we should aim much higher. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s (PCRM) fiber recommendation, for example, is 40 grams per day. 

Even that goal falls short of the 100-gram-a-day average that some researchers believe our ancestors may have been eating. They weren’t tracking their fiber intake on an app or hunting it down at a health food store. It was simply the tax they paid for eating wild plants. In those days, undomesticated fruits, veggies, and tubers were much tougher and woodier than the tender, sugary versions we find in modern supermarkets. 

And in the absence of fancy kitchen gadgets, our progenitors often consumed the skin, seeds, and stems of these plants. Long story short: To get enough calories from plants, they had to eat massive volumes, which naturally brought a tidal wave of fiber into their digestive tract.

I don’t necessarily recommend eating twigs and banana peels to achieve those 100 grams a day. But if you’re eating the way most people do in the industrialized world, you could probably do with more fiber in your diet. 

What Are the Best High Fiber Foods?

Now that you know the health benefits of getting enough fiber, what are some of the best fiber-rich foods you should be eating?  

Given that fiber is best found in its natural state and fiber is found only in plant foods, fill your plate with fiber-rich foods, such as:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Beans and other legumes
• Whole grains
• Nuts and seeds

You can buy fiber supplements, which are probably better than nothing if your diet is largely devoid of fiber. That said, in most cases, they’re likely to be of limited value compared to whole plant foods, since they’re missing the beneficial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals also found in those foods.

This infographic, which is by no means comprehensive, can help you start your quest to find high-fiber foods.

How to Get Enough Fiber in Your Diet 

Here are some easy ways to add more fiber to your diet:

• Choose whole grains instead of white bread and white flour products
• Choose beans over beef (or any other animal product)
• Double your veggie sides: Pile vegetables on your plate before you add anything else
• Start your day with oatmeal and berries instead of eggs, bacon, or commercial breakfast cereals 
• Snack on fiber-rich foods, such as pears, sliced apples with peanut butter, or veggies and hummus
• Skip or reduce your consumption of meat, dairy, and processed foods like cookies, crackers, chips, and sodas

Specific foods vary in fiber content, but to gauge how much fiber to eat, it can be helpful to estimate the number of grams of fiber in different food groups.

The PCRM offers this information in a handy chart.

To understand how much fiber you’re getting, here’s what you can do: Write down everything you eat and drink for one day and jot down your fiber score according to this chart.  

You’ll notice that if your diet is made primarily from whole plant foods and includes plenty of beans, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables, you’re probably getting a good amount of fiber.

However, if you’re eating meat, dairy, and processed foods — like white bread, cookies, crackers, chips, and soda — it can be challenging to achieve the goal of 40 grams, or even 28 grams, of fiber per day.

How to Understand What Your Fiber Score Means

Less than 20 grams of fiber per day

Your score is pretty typical for most modern industrialized nations, but it’s not doing your health any favors.

With less than 20 grams of fiber per day, you may be hungry often and have trouble with constipation and other digestive issues. At this level, the risk for certain chronic diseases, including heart disease and some forms of cancer, is also increased.

But the good news is, it’s easy to change all this by incorporating more fiber-rich foods into your diet!

20–39 grams of fiber per day

You’re getting more than many people eating the standard American diet, but you may still have room for improvement.

Focus on crowding out foods that contain little to no fiber by adding more fiber superstars to your meals — like beans and lentils. By doing so, you’ll probably find that you feel more satisfied and that maintaining a healthy weight becomes easier. Plus, you’ll further reduce your risk of chronic diseases and early mortality.

40+ grams of fiber per day

Your diet is loaded with fiber-rich whole plant foods. You’re in the tiny fraction of the population that is actually getting PCRM’s recommended amount of fiber. Way to go!

A Fiber-Rich Meal Plan

What does high-fiber eating look like?

If most people eat less than the recommended amount of fiber per day, you may be thinking, “How am I going to eat 40 or more grams of fiber (or even 28 grams) per day?” 

It’s easier than you think. Here’s what a typical day might look like:

Breakfast: Buckwheat Chia Pancakes: 13 grams from the buckwheat + 2 grams from the chia + 1 gram from the mashed banana = 16 grams 

Lunch: Avocado Salad: 4 ½ grams from the avocado + 4 grams from the black beans + 2 grams from the arugula, tomato, onion and cilantro = 10.5 grams 

Snack: Moroccan Baked Chickpeas: = 7 grams 

Dinner: Vegan Mince Lettuce Tacos: 6 grams from the lentils + 3 grams from the veggies, including romaine lettuce shells = 9 grams

Total Fiber: 42.5 (Ding ding ding, we have a winner!)

Take Action for Your Health: Fiber Challenge

Now that you know why fiber is so good for you and how to get enough fiber in your diet, team up with a friend or family member and challenge yourself and each other to reach 40 grams of fiber per day consistently. 

If you’re new to eating a lot of fiber, be sure to add it to your diet slowly, because increasing your fiber intake too quickly can cause bloating and gas or other negative side effects. It’s also important to drink plenty of water while increasing your consumption of fiber-rich foods. When you increase gradually and allow your body to become used to the increase in fiber, you probably won’t experience any discomfort.

Fiber may be the least glamorous nutrient in the conversation about healthy eating. No one (except maybe yours truly!) is writing breathless headlines about their high-fiber diet. But the evidence is hard to argue with. Better digestion, lower cancer risk, a healthier heart, steadier blood sugar, and a longer life. All from eating more plants. Take the 40-gram challenge, add it gradually, drink plenty of water, and see how you feel. The results might surprise you.

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you get enough fiber?
• What’s one simple change can you make today to start incorporating more fiber into your diet?
• What benefits have you noticed from adding more fiber to your diet?

Featured Image: iStock.com/apomares

Read Next:

• Are Starches Good or Bad?
• 5 Common Mistakes Plant-Based Eaters Make and How to Avoid Them
• Plant-Based Protein: The Best Sources & How Much You Actually Need

The post Why Is Fiber Good For You? (And How To Get Enough Fiber!) appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

By Ocean Robbins • Adapted from Ocean Robbins’ forthcoming book 31-Day Food Revolution (Grand Central Life & Style, February 5, 2019). Featured image source: https://downtoearthorganics.com.au. Originally published on: August 8, 2018.

Deep in your gut, 40 trillion chemists are hard at work helping you digest your meals, making essential nutrients you can’t produce on your own, protecting you from disease, and even shaping which parts of your DNA manifest and which remain dormant.

These talented creatures are fungi, bacteria, and other single-celled organisms. And they are a bigger part of who you are than you have probably ever imagined!

While your body includes about 22,000 human genes, it also hosts as many as two trillion microbial genes that are technically not “you,” but rather benevolent guests working in exquisite harmony with your body. Some of these microbes flourish on your skin, but the vast majority take up residence in your digestive tract.

Study of the microbiome — the community of microorganisms living inside your body — could well be the most compelling frontier of health science.

The digestive process breaks down food and beverage particles so that your body can absorb the nutrients it wants and excrete the rest. Trillions of organisms join in the effort.

These microbes also play a critical role in shaping your appetite, allergies, metabolism, and neurological function. In fact, scientists have found that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, all of which play a key role in determining your mood.

Studies suggest that your gut microbiota may factor into your risk of developing neuropsychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

In other words, the bacteria living in your gut have a huge impact on the way you feel.

Which One Are You Feeding?

There’s an often-told story, reportedly from Cherokee folklore, about a Cherokee elder who is teaching his grandson about life.

“A fight is going on inside me,” he says to the boy. “It’s a terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, and ego.

The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, and compassion. The same fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thinks for a minute and then asks, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee replies, “The one you feed.”

When it comes to the bacteria in your gut, every time you eat, you are feeding somebody. Unfortunately, the modern industrialized diet is all too often feeding the bad guys and, just as important, starving the good.

To put it simply, “bad” bacteria tend to feed on sugar and unhealthy fats (yes, I’m talking about you, junk food!). And the single most important nutrient that good bacteria need to thrive inside you is fiber.

When they have plenty of fiber, they can do their job — and your digestion, mental function, and even your mood reap the benefits.

It’s clear that fiber is critical to gut health. But less than 5% of Americans get the recommended 25 to 30 grams per day.

It’s estimated that our Paleolithic ancestors got an average of up to 100 grams per day. Compare that to the average Brit, who gets only 20 grams per day, and the average American, who gets even less — just 15.

Most of us are literally starving the good bacteria that would, if we only gave them the chance, be digesting our food and making the brain-boosting chemicals we need to thrive.

How to Nurture the Good Guys and Support Your Gut Health

We know that junk food, lack of fiber, glyphosate, antibiotics, and other toxins can compromise the bacteria upon which your digestion and brain health depend. Is there anything you can do about it?

Yes! There’s a lot you can do to nurture a healthy microbiome and to support a flourishing collection of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.

1) Don’t kill the good ones.

When you steer clear of unnecessary antibiotics, glyphosate, and environmental toxins, you help to create the conditions for microbial health. Organic food, anyone?

2) Don’t feed the bad ones.

A diverse population of health-promoting flora protects your gut from the less helpful strains. But not all flora are good for you. A diet high in sugar, unhealthy fat, and processed food can feed the very kinds of flora that will cause gas, discomfort, bloating, and chronic inflammation.

3) Feed the good ones.

Probiotics are the so-called “good” microorganisms inside your gastrointestinal tract. They aid in digestion and keep your tummy happy. Like all living things, probiotics must be fed in order to remain active and vibrant.

Prebiotics are the food that probiotics need to thrive. They’re a type of plant fiber that humans can’t digest and that take up residence inside your large intestine. The more of these prebiotics you feed to your probiotics, the more efficiently they’ll do good work inside you.

The simplest way to think of it is this: If you want to nurture good bacteria, eat lots of fiber. Whole plant foods — especially fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains — have the most.

As New York Times personal health columnist Jane Brody writes, “People interested in fostering a health-promoting array of gut microorganisms should consider shifting from a diet heavily based on meats, carbohydrates, and processed foods to one that emphasizes plants.”

If your probiotic bacteria were in charge of the menu, they’d want abundant sources of prebiotic fibers like inulin and oligofructose, as well as pectin, beta-glucans, glucomannan, cellulose, lignin, and fructooligosaccharides (FOS). If you don’t know how to pronounce these names, don’t worry. Luckily, you don’t need a degree in biochemistry to eat good food.

Some top superfoods that provide an abundance of the best microbe-fueling nutrients include gum arabic (sap from the acacia tree, often sold as the supplement acacia fiber), chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke, baobab fruit, dandelion greens, garlic, leek, onion, asparagus, wheat bran, banana, jicama, apples, barley, oats, flaxseed, cocoa, burdock root, yacon root, and seaweed.

4) Eat the good ones.

The word probiotic comes from the Greek for “support of life.” The two main ways to consume probiotics are in dietary supplements and in fermented foods. Probiotics have been found to be helpful in treating irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, colitis, acne, and eczema.

But they don’t always work. A lot of people are taking probiotic supplements that are pretty much just a waste of money.

The challenge is that the vast majority of probiotic bacteria are active and effective in the lower portions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but to get there, they must survive the corrosive and highly acidic environment of your stomach.

When are the odds the best — on an empty stomach, or with a meal?

Researchers attempted to settle this question with a study reported in the journal Beneficial Microbes in 2011. (Yes, although it may never rival People magazine for newsstand popularity, that really is the name of a journal!)

The team built a fake digestive tract with a fake stomach and intestines, but complete with real saliva and digestive enzymes, acid, bile, and other digestive fluids. They put probiotic capsules into this stomach “empty” and with a variety of foods, and tested how many survived the trip.

What did they find? Probiotic bacteria had the highest rates of survival when provided within 30 minutes before or simultaneously with a meal or beverage that contained some fat.

This makes sense. Consuming probiotics with food provides a buffering system for the bacteria, helping to ensure safe passage through the digestive tract. But consuming them after a large meal could slow everybody down, making bacteria more likely to die in the corrosive stomach environment before reaching their intended new home in the lower intestine. So right before, or with, a meal that includes some fat seems the best way to go.

Which Probiotic Supplements Are Best?

There are thousands of probiotic products on the market, with each company or retailer telling you theirs is best.

The factors I look at in evaluating a probiotic supplement are:

1. Price. No one likes to waste money.
2. CFUs (Colony-forming units). This is the total count of all the bacteria in the probiotic. There’s a huge range, with brands offering anywhere from 1 billion to 100 billion CFUs per dose. The bigger the number, the more beneficial bacteria you get.
3. Strains. The total number of different types of bacteria in each probiotic varies greatly. Diversity is good. Every expert has a favorite combination, but the reality is that we know very little about how the various strains interact with the human body. A broad spectrum of different kinds is likely to give you the best odds of success.
4. Expiration date. Some probiotic supplements get so old that the bacteria are literally dead by the time they reach the consumer. Check expiration dates.

One probiotic supplement that’s also a food is a coconut water kefir made by inner-ēco. It’s a naturally effervescent and mildly sweet refrigerated product that provides 50 billion CFUs per tablespoon. I often take a tablespoon with breakfast or dinner. It has the added benefit of being delicious.

What About Fermented Foods?

Fermentation helps to preserve food and creates beneficial enzymes, B vitamins, and numerous strains of probiotics.

Natural fermentation has been shown to preserve nutrients and to break some foods down to a more digestible form.

The most studied is kimchi, a traditional Korean food made from fermenting salted cabbage with a variety of vegetables and spices (sometimes salted shrimp or anchovy is included, as well).

In addition to, or perhaps in part because of, its probiotic properties, studies have shown that kimchi can help fight cancer, obesity, effects of aging, and constipation while contributing to your immune system, skin health, and brain health.

Other popular fermented foods include sauerkraut, yogurt (which can be made from cow, soy, coconut, or almond milk), kefir, miso, natto (made by boiling and fermenting soybeans with bacteria), beet kvass (a fermented beet drink), vinegar, and kombucha.

Some fermented foods are used in condiments, while others make a tasty snack or topping. Remember not to cook them if you want to preserve the probiotics.

Keep in mind that some probiotic kefirs and yogurts come loaded with added sugar. Even if there are beneficial bacteria in these probiotics, the sugar will feed “bad” bacteria already in your gut. Always check labels for sugar content.

If you want to do your own fermentation, I recommend finding a good book or website to guide you. A book to consider is Fermented Vegetables by Christopher and Kirsten Shockey.

Some people using homemade fermented foods are experiencing great benefits.

Like Emily Iaconelli, for example. At the age of 17, after growing up on the modern industrialized diet, Emily developed irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, and emergent arthritis. She suffered from massive bloating and chronic pain, and became resigned to a life of embarrassing pain and urgent bathroom runs.

After 20 years of misery, she joined a Food Revolution Network event I was hosting and decided to turn her kitchen upside down.

Emily began enjoying a whole-food, plant-powered diet that featured an abundance of fermented foods, such as kimchi, fermented vegetables, tempeh, homemade almond milk yogurt, and miso. Her fiber consumption went up dramatically, providing abundant nourishment for the probiotics now streaming into her body every day.

The journey was difficult. Emily had to squeeze in all her learning and food preparation while working full-time and raising a two-year-old daughter. But every step she took seemed to give her more energy and stamina, which fueled her actions as well as her determination.

Eventually, her irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, and emergent arthritis all disappeared. And her daughter, now five, loves to cook and has decided that her favorite food is… broccoli!

Listen to Your Gut

True gut instincts can provide an essential source of wisdom, clarity, and discernment. Does your gut tighten when you confront danger, or soften in the presence of an epiphany?

Whatever your relationship is with your gut, and however clearly it does or doesn’t speak to you, I’d like to invite you to consider a possibility.

What if you didn’t think of your gut as being yours alone? What if you conceived of it as being home, also, to trillions of microbes that can tell you what’s good for you or let you know when you’re hungry (because they are)?

When you’re in a symbiotic relationship with the community of critters inside you, you can feel pride in feeding the good ones. You can feel gratitude for how they help you digest food, secrete brain-boosting neurotransmitters, and protect you from harm. And you can feel it’s your responsibility to protect and work in harmony with them for your own ultimate well-being along with theirs.

Editor’s note: This article was adapted from Ocean Robbins’ forthcoming book, 31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, Transform Your World (Grand Central Life & Style, February 5, 2019). Order your advance copy here today!

Do you want even more practical tips on how to break free from a toxic food culture?

Grab your free breakfast recipes sample chapter today!

In his new book, Ocean Robbins – CEO and co-founder of Food Revolution Network – explains simple steps that you can take NOW to live your healthiest life.

Tell us in the comments:

• Does this help you understand gut health?

• What is your experience with healing your gut or keeping your gut happy?

Read Next:

• 10 spices to improve your digestion naturally and keep your gut happy 

The post Why Your Gut Health Is More Important Than You Probably Think appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Each person’s body contains a unique and complex system made of trillions of little critters that either help them or can harm them.

Some people have a predominance of harmful bacteria that can cause digestive problems, inflammation, and cognitive impairment and may even lead to the development of cancer. But the hope is that your gut houses adequate populations of friendly bacteria. These critters perform crucial functions: breaking down and digesting food, producing vital compounds you can’t make without their help, and supporting your cognition and immune system.

But what determines the makeup of your gut microbiome? For one, what you eat. A diet high in fiber — a whole foods, plant-based diet — supports beneficial bacteria. Meanwhile, a diet low in fiber and high in ultra-processed foods tends to grow populations of harmful bacteria.

But fiber-rich foods can’t magically insert beneficial bacteria if they aren’t already there. If your microbiome is missing a particular strain of friendly bacteria, you won’t get it into your gut just by whistling and putting out its favorite food. You also need to introduce those beneficial bacteria in some way.

These good bacteria, which come from food or supplements, are known as probiotics. One of the best ways to get them into your body is by including fermented foods in your meals.

Making probiotic-rich recipes at home is a fun and creative way to experiment with fermentation and try new flavors. Fermented foods offer an abundance of delicious recipe possibilities.

From refreshing beverages to tangy condiments, probiotic-rich foods are invaluable additions to any healthful meal.

Probiotic-Rich Foods

Fermentation has a long history throughout humanity. The word “culture” refers to the systems and beliefs of a group of people and the production of food from bacterial activity.

1. Pickled Vegetables

Some of the most common probiotic-rich foods include traditional dishes such as pickled cabbage leaves, known in Europe by its German name sauerkraut, and in Korea as kimchi.

Many cuisines include lacto-fermented vegetables or pickles, such as carrots, radishes, green beans, squash, okra, onions, garlic, and cucumbers. These can be high in sodium, so you might want to add them in small amounts to your meals.

2. Yogurt

Dairy-free yogurt made with live cultures is another delicious way to add probiotics to your diet. Water-based kefir — a beverage made with water kefir grains — has a slightly tangy taste and is a kind of drinkable yogurt.

3. Fermented Drinks

Nowadays, kombucha is a popular fermented drink made by feeding tea and sugar to a SCOBY, which is not a cartoon dog but rather a “Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast.” The SCOBY metabolizes most of the sugars, converting them into acetic acid, alcohol, carbon dioxide, and other organic compounds.

Kvass is a Slavic version of kombucha made by fermenting beets or rye bread soaked in water. Like kombucha, it can be drunk cold or used as a base for cold soups.

4. Hot Sauce

Fermented hot sauces, such as Tabasco and Sriracha (or your homemade variation), can even provide probiotics. Many traditional cuisines also include fermented fruit chutneys (a type of spread or relish). Some of the most popular fermented chutneys come from India, the Caribbean, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

5. Fermented Soy Foods

Many Japanese foods are fermented, too. There’s miso, an umami-tasting paste that’s used as a base for a variety of soups. Less well known is natto, a dish of fermented soybeans that is the plant-based food highest in vitamin K2. Soy sauce is another fermented condiment made from fermented soybeans, wheat, salt, and water.

Another Asian contribution to our list of fermented foods is tempeh, a soybean dish that originated in Java, Indonesia. Think of it as tofu’s more flavorful, harder cousin.

6. Dairy and Plant-Based Cheese

Then there’s cheese, of course, a fermented dairy product. You can make non-dairy cheeses by replacing the milk with ingredients like cashews or almonds. If you’re getting plant-based cheese from a store, check the label to see if it contains probiotic strains.

7. Sourdough Bread

To round out our list, sourdough bread rises thanks to the natural fermentation of Lactobacilli bacteria and yeast. Both tempeh and sourdough bread are heated, which kills off their microbes, but they still offer many gut-health benefits, including the production of short-chain fatty acids.

To learn more about the benefits of probiotics, including everything you need to know about supplementation, check out our article Why You Need Both Probiotics and Prebiotics for Good Gut Health and Overall Wellness (Plus The Best Food Sources).

What’s Better? Store-bought or Homemade?

You can get many probiotic-rich foods ready-made, or you can make them yourself. Buying is easier and more convenient since no prep is required. You also benefit from consistent flavors and textures when buying from a well-known brand. Depending on where you live and shop, a wide range of options may be available to you.

That said, there are some potential downsides to buying ready-made probiotic-rich foods. Store-bought products may contain added sugar, especially beverages like kombucha and water-based kefir. They can also be expensive if purchased frequently.

There are also trade-offs when it comes to making your fermented foods. On the plus side, you get much more control over ingredient quality, fermentation strength, and flavor. And once you get your “starter” going (whether a SCOBY for kombucha or a starter for sourdough bread), making these foods at home can be much cheaper.

However, DIY fermentation is not without challenges. Depending on the product, fermentation can take days or even weeks. Many cultures, bacteria, and yeast are temperature-sensitive, and you may have to “baby” them within a narrow range of favorable conditions in your kitchen.

How narrow? The ideal temperature for most ferments (other than yogurt and kefir) is between 68° F and 75° F, but spoilage is more likely above this temperature.

While cheaper in the long run, an upfront cost is associated with investing in jars, weights, and other fermentation supplies.

Kitchen Appliances and Tools You May Need for Fermentation

What kinds of supplies are we talking about? Here’s a bulleted list of fermentation tools that’s pretty comprehensive:

• Glass jars with lids (e.g., Mason jars)
• Fermentation weights (to keep food submerged)
• Fermentation airlocks (optional, for lacto-fermentation — they can act as pressure relief valves so you don’t wake up one morning and find your pickled carrots decorating your ceiling and walls)
• Starter cultures or SCOBY (for yogurt, kefir or kombucha)
• Strainers or cheesecloth (for separating or covering jars)
• Swing-top bottles (for carbonated beverages)
• Instant Pot or yogurt maker (for maintaining stable temperatures)
• Warm area or low-heat dehydrator (for mold-based ferments like tempeh or miso)
• Non-metal funnel (for transferring liquids) or measuring cup with spout
• Labels (to track dates and ingredients)

How To Make Probiotic-Rich Foods at Home

Instructions for making probiotic-rich foods will vary depending on the food and type of fermentation used. Lactic acid fermentation (aka lacto-fermentation) is a great place to start because it’s simple and doesn’t require fancy tools or hard-to-find ingredients.

Since it’s as much an art as a science, you may want to start with small batches to experiment and reduce waste in case of mistakes. Before you dive in, I suggest taking the time to make sure you have the optimal external conditions for your ferments to thrive (or at least conditions that won’t doom them to failure). For how-to’s on specific types of fermented foods, check out the guides at Revolution Fermentation.

Also, since you’re growing bacteria, you’ll want to read up on the dos and don’ts of safe fermentation.

How to Use Probiotic-Rich Foods

Now comes the fun part: adding these foods to your diet and life for maximum health and flavor.

• Use sauerkraut and kimchi as toppings for grain bowls, casseroles, or wraps.
• Toss some fermented veggies into salads, sandwiches, cold pasta, and wraps for extra crunch and flavor.
• Incorporate miso, kombucha, or yogurt into dressings or sauces for a probiotic boost.
• Enjoy pickled vegetables as a tangy and crunchy standalone snack.
• Stir miso or similar probiotic-rich ingredients into soups (just wait until they cool to around 200 F or below to keep the probiotics alive).
• Mix fermented beverages like kombucha with homemade fruit or vegetable juice or smoothies to enhance hydration and add probiotics.
• Make dairy-free yogurt parfaits or use yogurt as a topping for oatmeal or breakfast.

7 Probiotic-Rich Recipes 

Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with these seven probiotic-rich plant-based recipes! From tangy bites and fizzy sips to creamy creations with a zesty twist, these recipes are packed with flavor and gut-friendly goodness. Perfect for adding a little zing to your meals, they make nourishing your body an exciting and delicious adventure!

1. Kelp Salad With Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing

Kelp Salad With Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing is a vibrant, nutrient-packed dish that’s as easy to make as it is exciting to eat. With crunchy kelp, roasted tempeh, shredded carrots, earthy beets, creamy avocado, and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds, every bite is a burst of flavor and texture. The tangy kimchi miso dressing ties it all together, offering a gut-friendly lift that’s both nourishing and satisfying. Perfect for when you want a probiotic-rich meal that’s a step above your everyday meal!

2. Homemade Green Cabbage Sauerkraut

Homemade Green Cabbage Sauerkraut is a simple, probiotic-packed recipe perfect for boosting gut health. With just green cabbage, sea salt, and optional aromatic spices like caraway, fennel, and mustard seeds, this kraut is full of flavor and easy to prepare. It’s a tangy, crunchy addition to any meal and a wholesome way to enjoy the benefits of probiotics. Check the Chef’s Notes for tips on customizing the flavors to make this homemade fermented food uniquely yours.

3. Homemade Kimchi

Making your own kimchi is surprisingly easy and a fantastic way to expand your repertoire of probiotic-rich recipes. All it takes is a bit of patience while the vegetables work their fermenting magic. The result? A deliciously tangy condiment packed with healthy bacteria that support gut health. Fermentation transforms humble ingredients into a healing alchemy you can savor and enjoy as part of your wellness journey. Add homemade kimchi to grain bowls and stir-fries or as a topping for Asian-inspired soups.

4. Three-Seed Fermented Buckwheat Bread

Incorporating probiotic-rich foods into your diet can be a game-changer for your health, and this flavorful Three-Seed Fermented Buckwheat Bread is a perfect place to start! While the fermentation process takes a bit of time to work its magic, the result is a nutrient-packed bread that’s well worth the wait. Made with buckwheat and brown rice flour, this bread is naturally gluten-free and brimming with antioxidants, protein, fiber, and essential minerals. The hearty texture and wholesome flavor make it a versatile and delicious addition to any meal!

5. Vegan Labneh

Vegan Labneh is a tangy, creamy cashew yogurt cheese that’s a delicious, gut-friendly snack. It’s a plant-based twist on a classic Middle Eastern recipe loaded with flavor and super easy to make. With a squeeze of lemon, a touch of nutritional yeast, and toppings like kalamata olives, za’atar, and fresh dill, it’s a flavor bomb in your mouth! Once you see how simple it is, this probiotic-packed recipe will quickly become a favorite for snacks, spreads, and mezze platters!

6. Fizzy Blueberry Ginger Water Kefir

Say hello to a refreshing burst of bubbles with our Fizzy Blueberry Ginger Water Kefir recipe. This probiotic-rich drink is a fun and exciting way to support your gut health at home. The magic starts with a sweet, mineral-rich fermentation where water kefir grains work their magic, munching on 80–90% of the sugar in the solution. What’s left is a refreshingly low-sugar beverage that goes through a second fruity fermentation. With juicy organic blueberries and a zing of pressed ginger juice, this fizzy concoction is as delicious as nourishing. Cheers to happy bellies and homemade effervescence!

7. Homemade Cashew Yogurt and Berry Parfait

Homemade Cashew Yogurt and Berry Parfait is a creamy, dreamy treat that brings the magic of probiotics to your table in the most delicious way. The rich, velvety cashew yogurt is easy to whip up and is the perfect base for layering sweet blueberries, organic strawberries, and naturally caramel-like dates. A hint of cinnamon ties everything together, making this parfait a beautiful balance of texture and flavor. Whether you enjoy it as breakfast, a snack, or dessert, this probiotic-rich recipe is a tasty celebration of wholesome indulgence!

Tips for Storing and Keeping Your Homemade Probiotic-Rich Foods Fresh 

Store your ferments in glass jars with tight-fitting lids in a cool, dark place during fermentation to protect the beneficial bacteria, prevent contamination, and maintain freshness. Once you reach your desired fermentation level, transfer it to the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.

Mark the date you started fermentation to track its duration and ensure you use it at its peak. Regularly inspect your ferments for signs of spoilage, such as unusual colors, textures, mold, or odors. If in doubt, toss it out.

If you’re using store-bought fermented foods, check the “best by” or “use by” dates. However, unopened jars usually last longer due to their natural preservation.

Give Your Gut Some Love! 

Whether you experiment with fermentation at home or opt for store-bought alternatives, adding probiotic-rich foods to your diet is a great way to support gut health and bring vibrant flavors to your recipes!

Tell us in the comments:

• Which fermented foods are your favorite?
• What probiotic-rich recipe will you make next?

Read Next:

• Fermented Foods: What are they and how can they boost your health?

• Gut-Health Promoting Foods & Recipes to Nourish Your Microbiome

The post Gut-Friendly Eats: Delicious Probiotic Recipes for Better Digestion appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Digestion plays an important role in the body. It breaks down food into substances that the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Enzymes are critical to this process. However, not everybody makes digestive enzymes efficiently or optimally.

Digestive enzymes are becoming increasingly popular as people look for solutions to problems with nutrient absorption and digestion. But what exactly are digestive enzymes? How do they work? What affects their production? And how can we naturally increase their production?

We’ll look at all that and more, including who might benefit from taking digestive enzyme supplements.

What Are Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are proteins your body produces that help you digest your food. Your salivary glands secrete them in the presence of, and in anticipation of, food.

Here’s a fun dad joke to help explain:

Question: What do you call the proteins secreted by your salivary glands that help you digest food?

Answer: I can’t remember, but they’re on the tip of my tongue.

In fact, these critical enzymes are produced throughout the digestive tract, including the pancreas, stomach, and small intestine. Digestive enzymes break down macronutrients into their building blocks for use throughout the body. Different enzymes tackle different macronutrients.

Enzymes can also play a role in liver detoxification and muscle building.

What Happens If You Don’t Have Enough Enzymes?

When people lack sufficient digestive enzymes, their bodies struggle to break down food effectively, leading to a range of issues. Undigested food can remain in the gastrointestinal tract, causing bloating, gas, and discomfort. Over time, this can contribute to nutrient deficiencies as the body cannot properly absorb essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Common symptoms of enzyme deficiency include diarrhea, constipation, or indigestion, and more severe deficiencies can lead to fatigue, weakened immunity, and skin problems. For specific enzyme deficiencies, individuals may experience intolerance to certain foods, resulting in additional digestive distress. In chronic cases, insufficient enzymes may contribute to conditions like malabsorption syndromes or exacerbate inflammatory gut issues.

Types of Digestive Enzymes

There are three main types of digestive enzymes:

• Proteolytic enzymes (proteases) break protein into smaller units called amino acids. Your body can then use these amino acids to synthesize the proteins needed to build and repair tissues and run all the processes that keep you alive (and hopefully thriving).
• Lipase enzymes break down dietary fats into free fatty acids and glycerol, which are used for energy, cell signaling, cell membrane construction, and insulation.
• Amylase enzymes help break down starches and carbohydrates into sugar that your body can use as an immediate source of energy or can store for later use.

Additionally, specialized enzymes help digest smaller nutritional components. Lactase, maltase, and sucrase all help further break down the chemical connections that hold carbohydrates together.

Factors Affecting Enzyme Production and Activity 

Many people produce adequate amounts of digestive enzymes throughout life. However, several factors can sometimes hinder enzyme production.

Aging 

The gastrointestinal tract’s ability to digest food often declines with age, which means we may digest less efficiently and absorb fewer nutrients. Many possible reasons for this include a declining appetite (and, therefore, reduced food intake, gut bacteria, and nutrients), the effects of prescription medication, and increased susceptibility to chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes.

But even if none of those occur, as we age, our bodies tend to produce fewer enzymes to break down food properly.

Unfortunately, this also means more gastrointestinal complaints are seen in elderly patients. A 2020 study found that symptoms like indigestion, abdominal pain, flatulence, and GERD may affect more than 60% of the elderly population.

Stress

You’ve probably heard a million times that too much stress is bad for you. Well, make this a million and one because when your body experiences excessive stress, it interprets this as an immediate threat to survival. When the autonomic nervous system is activated, all available energy is directed toward running away or fighting. If your body thinks it’s about to become a predator’s lunch, it won’t devote energy to digesting this morning’s breakfast. Instead, it suppresses digestive processes and pumps up muscles, heart rate, and respiration.

That’s not a disaster if you experience a short-term burst of stress and then return to a relaxed or neutral state when the perception of the threat passes. Chronic stress, on the other hand, can impair digestive function and enzyme secretion long-term by disrupting the autonomic nervous system’s balance and triggering inflammation via the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis stress response.

Chronic Disease

Some diseases directly impact digestive enzyme production, which can lead to chronic enzyme insufficiency, which is technically termed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. The name signifies that the problem is the pancreas, which isn’t producing enough enzymes to fuel the digestive processes in the small intestines. (When I looked up “exocrine,” I discovered that it refers to a gland that produces something other than hormones, such as enzymes, sweat, tears, saliva, and milk.)

Digestive enzyme insufficiencies can result from a number of diseases and disorders, including:

• Chronic pancreatitis
• Pancreatic cancer
• Crohn’s and colitis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Celiac disease
• HIV

Diet

Eating stimulates the digestive process and the production of digestive enzymes. Certain foods trigger the production of specific digestive enzymes.

Whole foods, plant-based diets are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which contribute to a healthy microbiome. Because of their high carbohydrate content, they may require more digestive enzymes to break down. Amylase and cellulase are especially helpful.

Amylase is naturally present in saliva and pancreatic secretions. It can also be found in many foods, such as sprouted grains and raw fruits like bananas and mangoes.

Cellulase, however, is not produced by the human body. It can be sourced from certain fungi and bacteria, such as probiotics in fermented foods, and it helps break down cellulose in plant cell walls.

Some foods even come with their own digestive enzymes — kind of like a “batteries included” deal.

Here are some examples of plant-based foods that provide digestive enzymes, as well as the enzymes they can provide:

• Pineapple (bromelain)
• Papaya (papain)
• Mango (​​amylase and invertase)
• Bananas (amylases and glucosidase)
• Oats (lipase)
• Fermented foods (amylase and protease)
• Kiwi (protease)
• Ginger (protease)

Other Lifestyle Factors

In addition to diet, lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol, a lack of exercise, obesity, and an unhealthy gut can also negatively affect digestive enzyme levels and production.

Alcoholism, in particular, can wreak havoc on the digestive system, causing digestive enzymes to activate prematurely and leak out, contributing to pancreatitis.

What About Digestive Enzyme Supplements?

Digestive enzyme supplements are formulations of enzymes from external sources meant to mimic our digestive enzymes. They’re usually found in the form of a tablet or capsule.

Most digestive enzyme supplements are available over the counter. However, if you have a diagnosed enzyme insufficiency disease, such as pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, or another disease of the pancreas, you may need to take prescription digestive enzymes. Prescription enzymes are also known as pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy and typically include all three major types of enzymes.

Animal vs Plant-Based Enzymes

Most digestive enzyme supplements are animal-based. Exogenous pancreatic enzymes, for example, are primarily sourced from pigs or cows. This makes sense since I’ve never met a pineapple or mango with a pancreas.

Seven animal-derived enzymes are currently used: rennet, bovine liver catalase, animal lipase, pancreatin, pepsin, trypsin, and lysozyme. The most common is rennet, which is most often sourced from the lining of the stomachs of young ruminant animals like calves, lambs, and goats (and which is used in cheesemaking).

However, some plant-based digestive enzyme supplements are made from vegetable-based protease enzymes, fruit-based enzymes like bromelain and papain, or fungal and yeast-based glucosidase enzymes.

Besides being more friendly to animals and the environment, plant-based enzymes may have another advantage over those sourced from animals. They can function in various pH ranges, allowing them to work throughout the entire digestive tract and optimize digestion.

Might Digestive Enzyme Supplements Benefit Your Health?

Not everyone needs to take digestive enzyme supplements because the body is naturally designed to produce digestive enzymes, especially when supported by a healthy diet. However, they can be helpful and even life-changing for some people, particularly those with enzyme deficiencies, digestive challenges, or compromised gut health. People who experience digestive discomfort or gas when they eat high-fiber foods or legumes might also find them helpful. Even for some people with no obvious digestive problems, enzyme supplementation might still offer benefits.

While prescription enzymes are regulated by the FDA, over-the-counter (OTC) digestive enzyme supplements are not. Even so, some of the studied OTC supplements show promise in promoting digestive and overall health.

1. Improved Nutrient Absorption

Digestive enzyme supplementation can help people who have trouble producing enough enzymes to absorb nutrients efficiently and fully. A 2016 survey of research suggested that some digestive enzyme supplements could help people with a range of ailments that compromise digestive comfort and health, including pancreatic insufficiency and lactose intolerance.

A 2024 study simulated stomach conditions in test tubes and found that supplemental digestive enzymes turbocharged some digestive processes. Specifically, the added enzymes reduced the thickness of the food mixture and sped up the breakdown of carbohydrates into usable sugars and proteins into amino acids.

2. Reduced Digestive Symptoms

Digestive enzymes are like the “clean-up crew” at a party, swooping in to tackle bloating, gas, and discomfort before they turn a good meal into a regrettable experience. Often, when people get those symptoms, they turn to antiemetic drugs such as domperidone (does that sound a lot like very expensive champagne, or am I stretching here?).

One study compared the effectiveness of a plant-based enzyme supplement (Similase) with an antiemetic drug (domperidone) in reducing digestive symptoms like bloating, stomach pain, and cramps. Both treatments helped, but the digestive enzyme proved more effective for reducing abdominal pain.

3. Improved Exercise Recovery

Protease supplementation may enhance exercise recovery by reducing muscle soreness and restoring muscle function. In a study of participants who performed downhill running, those taking protease enzymes (including trypsin, papain, and bromelain) reported less muscle soreness and maintained higher pain thresholds in the thigh compared to a placebo group. The protease group also showed faster recovery of muscle strength and power.

Another study found that adding a digestive enzyme blend to a plant protein mix improved amino acid absorption rates compared to animal proteins like whey. The enzyme-enhanced plant protein resulted in faster peak amino acid levels and greater blood amino acid concentration over time, reducing the usual absorption gap between plant and animal proteins.

Recommended Use and Dosage

Dosing for digestive enzyme supplements differs from enzyme to enzyme and depends on the condition they’re being used to address. However, the Mayo Clinic recommends the following plant protease amounts when enzymes are being used:

• Bromelain: up to 400 milligrams daily
• Chymotrypsin: up to 100,000 USP, four times per day
• Papain: up to 1,500 milligrams per day
• Trypsin: up to 50 milligrams per day, combined with bromelain

When you take digestive enzymes is dependent on whether you are treating a malabsorption disorder or not. In cases of a disease like cystic fibrosis, you may need to take your enzymes right before eating. But for something like lactose intolerance, it’s best to take the enzymes with your first bite of food.

Follow the instructions on the bottle or consult your healthcare team to ensure you take the right amount at the right time.

Of course, you can also get some wonderful enzymes from food!

Recipes with Beneficial Enzymes

Enjoy this vibrant lineup of plant-based recipes, each brimming with natural enzymes to boost digestion and wellness. From the zesty Citrusy Papaya Cauliflower Ceviche to a refreshing Lemon Detox Smoothie Bowl and comforting 10-Minute-Prep Banana Walnut Baked Oats, these dishes combine bold flavors with the nourishing benefits of enzyme-rich plants. Perfect for any time of day, each recipe offers a fresh, healthful twist you’ll love in every bite!

1. Lemon Detox Smoothie Bowl

Jumpstart your morning and your digestion with this Lemon Detox Smoothie Bowl! A blend of kale, parsley, and lemon packs in the antioxidants, while ginger and avocado add a creamy layer of nourishment that’s gentle on digestion. The kiwi and pineapple on top bring natural enzymes like bromelain, actinidin, and papain, which aid in breaking down food, making this bowl as soothing for your gut as it is tasty. Coconut and chia seeds add crunch and a dose of healthy fats to keep you energized. It’s a bright, feel-good meal that’s both satisfying and light!

2. 10-Minute-Prep Banana Walnut Baked Oats

Whip up these 10-Minute-Prep Banana Walnut Baked Oats for a quick, nourishing breakfast! Naturally sweetened with ripe bananas, this recipe is rich in digestive enzymes, such as amylase and lipase, which help your body process carbohydrates and fat for a gentle energy boost. The walnuts add a rich, nutty crunch while also supplying healthy fats and antioxidants, and the cinnamon brings a cozy hint of spice. With just a few pantry staples, these baked oats come together effortlessly, making them an ideal go-to for busy mornings. Simply pop it in the oven and enjoy a wholesome, delicious start to your day!

3. Citrusy Papaya Cauliflower Ceviche

This Citrusy Papaya Cauliflower Ceviche is a refreshing mix of vibrant flavors and textures, perfect for a healthful bite! Packed with the natural digestive enzymes papain from papaya and amylase from mango, it helps support smoother digestion. Zesty lime and lemon juice, paired with a hint of heat from jalapeño, infuse the cauliflower and fresh veggies with tangy brightness. Hemp seeds add a nutty touch, while ginger and cilantro bring the dish a refreshing depth. It’s a lively, enzyme-rich dish that’s as good for your digestion as it is for your taste buds!

Take Care of Your Digestive Health

One of the most important aspects of your overall well-being is proper digestion. ​​Your digestive health impacts your immunity, mental health, and ability to live a happy, healthy life.

A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best solutions for digestion. However, you may also want to consider trying digestive enzyme supplements. They could help improve digestion and nutrient absorption and alleviate uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms.

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you take digestive enzyme supplements, or are you considering taking them?
• What foods with digestive enzymes do you enjoy the most?

Featured Image: iStock.com/SewcreamStudio

Read Next:

• 10 Spices to Improve Your Digestion Naturally — and Help Keep Your Gut Happy
• What are Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics — and What Do They Do for Your Gut Health?

The post Digestive Enzymes: How Do They Work & Should You Supplement? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

But sometimes “strong” isn’t enough (or may even be too much) — your immune system must also be smart. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks and damages healthy cells, tissues, and organs.

One of the areas sometimes attacked by a confused and overactive immune system is the digestive tract. When that happens, you can end up with conditions that fall under the umbrella of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The two most common IBD conditions are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Between them, these two ailments are responsible for the vast majority of IBD cases.

Inflammatory bowel disease affects over two million Americans, and it’s estimated that more than seven million people in Europe and the US will suffer from IBD by 2030. And those are just the people who have been diagnosed. It’s estimated that the time to diagnosis can take 5–10 years in some cases. Some people may even have silent IBD where they are asymptomatic — or suffer from irritating symptoms without knowing why.

Public health professionals predict that as more people around the globe adopt Western dietary patterns and lifestyles, the prevalence of these diseases will continue to rise worldwide.

Which begs the question: what’s going on here? What factors are contributing to the rise in IBD and many other autoimmune diseases?

Recent research is pointing to lifestyle factors, especially diet, that may play a significant role in the development and progression of IBD. These factors may also be important in managing symptoms.

So, let’s explore these conditions, how they might occur, and what’s typically done to treat them. Then, we’ll look at how diet and gut health can be part of the problem or part of the solution.

IBD vs IBS

Before I describe them, I want to get a bit of alphabet soup out of the way. You may have heard of IBS, which stands for inflammatory bowel syndrome. IBS is similar to IBD, and the symptoms are often the same (bloating, diarrhea, constipation). However, the big difference is that IBS causes no inflammation and no lasting damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (the “IBD twins”), on the other hand, result from an immune system malfunction that causes it to attack healthy cells, leading to chronic inflammation and damage to the digestive tract.

Both diseases often develop in teenagers and young adults (frequently diagnosed before age 35), although the disease can occur at any age.

What Are Crohn’s Disease and Colitis?

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis themselves are similar but distinct. There are three main differences.

First, Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the GI tract from mouth to anus (though it most commonly impacts the small intestine and colon). Ulcerative colitis, on the other hand, is limited to the large intestine (colon) and rectum.

Second, Crohn’s disease has healthy sections of the intestines and inflamed areas. In contrast, ulcerative colitis has continuous inflammation throughout the colon.

Third, inflammation manifests differently in each disease. Crohn’s often impacts multiple layers of the intestinal walls, while ulcerative colitis typically affects only the colon’s innermost lining.

Both conditions can cause symptoms like abdominal pain, cramping, fatigue, diarrhea, and weight loss. In more severe cases of either Crohn’s or colitis, chronic inflammation can damage the intestine, leading to complications like strictures (narrowings), fistulas (abnormal connections between the GI tract and other parts of the body, including the skin), and an increased risk of colon cancer.

Conventional Treatments for Crohn’s and Colitis

If you’re diagnosed with Crohn’s or colitis, you may be told there’s no cure and that the goal of any treatment will be to reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms, and prevent flare-ups and complications. As a result, treatment is usually drugs or surgery.

There are two classes of drugs used to treat IBD: anti-inflammatory drugs like corticosteroids (which can reduce symptoms) and immunosuppressive medications such as thiopurines and biologics, which can slow down the immune system’s onslaught on GI tract tissue.

Both drug classes can provide relief and aid with management but come with unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. While most of these unwanted effects typically stop when the steroid is stopped or the dose is lessened, a few, such as osteoporosis and cataracts, can persist and require treatment themselves.

Surgery is another option for IBD. For ulcerative colitis, surgery might mean removing part or all of the colon. This can relieve symptoms but also alters digestion in a major way. The most common surgery involves replacing the entire colon and rectum with a pouch that is connected to the anus. This allows the patient to have bowel movements in a somewhat more “normal” way.

Surgery for Crohn’s disease often involves removing damaged sections of the intestine. It’s not a permanent fix, as whatever caused the inflammation in the first place is liable to keep inflaming other areas.

In either case, surgery and drug treatments only treat the symptoms, not the cause. Because these approaches cannot alleviate the disease, many people look to complementary therapies, like dietary changes, to support their health — alongside or instead of traditional treatments. And as we’ll see a little later, these can be remarkably helpful.

What Causes IBD?

In general, scientists distinguish two categories of causes for any disease: genetic and environmental (which includes things like air, water, diet, and lifestyle). And there’s a clear genetic component to IBD. Certain populations are more prone to it than others (for example, in the US, there are higher rates of IBD among Caucasians than in the Hispanic and Black communities).

It also runs in families. A family history of IBD is often a predictor of whether someone will develop the disease. Of the two main types of IBD, Crohn’s disease appears to be more inheritable than ulcerative colitis.

You might think of genetics as the seeds of IBD. Like any seeds, they grow only under certain environmental conditions. A 2019 report on the results of 53 meta-analyses (does that make it a meta-meta-analysis?) identified nine environmental factors associated with an increased risk of IBD. 

• Smoking
• Urban living
• Having undergone an appendectomy
• Having undergone a tonsillectomy
• Antibiotic exposure
• Oral contraceptive use
• Consumption of soft drinks
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Non-H pylori Helicobacter infection

The report also noted some environmental factors that protected against the development of IBD: being breastfed as an infant and engaging in physical activity. So, while you can’t redo your infancy without a time machine, you can start exercising now and take other critical steps to reduce your risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.

The Importance of the Microbiome in IBD

In addition to genetic and environmental factors, there’s a third causal category in IBD: an imbalance in the gut microbiome. Each year, more evidence emerges about the connection between the health of your gut microbiome and GI tract inflammation. Both Crohn’s and colitis are characterized by gut microbiota dysbiosis, a decrease in the abundance and diversity of specific beneficial bacteria.

In particular, there’s a significant drop in Roseburia, Phascolarctobacterium, and Clostridium bacteria populations. These bacteria are big players in reducing inflammation in the digestive tract, largely through their production of short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs.

SCFAs are crucial in fighting inflammation because they provide the energy to repair tissues within the gut. Without sufficient SCFAs, particularly, butyrate, your body can’t repair the damage caused by inflammation.

For more on SCFAs and how to help your microbiome make more of them, see our article here.

Your microbiome is also key to the functioning of your immune system. Much of your immune response originates in the gut, which holds between 70–80% of your body’s immune cells. When your microbiome is thrown off balance, immune cells can become overactive, leading to chronic inflammation and a misdirected attack on your body’s tissues.

The Role of Diet in Managing IBD

A growing body of research is showing us that the way you eat can make a big difference in whether IBD symptoms show up, how serious they are, and how frequently they occur.

Three diets with some research behind them are the specific carbohydrate diet, the low-FODMAP diet, and the plant-based diet.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet

The specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) eliminates grains, sugars (except for honey), all milk products (except for hard cheeses and long-fermented yogurt), and most processed foods.

Although there aren’t many large-scale studies on SCD, A 2020 clinical trial of 18 young people (ages 7–18) with mild to moderate Crohn’s found that just 12 weeks on the diet helped relieve symptoms.

The Low-FODMAP Diet

The low-FODMAP diet is also used to treat IBS. It is so named because it aims to reduce the consumption of Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols (thank goodness for acronyms because that is a mouthful!).

These include fructans (found in garlic, onions, and some grains), fructose (from fruits, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup), galactans (beans and legumes), lactose (dairy products), and polyols (fruits with pits, such as apples, avocados, and cherries, and in sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol.

While a diet low in FODMAPs can relieve symptoms and improve quality of life, it has one significant drawback: It eliminates some of the healthiest foods on the planet. Alliums (onions and garlic), legumes, and fruit are associated with stronger heart health, less cancer, better blood sugar control, and longevity.

Many people recommend starting on a low-FODMAP diet and slowly “graduating” to the diet with the most evidence in its favor for managing IBD: a whole foods, plant-based diet.

Plant-Based Diets and IBD

One reason whole foods, plant-based diets can help people with Crohn’s and colitis is what they leave out: meat and processed foods. Too much meat and processed foods can cause gut dysbiosis, promoting inflammation and withholding the energy needed to repair damaged digestive tissue.

However, whole foods, plant-based diets also contain lots of fiber, the favorite food of beneficial bacteria, especially those found in the colon. That’s one theory for why some people have achieved long-term remission of IBD symptoms while adhering to this way of eating.

A 2023 study found that a largely plant-based diet (which also included some yogurt and eggs) plus a drug, infliximab, used to treat autoimmune diseases was able to put 96% of the study participants in remission from Crohn’s. Even more significantly, over half of them remained symptom-free 10 years later. The researchers commented that the diet seemed to help patients tolerate and benefit from the infliximab, so the two treatments acted synergistically.

That said, listening to your body when you make dietary changes is important. Certain foods can either calm the digestive system or set off flare-ups, depending on individual triggers and the current state of the condition.

If you’re in a flare-up, you may need to avoid certain healthy foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables. Even if your body seems to react to these normally very healthy foods with a flare-up, you may be able to add these foods back gradually once the condition is in remission.

Anti-inflammatory and Gut-Supportive Foods for IBD

While many whole plant foods deliver fiber that nourishes your gut microbiome and helps fight inflammation, some foods are particularly good for that purpose. And as you’ll see, the list of foods that can be beneficial for IBD includes some truly delicious favorites.

One caveat before we jump in: all this research has two main shortcomings: the studies mostly included mice and rats, not humans, and they looked at extracts rather than whole foods. That said, there’s a good chance the results also apply to people and whole foods.

1. Purple Sweet Potatoes

Purple sweet potatoes are anti-inflammatory champs. A 2021 study found that an extract of anthocyanin, the antioxidant that gives the potatoes their rich purple hue, helped maintain gut health in mice with chronic colitis by balancing their gut microbiomes. And a 2024 study showed that the resistant starch in the sweet potatoes reduced the severity of colitis in mice. ​​(Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

To learn more about sweet potatoes, check out Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You? Everything You Need to Know.

2. Leafy Green Vegetables

A 2021 study examined a variety of foods and found that cooked leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and kale, were especially effective in reducing inflammation in people with Crohn’s disease in remission. This finding is especially meaningful because the study participants were humans, not rodents.

Get more tips on green veggies in Leafy Greens: How to Source, Wash, Store & Prepare Them.

3. Bananas

In 2024, researchers discovered that a protein we make after eating bananas, recombinant banana lectin, helped manage IBD in mice by enhancing their immune response. Green bananas may be even more effective, according to research. Another study found that combining green banana-resistant starch with a probiotic significantly reduced inflammation and improved gut health in mice with induced colitis.

For more on bananas, check out our article, Are Bananas Good for You?

4. Avocados

An ethanol extract from avocados was found to ease symptoms and reduce inflammation in mice with induced colitis by lowering levels of some inflammatory markers and blocking key inflammation pathways. Another study found that avocado seed oil reduced symptoms of ulcerative colitis in rats by lowering inflammation-related proteins, similar to the effects of sulfasalazine, a common medication used to treat the condition, but without side effects.

To find out more about avocados, check out Holy Guacamole! The Surprising Health Benefits of Avocados.

5. Nuts, Seeds, and their Butters

If you’re a fan of nuts, seeds, and their butters, you might be happy to hear that compounds found in these foods can also help fight IBD. Several case studies of people who went into complete remission of symptoms show that daily consumption of peanut butter, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds was associated with symptom improvement.

Find more surprising facts about nuts in Nut Health Benefits: You Won’t Believe How Good They Are for You.

6. Fermented Foods

Fermented foods can help by increasing populations of beneficial bacteria. A study of the rising incidence of IBD in Japan blames it on the fact that modern Japanese people are eating less fermented food than in the past.

For more on the benefits of good gut bacteria foods, check out our article on Fermented Foods: What are they and how can they boost your health?

7. Green Tea

Green tea, also deserving of a spot in the anti-IBD Hall of Fame, contains polyphenols that have been found to reduce inflammatory compounds and boost protective antioxidant activity.

Discover more benefits of green tea in the 5 Science-Backed Reasons to Drink Matcha Tea.

Foods and Ingredients to Limit or Avoid With IBD

While we’re just beginning to explore how whole plant foods can prevent and treat IBD, we have more evidence showing that certain other foods can promote irritable bowel disease.

1. Red and Processed Meat

A 2022 study investigated the relationship between protein intake and the risk of IBD in over 413,000 people. Over a 16-year follow-up, the study found that while total protein (animal or vegetable) intake was not associated with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis risks, higher consumption of meat — particularly red meat — was linked to an increased risk of ulcerative colitis. These findings suggest that reducing meat consumption may benefit individuals at high risk of developing certain types of IBD.

2. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Too much sugar is detrimental to a lot of health conditions, and there’s an interesting link between sugar consumption and Crohn’s and colitis.

A 2023 study looked at how drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda and juices, affects people with IBD conditions. The study followed over 1,100 patients for up to three years, and researchers found that drinking a lot of sweet beverages (seven or more per week) was linked to higher levels of inflammation and worse disease symptoms. These patients also ended up in the hospital or emergency room sooner than those who drank fewer sugary drinks. The findings were confirmed in another group of patients, suggesting that cutting back on sugary drinks might help people with IBD manage their condition better.

3. Alcohol

A recent review explored how alcohol consumption affects people with IBD. Drinking alcohol is linked to a higher risk of symptom flare-ups and worse GI symptoms. Alcohol can interfere with medications used to treat IBD, potentially making them less effective or increasing side effects.

Read more about alcohol and your health in Alcohol: Its Effects, Risks, Uses & Potential Benefits.

4. Processed Foods

A recent study explored how processed foods and food additives might influence the development of Crohn’s disease in different regions. Researchers compared the diets of 274 Crohn’s patients with those of their relatives, household members, and unrelated healthy controls. They found that Crohn’s patients consumed more processed foods during early life, especially soft drinks, fast food, and processed snacks. This pattern is held across regions, with patients in Hong Kong and China showing especially high additive consumption. These findings suggest that early and ongoing exposure to processed foods and additives may contribute to Crohn’s disease development and persistent inflammation.

Find out more about the dangers of processed foods in The Sad Diet: Ultra-Processed Foods and Their Impact on Depression.

5. Sweets

A 2021 review summarized findings from studies examining how dietary carbohydrates, sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages affect the risk of IBD. The researchers found no correlation between overall carbohydrate consumption and IBD risk. However, they found that consuming carbohydrates from sugar was linked to a greater risk of developing both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These findings suggest that reducing sugar consumption might help lower the likelihood of developing IBD.

Nutritional Deficiencies and Supplementation for IBD

Dietary strategies for dealing with IBD aren’t just about mitigating symptoms or reversing disease progression. You also have to pay attention to getting enough of the nutrients humans need to be healthy because chronic inflammation and the body’s impaired ability to absorb nutrients during flare-ups can lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Common deficiencies among people with IBD include iron, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B12.

Iron deficiency can occur due to intestinal bleeding and reduced consumption of iron-containing foods — either due to dietary preference or symptom flare-ups from foods like legumes.

Vitamin D and calcium are critical nutrients as they support bone health, which can be compromised by the long-term use of the corticosteroid medications commonly prescribed for IBD.

B12 deficiencies are also common in people with Crohn’s. That’s true, especially after surgery, to remove parts of the small intestine since that’s where B12 is primarily absorbed. In these cases, B12 injections or sublingual supplements may be recommended.

To find out more about these nutrients, where to get them, and how much you need, check out these in-depth articles:

• The Truth About Iron + Why Plant-Based Foods Are the Best Way to Get the Iron You Need
• Vitamin D Guidelines: What Is It, How Much Do You Need & How to Get Enough
• The Healthiest Way to Get the Calcium You Need + 9 Calcium-Rich Foods
• Vitamin B12: Why it’s Important and How to Avoid B12 Deficiency

If you’re living with IBD, regular blood testing is highly recommended to ensure you’re getting enough of these and other critical nutrients.

Supplements may sometimes be required to keep your levels in the normal range. They can certainly help bridge the gap, but they should be used carefully and probably under the supervision of a healthcare provider to avoid digestive discomfort or interactions with medications.

So, the bottom line is that there’s hope. By eating certain foods and steering clear of others, incorporating certain key supplements, and taking helpful lifestyle approaches, many people with IBD can better manage deficiencies and potentially even put the condition into remission.

Recipes for Crohn’s and Colitis

These three plant-based recipes are packed with gut-loving ingredients and are great for most people managing IBD. They’re rich in fiber, anti-inflammatory goodness, and various plants to help keep your gut happy. Easy, delicious, and nourishing, these dishes make caring for your digestion fun and flavorful!

1. Kimchi Avocado Toast

Kimchi Avocado Toast is a tasty, gut-friendly breakfast that can be especially beneficial for those managing Crohn’s or colitis. Creamy avocado provides healthy fats that are easy on digestion, while probiotic-rich kimchi helps balance gut bacteria. Fresh, crunchy veggies like cucumber and radish add extra nutrients, and a squeeze of lime brightens the flavors. Packed with fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics, this toast is a deliciously simple way to nourish and support a healthy gut.

2. Purple-Powered Lunch Bowl With Crispy Chickpeas

The Purple-Powered Lunch Bowl With Crispy Chickpeas is a flavorful, gut-friendly choice, especially beneficial for those managing IBD. Purple potatoes, beets, and red cabbage are rich in anthocyanins, natural compounds that help reduce gut inflammation and promote overall gut health. A drizzle of our Tangy Blueberry Dressing adds a fresh berry flavor and extra anti-inflammatory benefits. With crispy chickpeas, vibrant veggies, and fresh greens, this bowl is both satisfying and deeply nourishing.

3. Green Tea Pistachio Nice Cream

Green Tea Pistachio Nice Cream is a creamy, wholesome treat that’s delicious and nourishing. Made with ripe bananas, coconut cream, and a touch of matcha powder, it’s a sugar-free dessert packed with antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation — especially great for those with IBD. Pistachios add a crunchy, nutty twist that perfectly complements the smooth texture. This simple, flavorful dessert is a delightful way to satisfy your sweet tooth while caring for your gut health!

There Is Hope with Crohn’s and Colitis

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are autoimmune conditions that cause chronic inflammation in the digestive tract, leading to symptoms that can disrupt daily life. While there’s no known cure, a combination of medical treatments and lifestyle adjustments can help manage these challenging conditions.

A plant-based diet, in particular, can be a powerful tool in managing IBD. Avoiding personal trigger foods (especially during a flare-up) and those generally not recommended can help manage quality of life. In addition to incorporating nutrient-dense foods, supplementation may be necessary in some cases because of problems with nutrient absorption.

Living with Crohn’s and colitis is a journey that involves trial and error. Finding the right blend of medical interventions and dietary choices can help improve health and well-being.

Tell us in the comments:

• Are you or someone you love dealing with IBD?
• What foods or types of diets have helped reduce or eliminate your symptoms?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Panuwat Dangsungnoen

Read Next:

• Fight Disease with an Anti-Inflammatory Diet + 7 Foods that Fight Chronic Inflammation

• Gut-Health Promoting Foods & Recipes to Nourish Your Microbiome

The post Crohn’s and Colitis: Causes, Treatments, and the Role of Diet in IBD appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

In 1997, the American Plastics Council ran an ad in The New Yorker calling plastics “an important part of a healthy diet.”

The ad, which trumpeted plastic juice jugs and plastic-wrapped food as the “sixth basic food group,” wound up proving far more literal than the copywriters intended.

Nowadays, nearly all of our meals come seasoned with a flurry of tiny plastic particles and fibers. Scientists donʼt know exactly how much we consume, but estimates range from five grams a week — the weight of a credit card — down to a minute fraction of that. Weight, however, isnʼt all that matters. Exceptionally tiny fragments, as small or even smaller than a single bacterium, can penetrate human cells and pass from the gut to the bloodstream.

What this “sixth basic food group” is doing to our digestive health is an open question — one that recent studies attempt to answer. Their findings, while preliminary, show microplastics can alter the permeability of the intestine and change how we digest food. They also appear to shift the gut microbiome to an unhealthy state. This ecosystem of trillions of bacteria and other microbes helps us digest food and fend off infection and plays a major role in body processes, from weight loss and immune function to heart and brain health.

“Itʼs important to highlight that microplastics are already in our bodies,” Mathilde Body-Malapel, an environmental health researcher at the University of Lille, in France, told EHN. “For most people, microplastic is a problem for the ocean; itʼs an ecological problem. But now we know itʼs a problem for human health.”

How Much Plastic Do We Eat?

Microplastics are smaller than five millimeters, about the size of a sesame seed. Researchers have found these persistent polymers virtually everywhere theyʼve looked: in rice, sugar, seafood, vegetables, drinking water, rain, and air. Polyester clothes and rugs shed minute plastic fibers. Opening a soda bottle can release a spray of thousands of plastic particles.

For most people, microplastic is a problem for the ocean; itʼs an ecological problem. But now we know itʼs a problem for human health.

Mathilde Body-Malapel, PhD, HDR

Despite their ubiquity in our diet, little is known about how these elements affect their first stop in the human body — the digestive tract. Microplastics have only become a research concern in the last decade or so. And the field is underfinanced, particularly in the US, according to Philip Demokritou, the director of two environmental health labs at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Microplastics are also notoriously difficult to study. “For microplastics, itʼs not one pollutant,” Body-Malapel said. “Itʼs a lot of different pollutants.” In addition to the wide range of plastic polymers in use — the polyethylene in a plastic bottle, the vinyl in a shower curtain — thereʼs an even wider range of chemicals added to plastics to give them special properties such as flexibility or UV resistance. Evidence has shown that many of these additives, such as bisphenol-A and phthalates, pose health risks even at extremely low levels, such as parts per trillion.

Figuring out what kind of plastic a person or animal has consumed is “something that always sounds easier than how it is in reality,” Gloria Fackelmann, a microbial ecologist at Italyʼs University of Trento, told EHN. Scientists use specialized devices to analyze the wavelengths of light that bounce off a given piece of plastic and compare it to databases created by other researchers. This process is imperfect, Fackelmann said, because something as basic as the plasticʼs age can alter how it reflects light.

Adding to the complexity is shape and size. A grain of plastic visible to the naked eye behaves far differently from a nanoscale particle thatʼs the size of a virus. Multiple studies have shown that the smallest plastics can pass from the gut into the blood, and from there into the brain, placenta, liver, and other organs. And the smaller something is, the more surface area it has, increasing a plastic particleʼs ability to glom onto cells and leach a higher dose of chemical additives. Body-Malapel said nanoplastics are so miniscule that there is currently no way to detect them in human tissues.

Researchers canʼt feed human volunteers plastic-peppered food and see what happens. Instead, they must pursue a variety of indirect routes: analyzing human feces, creating artificial stand-ins for digestive organs, using lab animals, or looking at wild creatures in plastic-polluted environments.

Plastic in Birds

In her most recent study, published in March in Nature Ecology & Evolution, Fackelmann and her collaborators looked at how microplastics affected the gut microbiomes of two seabird species, Northern fulmars and Coryʼs shearwaters.

The team measured bacteria in the birdsʼ stomachs and cloacas, and flushed out their digestive tracts to count and weigh the microplastics inside. The birds with more individual pieces of plastic had a higher diversity of bacteria, while those with a greater weight of plastic had lower diversity. Greater diversity isnʼt always beneficial, Fackelmann said. “Maybe you have more microbes, but the excess are all pathogens, in which case, that wouldnʼt be good.”

This finding “lends some credence to the idea of plastics as a vector” for bacteria, she added. Bits of seafaring plastic are thought to accumulate bacteria, which then make a home in a birdʼs stomach and intestines. As the researchers discovered, these bacteria werenʼt a representative sample of whatʼs normally found in seawater. Instead, there was a preponderance of plastic-eating microbes, along with antibiotic-resistant and disease-causing bacteria.

While the team didnʼt assess the seabirdsʼ health, the microbial shift suggests this petrochemical diet is doing the birds no favors. “The very fact that we were able to measure the effects of microplastics on the gut microbiome in this natural system, using just naturally found concentrations of microplastics,” Fackelmann said, is “striking.” She added: “I wouldnʼt be surprised if the situation were to be similar for humans.”

Artificial Organs, Real Problems

In France, a team of researchers took a radically different approach. Unable to directly observe microplastics in a living personʼs gut, they devised a fermentation chamber to mimic the conditions in the large intestine. The team seeded the fermentation chamber with donated poop and fed the resulting bacterial ecosystem with nutrients and vitamins. “It does smell a bit,” study author Lucie Etienne-Mesmin, a microbiologist at Université Clermont Auvergne, told EHN. “After a while, you get used to it.”

Every day for two weeks the team dosed the system with tiny beads of polystyrene — the most common type of plastic — and measured changes to the artificial gut. Per the study, published in January in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, beneficial bacteria declined, while two disease-associated strains increased, as did the production of skatole, the substance that gives feces their nose-wrinkling odor.

Notably, the studyʼs authors say, these changes mirror what medical researchers see in inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohnʼs and celiac, where the bodyʼs immune system mistakenly attacks healthy gut cells. Many factors are likely to blame for the global rise in bowel diseases, from air pollution and ultra-processed food to antibiotic overuse.

However, this study, and several others like it, suggest that microplastics may also have a role.

A 2021 study from Chinaʼs Nanjing University, for example, found a correlation between the severity of a patientʼs inflammatory bowel disease and the number of plastics in their feces. A Tufts study published this June, which utilized 3D intestinal cell cultures called organoids, found that plastic exposure prompted cells to secrete inflammatory molecules.

The French researchers cautioned that it was only a preliminary study, meant to guide more research. Still, Etienne-Mesmin said, the results warrant concern, particularly because harmful changes were seen after only two weeks. “In real life, you are exposed on a daily basis,” she said. “So maybe the effect will be even stronger than the one we observed.”

Plastics and Obesity

The use of pristine plastic beads, such as those used in the French study, is a “good starting point,” Demokritou said; but he cautions that their utility is limited, particularly from the perspective of regulators and health agencies. “We need to use more environmentally relevant microplastics, the ones that you and I consume in our food and the water we drink,” he said. “Otherwise, itʼs a dangerous thing to generate data that may or may not be relevant to human health.”

Demokritou and his colleagues are developing ways to shorten 40 or 50 years of plastic degradation down to a few weeks through incineration and other methods. Evidence suggests that this process, called weathering, induces physical and chemical changes that can make plastic more dangerous. An August study from South Koreaʼs Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, for example, found that weathered microplastics induced noticeably more brain inflammation than their pristine counterparts.

In a study published this March, Demokritouʼs team applied a slurry of weathered nanoplastics to a cell culture of a human intestinal wall. The team then “fed” the cells a high-fat solution and discovered that the microscopic plastics increased fat digestion by 33% and fat absorption by a whopping 145%. Plastics and intestinal membranes are both hydrophobic, meaning they repel water, Demokritou said. Their hydrophobic nature means plastics and gut walls stick together when paired up, sandwiching any fat molecules in between, and increasing both the time and surface area for the fat to be absorbed.

They are in the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat. So, I hate to say, itʼs not easy to control your exposure.

Philip Demokritou, PhD, Associate Professor at Harvard and Director of the Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology

The study also found that microplastics triggered the cells to release inflammatory molecules, similar to what the Tufts study identified. “If you have inflammation, it makes the gut leakier,” Demokritou said, explaining that increased intestinal permeability means greater amounts of any toxic substance we swallow can enter the body. A leaky gut is linked not only to inflammatory bowel disease, but also to allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and obesity.

Demokritouʼs study isnʼt the only research to suggest a link between plastic and obesity. A 2021 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences review identified several ways that microplastics might be making us fatter, including altering the immune system, changing organ function, and disrupting hormones. These risks come not just from the plastic itself, but from the synthetic chemicals and heavy metals that plastics can contain.

How to Avoid Eating Microplastics

There are a few common sense ways to reduce dietary exposure to plastics, such as swapping out plastic cookware and food containers for metal, glass, and ceramic. But even the most assiduous plastic-free practitioner can only do so much. After 50 years of dumping plastic waste into the environment, followed by its degradation into ever-smaller pieces, every corner of the planet is now seeded with these pernicious particles. “They are in the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat,” Demokritou said. “So, I hate to say, itʼs not easy to control your exposure.”

Until governments and corporations take drastic action to cut plastic production and waste, everyone on Earth, even in remote Arctic regions, will continue to eat a side of plastic with every meal. Demokritou highlighted the need for science-based plastic legislation, better waste management strategies, and the development of safe, biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics. “We cannot go back to the Stone Age. Plastics are our life,” he said. “We need to attack this kind of problem from all angles.”

Tell us in the comments:

• How can you further reduce plastic usage in your life?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Svetlozar Hristov

Read Next:

• Is a Plastic-Free Lifestyle Possible? Tips for Reducing Your Plastic Footprint
• Why Your Gut Health Is More Important Than You Probably Think

The post How Do Microplastics Impact Our Gut Health? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

But as the number of telephone owners increased and the switchboard work became more challenging, managers came to the shocking conclusion that teen boys might not be the demographic best suited to the job. Apparently, they tended to lose focus easily. They engaged in frequent bouts of roughhousing. And according to Marion May Dilts, author of the 1941 book The Telephone in a Changing World, “when some other diversion held their attention, they would leave a call unanswered for any length of time, and then return the impatient subscriber’s profanity with a few original oaths.”

So by the end of WWI, the job of switchboard operator was mainly associated with women — who were relied upon to patch call after call through to the correct party, to facilitate communication and coordination in all areas of national life, and to do so in an effective and efficient manner.

Much like a switchboard operator used to facilitate communication and patch phone calls to the correct party, hormones have a similar job in your body. Your cells, tissues, organs, and various systems also frequently need to talk to each other. And it’s crucial that the right message gets sent at exactly the right time to the right destination. Hormones are the chemical messengers that relay information throughout your body, coordinating every aspect of your health and physiology.

When you’re healthy and in balance, that communication system works with exquisite orchestration, enabling all parts of your body to help each other get the job done. When something’s awry in your hormonal balance, however, you can experience unpleasant symptoms that sometimes devolve into outright disease.

One of the systems most responsible for the production and deployment of hormones is your microbiome, those 100 trillion cells that aren’t you exactly, but live in and on you and take on many of the critical functions that keep you alive.

When you nourish your microbiome on a fiber-rich diet, it manages the switchboard of your endocrine (hormone) system with care (like a competent and conscientious adult). When your microbiome is undernourished and fiber-deprived, however, it can create the wrong kinds of hormones at the wrong times — causing chaos throughout the body.

In this article, we’re going to look at the microbiome and how fiber impacts its makeup and function. We’ll also explore the link between fiber, gut health, and specific hormonal disorders and diseases.

Hormonal Imbalance

Hormones are essential to human health. In your body, hormones help regulate growth and development, metabolism, sexual function, reproduction, and mood. If hormone levels are too high or too low, that may represent a normal and temporary fluctuation, or it could indicate a chronic hormone disorder.

Hormones can lead to problems not just in deficiency or excess, but also if the target sites in your body don’t respond to the hormones the way they’re supposed to.

Hormonal imbalances can occur for many reasons, including life changes like puberty, pregnancy, and menopause; bouts of extreme stress; environmental factors; and certain medications. But one of the biggest factors determining the health of your hormonal system is the health of your gut — specifically your gut microbiome, which regulates the levels of many critical hormones in your body.

The Microbiome’s Role in Human Health

The microbiome is more than just a series of microorganisms taking up residence in your gut. The bacteria, viruses, and single-celled organisms that live there interact with and adapt to your bodily systems. There are many beneficial bacterial strains in the microbiome and a few harmful ones that can end up there, too. Together, these critters regulate metabolism, help you digest food and absorb the nutrients it contains, and support your immune system. All important stuff!

And nowhere are they more crucial than their role in supporting the endocrine system. Your gut microbes participate in regulating the levels of reproductive, immune, and metabolic hormones. In other words, they’re pretty darn crucial to your hormonal and overall health.

The Relationship Between Gut Health and Fiber

Factors such as age, lifestyle, and genetics all contribute to the makeup of your microbiome, but one of the biggest determinants is the food you eat. As a result, your microbiome is constantly changing based on what you feed it. And the number one nutrient that the beneficial bacteria love — which will make them stick around, reproduce like crazy, and generally have a nonstop party — is fiber.

Types of Fiber

There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. The most important difference, of course, is that insoluble fiber has two more letters and therefore will give you a better Scrabble score. Aside from that, soluble fiber also dissolves in water, while insoluble fiber does not.

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools and acts like a broom, cleaning out your digestive tract. It also promotes healthy bowel movements and helps with insulin sensitivity, both of which have an impact on hormonal health.

Soluble Fiber

We can further divide soluble fiber into two categories: viscous and fermentable.

Viscous fiber is the kind that forms a gel when it comes in contact with water in your digestive tract. Its main claims to fame are that it helps to balance blood sugar and lowers cholesterol.

Fermentable fiber doesn’t do much for us directly. But don’t turn up your nose at it just yet. It’s food for a select group of gut bacteria: probiotics. That’s why you may know fermentable fiber by another name: prebiotics.

Without prebiotics, probiotic gut bacteria starve. And since nature abhors a vacuum, a gut without probiotic bacteria becomes a playground for harmful bacteria to colonize and wreak havoc on your health.

One specific type of prebiotic, called resistant starch, has an especially crucial role. It impacts insulin sensitivity and helps produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the gut. These SCFAs keep your gut and immune system healthy as they circulate throughout your body, regulating inflammation and talking to your cells and tissue.

For a deeper dive on this topic, check out our article on prebiotics, probiotics, and the little-known postbiotics, here.

All of the types of fiber are essential for an optimally functioning digestive system. To the extent that your diet is deficient in fiber, your microbiome will be out of whack (that’s not medical jargon, in case you were wondering). And that can not only cause digestive problems but can lead to a cascade of problems due to your hormonal system’s reliance on the microbiome to provide a pool of well-behaved chemical messengers.

Fiber’s Impact on Insulin

Insulin is one of the most important hormones in the body. Without it, your cells can’t get the energy they need, and blood sugars become dangerously high. When your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when your body loses the ability to use insulin properly (a condition called insulin resistance), the result is diabetes.

You need insulin to move sugar in your blood into energy that powers your body; but it does a bunch of other stuff as well, like regulating blood pressure, storing fat, and promoting cell growth. But insulin is a double-edged sword, and too much insulin can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and decreased lifespan.

While fiber can’t make up for a malfunctioning pancreas, it can help your body to need less insulin by reducing insulin resistance through its support of beneficial gut microbiota. These bacteria enhance the communication between the gut and other tissues that are involved in insulin and glucose balance. Fiber signals them to increase insulin sensitivity so less of the hormone is required to shuttle glucose from the bloodstream to the cells that need it. And fiber itself lowers blood sugar directly by slowing the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

A 2019 study on adolescents found several interesting things. First, only two of the over 750 participants in the study met the US daily fiber intake recommendations. Second, both insoluble and soluble fiber intakes were inversely associated with fasting insulin and insulin resistance markers — meaning the less fiber the adolescents ate, the more insulin was required to turn food into usable energy. Third, lower fiber intake of all types was associated with higher insulin levels, which as we’ve seen can cause all sorts of long-term health problems.

A 2021 meta-analysis also found that dietary fiber could significantly reduce HbA1c and fasting blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes. And soluble fiber, in particular, such as the beta-glucan found in whole grains and some mushrooms, can do good things for glucose levels and insulin responses, especially those mediated by hormones produced by the gut.

Fiber, Sex Hormones, and Cancer Incidence

Among the hormones impacted by fiber intake are the ones related to reproductive function. Excess circulating levels of these steroidal hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, are linked to increased cancers of the reproductive organs.

Hormones, Fiber, and Breast Cancer

Many studies have shown that high circulating levels of insulin and its close relative insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) are risk factors for breast cancer. So how do you get high IGF-1 levels? One way is by consuming a lot of animal products, which don’t contain any fiber.

And if you consume dairy from cow’s milk, you may also be pumping up your IGF-1 levels because of a synthetic hormone called recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). This drug is often given to cows to increase their milk production and make them mature more quickly.

Certain types of breast cancer are also affected by sex hormones such as estrogen. In fact, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common subtype of breast cancer.

Diet affects both of these risk factors. There have been multiple studies showing that the more fiber you eat, the lower your risk of breast cancer. These include the giant Nurses’ Health Study II, which found an inverse relation between fiber and breast cancer in over 44,000 nurses. And a 2020 meta-analysis of 20 studies calculated an 8% reduction in breast cancer risk for those who ate the most fiber compared to those who ate the least.

A 2020 paper also identified a healthy gut microbiome, specifically including bacteria from the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria phyla, as the mediating mechanism between fiber consumption and the reduction in breast cancer risk.

Several biological mechanisms may explain the beneficial effects of dietary fiber on breast cancer risk. Fiber may decrease breast cancer incidence by controlling blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity. It may also increase serum concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), thereby reducing the circulating levels of estrogen in the body. Also, dietary fiber can shuttle estrogen out of the body by triggering more frequent and larger bowel movements (since excess hormones leave the body through excrement).

Fiber and Prostate Cancer

The fact that fiber increases SHBG is relevant to prostate cancer as well as breast cancer. SHBG binds the sex hormones testosterone and estradiol and decreases their biological activity, which can reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

In fact, it turns out that many diagnoses of prostate cancer are hormonally linked: sex steroids, particularly androgens such as testosterone, appear to contribute to the development and progression of prostate cancer. Again, the consumption of animal protein (which, I repeat, contains zero fiber) correlates with an increased risk of prostate cancer, and greater odds of recurrence after remission. As with breast cancer, this is likely due at least in part to increased levels of circulating IGF-1.

On the other hand, a plant-based diet can lower IGF-1 levels, putting men at a lower risk for prostate cancer. A 2012 study found that increased total, insoluble, and soluble fiber intake were all associated with a lower risk of aggressive forms of prostate cancer.

A large study that followed over 43,000 Japanese men for almost 12 years found that fiber intake may be protective against aggressive prostate cancer, and the protective association was greatest in those who consumed the most fiber.

The improved insulin sensitivity that fiber induces can also reduce that risk. Insulin may affect cancer development by influencing cell division and decreasing insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins, which increase the bioactivity of IGF-1.

Learn more about IGF-1, including how it works and how to bring IGF-1 levels down in your body.

Fiber, Satiety Hormones, and Obesity

We’ve known for a while that fiber can help fight obesity. But we’re discovering that one of the mechanisms by which it does so is via hormones produced by the gut microbiome. For example, fiber intake predicts ghrelin levels in people with obesity. Ghrelin is a gut hormone produced and released by your stomach. It’s your stomach’s way of telling the brain, “Hey, I’m empty; it’s time to eat. Create the sensation of hunger!”

Ghrelin plays an important role in promoting fat development, so it makes sense its dysregulation could influence the development of metabolic disturbances associated with diet-induced obesity.

In lean, healthy people, ghrelin levels increase before meals and drop after eating. By contrast, in people with obesity, insulin resistance, or type 2 diabetes, fasting ghrelin levels are lower, and don’t show much if any variation. In fact, ghrelin levels either drop less or not at all after eating in obese people, compared with lean ones.

One older study showed that variation in ghrelin levels was positively associated with fiber intake. In fact, fiber consumption had as much influence on ghrelin levels as total calories consumed, even though fiber doesn’t provide calories. So a high fiber intake increases the perception of satiety, reduces appetite, and lowers food intake.

This effect could be due to fiber’s ability to slow down the process of moving food through the stomach. “Decreased gastric emptying,” as this phenomenon is called (or, if you prefer, you can just think of it like “stuff stays in your tummy for longer”), allows the stomach to pull out more nutrients more effectively, and therefore downregulates hunger, since the stomach is getting what it needs and doesn’t need the brain to call for more.

Fiber may also impact levels of another hunger-related hormone, leptin. Leptin functions as a counterweight to ghrelin: It’s secreted by fat cells and signals the brain to decrease sensations of hunger. When leptin levels are high for a long time due to excess fat, the body can stop paying attention to its message of “stop eating.” 

One way to help people overcome obesity is to lower their leptin levels and stop leptin resistance, so their bodies can re-establish a balance. It’s like if someone has been shouting at you for so long that you no longer pay any attention to them, unless they stop shouting for a while, you’ll have a hard time listening to them ever again.

A small 2017 study of overweight adults found that adding resistant starch to a moderate- to high-fat diet lowered leptin levels. And a larger 2021 study of 17-year-olds also found that higher fiber intake was significantly associated with lower leptin. This may contribute to reductions in low-grade chronic inflammation and improved health outcomes, such as the prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Fiber-Rich & Hormone Balancing Recipes

Fiber is in a wide range of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, which are all designed to supply your body with the nutrients it needs to live a happy, healthy, and balanced life. Speaking of balance — regulate your hormones with ease as you enjoy these tasty, fiber-filled recipes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (and maybe a tasty afternoon, fiber-filled snack, too).

1. Oatmeal Banana Bites

Packed with plenty of fiber from oats and bananas, these muffin-like bites are a tasty snack that does just the trick for proper hormone balance. The banana’s prebiotic fiber will feed your good gut bacteria. And the oats provide both soluble and insoluble fiber, preventing a spike in your blood sugar. Plus, these Oatmeal Banana Bites are super simple to make — and tasty, too!

2. Smoky Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

Sweet potatoes and black beans are two plant-based foods that are excellent for balancing hormones, feeding a healthy gut microbiome, managing a healthy insulin response, and supplying the body with protein, carbohydrates, and phytonutrients. Plus, the combination of sweet and smoky flavors is absolutely scrumptious, making this simple, mouthwatering salad one you can enjoy anytime!

3. Moroccan Bulgur Bowl with Savory Orange Dressing

The Moroccan Bulgur Bowl is filled with a healing blend of spices, loads of fiber-rich veggies, and nourishing healthy fats to keep your hormones in check. Plus, the flavor combinations are scrumptiously unique! And the creamy Savory Orange Dressing drizzled on top of fragrant bulgur, veggies, crunchy pistachios, and cooling mint takes this meal to the next level.

Keep Your Hormones Balanced — With Fiber!

The microbiome plays an important role in human health, including influencing hormonal balance. And one of the biggest controllable factors in the health of your microbiome is fiber. Prebiotic fiber, in particular, feeds good gut bacteria that help keep your hormones where they need to be.

Fiber also helps your digestive system stay healthy and get rid of waste, which includes spent and excess hormones. Getting enough fiber doesn’t just have a positive impact on hormone levels — it can also help prevent chronic diseases and conditions like type 2 diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

By eating foods with various types of soluble and insoluble fiber, you can keep your body’s information switchboard running smoothly and effectively, without disruption in hormonal balance.

Tell us in the comments:

• What are your favorite high-fiber foods?
• Do you notice a difference in your hunger after eating a high- vs low-fiber meal?
• What fiber-rich recipe will you make next?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Inside Creative House

Read Next:

• Why Is Fiber Good For You? (And How To Get Enough Fiber!)
• How to Balance Hormones Naturally with Diet & Lifestyle

The post The Importance of Fiber in Gut Health and Hormonal Balance appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

No one wants to bring back the killers of yore. No one wants to see outbreaks of cholera, tuberculosis, or bacterial meningitis. But an immune system that doesn’t get up close and personal with enough germs early on is ill-equipped to deal with problems when they inevitably happen. And a sanitized, germophobic world can lead to compromised microbial diversity.

It turns out that our efforts to kill and avoid germs have compromised our gut microbiomes, setting us up for a host of chronic conditions.

Gut Health Starts in Childhood

It appears there’s a window of time necessary to establish a healthy gut microbiome early in life. After this window closes, there are still things we can do, of course, but the project of cultivating a vibrant microbiome becomes much more difficult.

Sadly, the gut health of modern humans (children included) has been severely compromised. More than 40% of people worldwide suffer from functional gastrointestinal disorders, and that may include 23% of children.

Up to one-quarter of all children and adolescents suffer from chronic gastrointestinal disorders, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease, as well as issues that may seem unrelated to gut health but have their roots in a dysfunctional microbiome. These include migraines, headaches, and anxiety and depression disorders, as well as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma, and allergies. Children with developmental disorders have especially high rates of gut issues.

So given the connection between the microbiome and the immune system, it’s not surprising that as gut issues become more prevalent, so, too, do the incidences of food allergies and autoimmune diseases. Both may have associations with a misguided and/or overzealous immune system going haywire and attacking either benign triggers or the body tissue itself.

So what’s the cause of all this gut dysfunction? And considering how important gut health is, especially among kids, what can you do to encourage and nourish healthy guts in children?

What Affects Childhood Gut Health?

Let’s start this discussion by noting that there is no single cause or blanket explanation for disrupted gut health, even in children. There’s still a lot of mystery we haven’t yet unpacked in the microbial universe.

In a perfect world, though, children would develop biodiverse and healthy gut microbiomes through everyday exposure to benign sources of bacteria (also known as the “hygiene hypothesis”). Throughout human history, bacteria have had a number of ways of colonizing infants as they grew, including natural birth, breastfeeding, family member interactions, and playing in healthy soil.

Ideally, as children got older, they’d also be given a wide variety of unprocessed fermented foods, and ample opportunity to play in vibrant ecosystems (like gardens, creeks, and forests). Bonus points for a companion animal in the home.

But the reality today is far from this ideal. Children are spending more time indoors; there’s an overemphasis on cleanliness, with widespread use of sanitizers and antibiotics. And modern industrialized diets are much less diverse than traditional ones and include an abundance of processed rather than whole foods.

All is not lost, however. You can encourage healthier gut health for kids in many ways, which will set them up for better health throughout their lifetimes.

How to Raise Healthier Guts

1. Encourage Outdoor Play

Food Revolution Summit guest Dr. Robynne Chutkan offers the following simple and memorable advice to support the health and diversity of our microbiomes: “Live dirty, eat clean.” And part of living dirty means encouraging our kids to actually get dirty by playing outside — in actual dirt.

Even city dwellers can encounter microbial diversity by spending time in green spaces, such as playgrounds, public parks, and schoolyards. Daily contact with diverse vegetation and dirt might improve children’s health by activating the immune system and teaching it to respond appropriately to benign and even more pathogenic bugs.

We know that the guts of rural dwellers display greater microbial richness and diversity than denizens of modern industrialized cities (what researchers call “built environments”). One study found that adding sod, peat blocks, planters for growing annuals, and cut-out segments of forest floors to the environments of urban children increased the health and diversity of their gut microbiota.

The 2020 Play&Grow study also showed that these changes translate into observable and meaningful improvements in children’s lives. Preschool children who were exposed to nature over 10 weeks experienced increased diversity of their gut microbiomes and higher serotonin levels, and they ate more vegetables. They also showed more prosocial behavior and less frequent outbursts of anger.

So look for ways to get the kids in your life outdoors, especially in natural environments. And start early — kids who experience nature tend to love nature. Kids who don’t may be more likely to grow up afraid of it.

You can also try involving them in gardening projects. If you don’t have an outdoor space in which to garden, even bringing some pots of dirt and planting seeds or seedlings indoors can expose kids to a diversity of microbes that can wake up and help to train their immune systems.

2. Help Them Get Enough Sleep

Many parents have horror stories of being painfully sleep-deprived during the first year or two of their children’s lives. Some kids wake up at night as if they’re on a mission to let you know that another 45 minutes have passed since their last outburst. Some kids are great nappers during the day but have trouble falling asleep at night. It turns out that one of the factors determining sleep patterns during the first year of life is the gut microbiome.

Studies out of Switzerland have shown that babies with low microbial diversity sleep more during the day, and less at night. And the effects were bidirectional — the quality, quantity, and timing of sleep also impact the gut microbiome.

The association between sleep and gut microbiota holds in preschool-aged children as well. A group of 143 four-year-olds participated in a study that measured their sleep patterns and their gut microbial populations. Certain bacterial strains were associated with total nighttime sleep, sleep efficiency, and wakefulness after sleep onset (when you get up to pee at 2:00 am and don’t fall asleep until 4:30 am, your wakefulness after sleep onset is 2.5 hours). The researchers theorize that the “good” bacteria may actually regulate sleep via neurotransmitters and the immune system.

And children with obstructive sleep apnea showed decreased microbial diversity compared with children who didn’t have the condition, as well as more inflammation and potential for leaky gut.

So if you want your kids to sleep better — so you can sleep better, too — one takeaway is to nourish their gut microbiomes. A second takeaway is to enforce regular sleep patterns and bedtime rules, which may positively impact their gut health in a virtuous cycle.

3. Ditch Sugar, Flavorings, and Dyes

If you’ve ever pushed a shopping cart down the cereal or candy aisle, you know that the industrialized food supply loves to add sugar, artificial and “natural” flavorings, and synthetic dyes to foods targeted at kids. And while no parent wants to experience a toddler meltdown when you refuse to toss the Lucky Charms or Skittles into your cart, the effects of feeding kids these ingredients may cause a lot more grief in the long run, both in terms of health and behavior.

Remember that anything that harms the gut also harms the brain, and that’s especially true for children. While you might be able to get away with an occasional junk food item, children are more susceptible to the effects of chemical compounds for a few reasons.

First, kids are smaller, which means their relative exposure (per pound of body weight) is greater than that of adults. Second, their body’s ability to metabolize (which in the case of unhealthy ingredients, means “detoxify”) is immature. Third, their key organ systems are still changing and developing, making them highly vulnerable to disruptions.

Excess sugar feeds certain microbial populations, which can turn on genes that code for sugar metabolism and transport, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. “Real” sugar is bad enough. But high fructose corn syrup and other corn-derived food additives found in many processed foods come from GMO corn, which is sprayed with glyphosate, aka RoundUp. This chemical may disrupt and kill beneficial bacteria in the gut, leading to impaired immune function.

Artificial food colorings have also been shown to disrupt the gut microbiome in children. And there’s increasing evidence that kids who consume synthetic food dyes on a regular basis are more prone to ADHD and other neurobehavioral issues. The FDA’s estimates of how much is safe appear to be way too lenient, according to research conducted in 2021 and 2022 by the California EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

4. Eat Prebiotic and Probiotic Foods

So if candy corn and Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts are off the menu, what foods do protect and improve children’s gut health? Two categories emerge as clear winners: prebiotic and probiotic foods.

Probiotic foods help with digestion and eliminative health (kids prefer to call this “pooping”) — and they’re good for both avoiding constipation and diarrhea. While children may not appreciate the intense flavors of popular probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, they may enjoy fermented pickles and plant-based yogurt (maybe not on the same spoon), or a teaspoon of Inner-Eco fermented coconut water.

However, you can eat all the probiotic foods in the world and take massive doses of probiotics in supplement form, but unless you provide these beneficial bacteria with the food they love, they won’t live long enough to do much good. That’s where prebiotics come in; they feed the probiotics.

And the main prebiotic is a nutrient sorely lacking in most people’s modern industrialized diets: fiber. Not enough fiber is associated with a number of gastrointestinal issues, including discomfort after eating, constipation, and obesity.

Prebiotic fiber may support gut health for kids by modifying the composition of the microbiome in the large intestines. Think of it this way: if you scatter nuts in your yard, you’ll attract squirrels. Put out a salt lick, and the deer will come. Set out a giant bowl of leafy greens, avocado, sweet potato, and quinoa in a peanut sauce, and you might find me.

If your kid eats a sufficient and diverse quantity of prebiotic fiber, the good bacteria will stick around and reproduce, creating a healthy and resilient gut microbiome.

Some of the best “good” gut bacteria include Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. By serving as nutrition for probiotics, they support gut health, metabolic health, and immune function. Some kid-friendly prebiotic-rich foods include leafy greens, legumes, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, and bananas.

It’s good to know that in a world that poses so many dangers to microbial diversity, nutritional strategies — which can be largely in our control — are among the best ways to repopulate children’s guts with beneficial bacteria.

5. Use Antibiotics Mindfully

If the opposite of “pro” is “anti,” then the opposite of probiotic is antibiotic. Yes, those miracle drugs that have done more to reduce human mortality than perhaps any other medical advancement in history have a problematic side.

When used appropriately, antibiotics are a blessing and can cure a wide variety of infections. But the etymology of the word should give us pause — antibiotic literally means “against life.” And the broad-spectrum antibiotics that science has developed in the past 90 years don’t discriminate; they kill (or attempt to, anyway) all bacteria, not just the pathogenic (disease-causing) ones.

When a child takes antibiotics, their microbiome can become severely depleted, creating a vacuum that often gets filled by harmful bacteria (especially if their diet isn’t that great — see point #4 above). Infants who receive antibiotics display microbiomes that are immature compared to similarly-aged babies who have not been exposed to the drugs. And these immature microbiomes predispose their owners to a variety of health conditions, including asthma, allergies, and growth dysregulation (which can include both obesity and stunted growth).

As a parent, how do you protect your child’s gut from antibiotics? First, make sure the drugs are truly needed. Many health professionals prescribe antibiotics without performing due diligence, like not assessing whether the drug will effectively target the germ of concern or even confirming that the infection is bacterial in origin. (Antibiotics do nothing for viral infections.)

If your child is sick, ask your doctor if the illness is bacterial or viral. If it’s bacterial, ask about the risks and benefits of antibiotics vs other treatment options. Humans have dealt with infections for millennia before pharmaceutical antibiotics were discovered, so we often have ways of recovering naturally, or with the help of other effective treatments such as herbs.

If your child truly requires a course of antibiotics, then providing them with plenty of prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods is important, both during the treatment and especially for a month or more afterward. This can help replenish and support their microbiome to pre-drug levels. And, if your child develops acute GI issues related to antibiotic use, consider asking their health care provider if a supplement such as Complement Gut Nurture could be age-appropriate and helpful to resolve them.

Kid-Friendly, Gut-Healthy Recipes

Feeding the healthy bacteria in your child’s gut is as easy as (plant-based) pie when they eat a plentiful variety of fiber-rich plant foods! While children might be picky eaters, these tasty recipes will help to expand their palates, as well as their microbiomes, through foods, flavors, and textures they love. These recipes are also designed for children to be your sous-chef in the kitchen! The more they help out with their own food preparation, the more likely they’ll be to try new foods. This is great for everyone — you, them, and everyone’s gut health — so get ready for some win-win-win family fun!

1. Fluffy Buckwheat Chia Pancakes

If there is anything that will put a smile on your child’s face at breakfast time, these Fluffy Buckwheat Chia Pancakes are pretty much guaranteed to do the trick! Their light texture, nutty flavor, and nutritious ingredients redefine pancakes as you know them. Each bite is filled with fiber-fueled nutrition and a natural sweetness that makes them irresistible! Plus, these fluffy pancakes are giving your child everything they need to fuel a happy, healthy, and diverse gut!

2. Mixed Berry and Banana Fruit Leather

Fruit snacks can be fun and nutritious, especially in the form of this deliciously fruity Mixed Berry and Banana Fruit Leather. And these particular fruit snacks are also great for your youngsters’ gut health. The combination of berries provides a super dose of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidant-fighting power, while the banana provides prebiotic fiber to help keep kids’ guts healthy in our germy world. Making your own fruit leather at home is not only healthier, but it’s lots of fun! We hope you gather the family and give this sweet treat a try.

3. Oatmeal Banana Bites

Packed with prebiotic-rich fiber from the oats and banana, these muffin-like bites are a tasty snack that your kiddos will be running home with excitement to devour! Plus, they are easy-peasy to make and great for gut health, too! Make sure to save some for the adults in the family who will also love these bites as a tasty snack or breakfast on the run!

4. Green Superhero Dressing

Fiber-rich greens and avocado are a superhero pairing that delivers a range of nutrients and helps the good bugs thrive in your kid’s belly. Even the pickiest of eaters can’t help but fall in love with the idea of a green superfood that gives them superpowers. Play it up as a superhero dressing, full of all the vitamins and good stuff that superheroes are made of — we bet they’ll love it!

5. Pumpkin Chia Pudding

Looking for a healthy dessert your kids will actually be excited to eat? Look no further than Pumpkin Chia Pudding, which is just as tasty and creamy — but with many more health benefits — as the beloved seasonal dessert. Chia seeds help to build and maintain healthy gut flora, thanks to their rich fiber and antioxidant content. Bonus that making this pudding can be a fun family activity to enjoy together by having your little ones get in the kitchen to help out with this recipe. Kids become mesmerized when they watch the chia seeds expand in size!

Here’s to Raising Healthy Guts!

Gut health is an important predictor of health, especially in children. Early intervention to encourage good gut health is paramount for health into adulthood, especially in the prevention of autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, asthma, allergies, and chronic lifestyle diseases. By focusing on improving their lifestyle, environment, and dietary factors, you can set children up for healthy microbiomes, and in turn a healthier brain, lungs, nervous system, and growth.

And for all the big kids reading this, here’s another tip: most of what’s good for little guts is good for your gut, too.

Tell us in the comments:

• What did you find most surprising about protecting children’s gut health?
• If you take care of children, which strategy do you already embrace?
• What’s one gut health strategy you can employ, either for your children or for yourself?

Featured Image: iStock.com/ThitareeSarmkasat

Read Next:

• How to Eat More Vegetables (and Like It!)
• Plant-Based Families: How to Navigate Healthy Eating in a Household
• Why Your Gut Health Is More Important Than You Probably Think

The post 5 Simple Ways to Improve Kids’ Gut Health Using Diet & Lifestyle appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Health Starts in the Gut

Hippocrates once stated, “all disease begins in the gut.” Now more than 2,000 years later, we know that he was onto something hugely important.

Your gut microbiome plays a critical role in everything from immune support and energy levels to metabolism, hormone balance, and longevity.

And yet, even in a world with gut health supplements and cookbooks flooding store shelves, most of us have little understanding of what gut health actually is, and the simple steps we can take today to create a thriving gut microbiome to support long-term health.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the latest research on prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, whether you should supplement, and how these nutrients affect your gut function.

The Importance of Gut Health (Even for People Who Eat Mostly Plants)

Your gut microbiome is a mini-ecosystem, with trillions of tiny bacteria, yeast, fungi, protozoa, and archaea, all working together. These bacteria have important functions like food digestion, the synthesis of vitamins, and the production of neurotransmitters (such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA) that play a key role in determining your mood. The more diverse your gut ecosystem is, the more it thrives. And with a thriving gut, you also improve communication with systemic organs like your heart, liver, and brain, and help build a robust immune system to prevent and attack disease.

People who eat a plant-based (or plant-centered) diet have a huge leg up when it comes to gut health because whole plant foods are rich sources of fiber, micronutrients, and macronutrients that fuel a vibrant microbiome.

But the diversity of those foods also matters (more on that later). And depending on your health and diet history, there might be a lot more to gut health than just eating more plants.

Understanding gut health starts by understanding what feeds it — in particular, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics.

Understanding Probiotics and Why Probiotic Supplements are Everywhere

There are more than 8,000 unique bacterial strains in the human gut microbiome. Some of them are essential for everyone, others help to remedy specific conditions, and others still may actually be wreaking havoc on your body.

Some of these bacterial strains are part of what are called probiotics. And they can be a key to unlocking long-term gut health by helping create a vibrant, diverse, and well-balanced community of beneficial microorganisms.

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics defines probiotics as: “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”

These microscopic creatures are generally a good thing. They’re a natural, vital part of your gut. And you receive them in small amounts from dirt, interactions with people (and pets), the food you eat (especially fermented foods), and, quite literally, from everyday life. But they can also be added through probiotic supplements.

Should You Take a Probiotic Supplement?

Probiotic supplements have gained popularity over the past several years, and seemingly for good reason, as probiotics are the living gut bugs your microbiome depends on.

But as more research emerges surrounding the addition of probiotics through a supplement in your diet, the scientific benefits have become more uncertain.

With so many strains of unique bacteria in the gut, there’s no straightforward conclusion as to which probiotic strains are beneficial across the board.

And because we’re all genetically and metabolically unique, what works for one person may not necessarily improve another person’s gut health.

Recommended Probiotic Use: The Latest Research

The American College of Gastroenterology released an updated set of guidelines for probiotic use in 2020 and outlined a few conditions for which adding supplemental forms of additional bacterial strains are supported, including:

• Complications of inflammatory bowel disease.
• Recurrent C. difficile bacterial infection, which can be life-threatening.
• A rare condition occurring in some premature infants born earlier than 37 weeks called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Though they may seem harmless and innocuous to those using probiotics without proper guidance, unintentionally micromanaging the gut microbiome’s balance with the wrong strains can actually worsen gut issues.

How could that be? The many strains of bacteria and yeast living in the gut live in a fine balance, with some much more abundant than others. And “managing” gut health by taking probiotic supplements has the potential to throw this fine balance off.

What About Probiotic Use After Antibiotics?

Many physicians recommend taking probiotic supplements after being prescribed antibiotics, since the job of the antibiotics is to wipe out bacteria without distinguishing the “good” from the “bad.”

But it turns out that this is looking at the problem too simplistically.

It’s true that antibiotics typically remove specific strains of bacteria. But probiotics typically consist of enormous numbers of only a few types of beneficial bacteria. This can end up throwing the microbiome’s natural balance out of whack if the bacterial strains that have been destroyed by the antibiotic aren’t themselves replaced.

In fact, a 2018 study showed that those taking probiotic supplements after taking antibiotics recovered their microbiome balance the slowest when compared with those who took antibiotics without taking probiotics afterward.

That isn’t to say that all probiotic supplements are bad. The truth is just that — it’s complicated. As science continues to evolve in the area of microbiome testing, and we continue to further explore the vast world of the gut microbiome, we will continue to gain insight and clarity into proper management of the gut, and the role that appropriate gut health supplements can play.

For now, resources such as the US Probiotic Guide can provide evidence-based guidance for choosing the most appropriate probiotic strains for specific conditions.

Need a Healthier Gut? Start with Food, Not Supplements

So what can you do if you actually need to take a course of antibiotics, or if you are suspicious your microbiome balance of bacteria and yeast is off?

The first step is usually to repopulate your gut bacteria with nutrient-rich fermented foods and fiber-rich foods.

A 2021 study from Stanford University showed that those consuming the most fermented and fiber-rich plant foods had a more diverse gut microbiome — and a stronger immune system, with decreased inflammatory markers — compared to those who consumed less.

Some of our favorite plant-based fermented foods include:

• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Kombucha without additional sugar added post-fermentation
• Unsweetened water kefir or coconut kefir
• Miso paste (Pro tip: keep it under 200°F by avoiding direct boiling on the stove; whisk the miso with room temperature water in a separate bowl and add to freshly cooked bowls of soup or food)
• Lacto-fermented vegetables (pickled veggies fermented with added bacteria or yeast)
• Dairy-free yogurts with added bacterial and yeast strains, especially lactobacillus and bifidobacteria, two of the most abundant strains in the human colon or large intestine
• Dairy-free fermented cheeses with added active cultures
• Tempeh, raw or lightly cooked, kept under 200°F
• Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, which contains “the mother”

(Here is FRN’s in-depth article on fermented foods.)

What About Prebiotics?

When you eat, you’re not just feeding yourself but trillions of organisms in your body — bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa — through something called a prebiotic.

On average, we each have two to five pounds of bacteria in our gut microbiome. These bacteria need food, just like we do — and that’s where prebiotics come into the picture.

The word prebiotic means “life-giving,” and that’s exactly their function in your microbiome.

Prebiotics can be defined as “nondigestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines.” In other words, they serve as food for the good gut bacteria and yeast you need to have an optimally healthy microbiome.

And here’s the key: the main prebiotics are soluble dietary fiber.

Where’s the best place to find prebiotics? Fiber-rich foods like whole plants, which we will delve into more below.

6 Critical Ways Prebiotics Impact Your Gut Health

What are some benefits of prebiotics for your gut health and body as a whole?

1. Prebiotics Grow and Protect the Probiotic Bacteria Already Inside of You

You know those expensive probiotic supplements you can order online or find at the health food store? Most of those probiotic strains are probably already inside you, and you can increase their abundance with each meal.

The problem comes from not nurturing these microbial strains in your gut.

According to the latest research, prebiotic fiber is key in feeding and breeding the amazing microbes we already have inside us. As long as we keep them alive, thriving, and doing what they do best inside our bodies, we can continue reaping all of their health benefits.

2. Prebiotics Help with Nutrient Absorption

Though our bodies cannot technically absorb prebiotics, research shows they can still greatly impact how we get crucial nutrients. Thanks to prebiotics, we can absorb higher amounts of calcium, iron, potassium, B vitamins, and other nutrients. The absorption and bioavailability of these vitamins and minerals also increase in infants and the elderly (two of the most at-risk populations for lower nutrient absorption) when consuming more prebiotic-rich foods.

Studies looking at global populations have even reported a correlation between decreased fractures and osteoporosis in those who consume the most prebiotic fiber — which these studies imply could be even more important to bone health than calcium.

3. Prebiotics Help Prevent Allergies

Many allergies start in childhood. And researchers are finding that experiences in the first 1,000 days of life can have lasting effects. A number of studies are now suggesting that the cause of many allergic diseases in children can be correlated to reduced colonization of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, two of the most important strains of bacteria in the gut. It turns out that if a baby is breastfed, these strains of bacteria are nourished by the prebiotics in breast milk known as human milk oligosaccharides. Research has shown that children who are not breastfed and not exposed to certain foods in the first few years of life can be at a higher risk of developing food allergies.

In people of all ages, it appears that a diversified diet that’s rich in prebiotic foods can decrease the symptoms of allergies.

4. Prebiotics Help with Metabolic Related Disease

Due in large part to the consumption of processed foods that are low in fiber, there is a global epidemic of what is called metabolic syndrome (a condition represented by a confluence of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, high waist circumference, and obesity), especially in more economically-developed nations.

But where we see an increase in prebiotic, fiber-rich foods, we see a decrease in both the incidence of metabolic syndrome and metabolic-related diseases.

Multiple studies have found that dietary fiber can lower cholesterol, help with gallbladder and liver health, reduce the glycemic response of food, increase satiety, and balance triglycerides, all of which are vital to preventing and reversing metabolic syndrome.

5. Prebiotics Help Your Hormones

Gut microbes produce hormones that are vital to optimal health, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and more. And they need adequate nourishment (prebiotics again!) in order to fulfill this critical function in your body.

In this beneficial relationship, prebiotics help to keep the beneficial microbes happy and fed so the gut microbiome can continue creating, recycling, and balancing hormones in our bodies. Prebiotics have also been shown in studies to not only affect microbes in the gut, but in surrounding organ systems like the vagina, testes, ovaries, uterus, bladder, and the hormones they balance.

6. Prebiotics Decrease your Risk of Death

Increasing plant foods in the diet is also associated with a decrease in all-cause mortality, as seen from a meta-analysis of current prospective cohort studies.

This means that simply by eating more plants (which are by far nature’s richest sources of prebiotic fiber), you reduce your risk of death from the top five chronic disease killers, including lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

That Sounds Great, But How Much Prebiotic Fiber Do You Need Daily?

The basic recommendation for overall fiber intake is 22–28 grams per day for women and 28–34 grams per day for men, according to the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

This recommendation assumes that if you get the recommended amount of fiber, you’re getting all of the prebiotics you need. However, if you’re not eating a lot of whole plant foods, but instead are getting your fiber from Metamucil (a fiber supplement that provides psyllium fiber) or other fiber supplements, you won’t be getting the diversity of fiber types that your microbiome needs to function best on your behalf.

Whole Food Sources of Prebiotics

Prebiotic fiber not only feeds the vital probiotics in your gut, but it also helps keep your digestive tract clean so those probiotics can thrive.

Prebiotic fiber can be broken up into two major categories, which play different roles in the cleaning process — insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. A lot of people think that only soluble fiber is prebiotic, but that’s actually not true. Both soluble and insoluble fiber can be considered prebiotics as long as they provide substrate for bacteria and yeast to ferment.

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble prebiotic fiber is like the tough broom that clears junk and debris from your digestive tract.

Food sources of insoluble fiber include:

• Chicory Root
• Dandelion
• Garlic
• Barley
• Flaxseeds
• Artichoke
• Almonds
• Onions
• Inulin fiber powder

Soluble Fiber

Soluble prebiotic fiber plays the role of mopping up trouble spots bacteria may have left behind. Some of the top sources include:

• Okra
• Aloe vera juice
• Beans
• Avocados
• Potatoes
• Stone fruit (nectarines, peaches, cherries)
• Pears
• Sunfiber, aka partially hydrolyzed guar gum
• Acacia fiber powder
• Psyllium fiber

There can also be overlap in many of these foods, with some of them containing a balanced amount of both broom (insoluble fiber) and mop-like (soluble fiber) capabilities.

Should You Take a Prebiotic Supplement?

While probiotic supplements are turning out to be less useful than we had once hoped, we’re finding that certain prebiotic foods and supplements seem designed to nurture your existing beneficial bacteria and create an environment for new, healthy, and diverse gut microbes to thrive.

Here are some of the potential benefits of some of the most potent, food-derived prebiotic supplements:

Sunfiber (partially hydrolyzed guar gum — PHGG)

Sunfiber (also known as PHGG) is a unique low-FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols), less fermentable, gluten-free, and soluble prebiotic fiber made from guar beans.

The prebiotic fiber in PHGG appears to simultaneously feed healthy gut bugs while also binding to those that may produce uncomfortable or foul-smelling gas. Studies have shown that PHGG may be helpful in cases of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), histamine intolerance, and more.

Polyphenols (like those found in ginger)

The polyphenol antioxidants and other compounds in ginger appear to support microbiome diversity, have an anti-inflammatory effect, and have anti-ulcer properties.

Ginger has been shown to help with nausea and upper gastrointestinal motility(aka the movement of food through the digestive system) when studied in both IBS populations and pregnant women.

Horse Chestnut

A new prebiotic for many, this herbal remedy has been used for many years in populations around the world. Horse chestnut appears to be helpful in reducing inflammation as well as balancing inflammation-causing gut microbes and inflammation-reducing gut bugs. It also may support motility by decreasing gas produced in the small and large intestines, which reduces bloating, constipation, and straining.

Gum Arabic

Gum arabic or acacia gum is a soluble dietary fiber obtained from the stems and branches of the Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal plants, which grow mainly in Africa. This prebiotic fiber has shown many possible benefits to the gut microbiome, including being linked with an increase in beneficial bifidobacteria and a reduction in inflammatory clostridia bacteria in the colon. A recent study also provided evidence of acacia’s benefits elsewhere in the body, with supplementation leading to a significant improvement in blood pressure, blood glucose, and satiety.

Side Effects of Prebiotics: What You Need to Know

Some people who start taking prebiotic supplements experience discomfort. As integrative gut health dietitians specializing in a host of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, we see this frequently.

However, despite the possibility of discomfort, GI side effects may actually be showing you they are, in fact, working — your gut just needs a little extra love.

The negative symptoms these foods can elicit are not necessarily from the actual foods but from the lack of efficient movement (aka motility) or gut bug diversity in the microbiome of the person eating them.

Many of the foods and prebiotic supplement extracts we listed are high in fermentable carbohydrates (sugars, starches, and fiber), also known as FODMAPs.

Think of your tolerance to these foods as a test to see how robust your microbiome really is. And you can feel confident that — with the right nurturance — over time, your microbiome can improve and become more tolerant of these wonderful prebiotics.

Let’s Not Forget About Postbiotics

If prebiotics are what feed healthy gut microbes, postbiotics are the bioactive compounds these microbes leave behind. They can pass significant benefits to the host (which in this case, is you!).

Examples of postbiotics include:

• Functional proteins
• Secreted polysaccharides (aka carbohydrate chains)
• Short-chain fatty acids (e.g., acetate, butyrate, propionate)

These byproducts can help with a wide range of functions in the body, including:

• Regulating the immune system
• Reducing tumor formation and growth
• Reducing blood sugar
• Reducing cholesterol and risk for cardiovascular disease
• Repairing the lining of the intestines, reducing intestinal hyperpermeability (aka leaky gut), and instances of or flares of inflammatory bowel disease
• Synthesizing vitamins, including vitamin K
• Increasing nutrient absorption
• Producing about 7–20% of our body’s daily energy

Putting it all Together

If you’re working with digestive health challenges, you may benefit from working with a knowledgeable health care team — including a primary care provider, gastroenterologist, and/or a registered dietitian nutritionist — to help you resolve your specific health challenges. However, there’s a lot that most of us can do on our own that will lead to significant health benefits.

Here are a few final thoughts and tips for creating a thriving gut microbiome:

1. Prebiotics are food for the microbes that live in and on your body. If those microbes are well-fed and taken care of, they will be very happy. And that will help your mood through the gut-brain axis and make you happy, too.
2. At a minimum, aim for the recommended fiber intake from whole plant foods, but including more can bring even greater benefits.
3. Aim for a fiber-rich diet from a diverse array of foods. Shooting for 30 or more unique plants per week can be a great goal.
4. When adding more fiber and plant foods, following the low-and-slow rule is a great way to ease your gut microbiome into dietary changes. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your best gut health won’t be either.
5. If you’re currently suffering from a GI condition or experiencing chronic GI symptoms, it can be very helpful to work with a knowledgeable and compassionate care team who can help you understand the many nuances of repairing gut tissue and facilitating new microbes to help improve overall health.

Tell us in the comments:

• Were you aware of the importance of gut health and how it plays such a major role in your long-term health and well-being?
• Have you considered the importance of prebiotic fibers to feed the probiotics in your gut?
• Do you currently take a gut health supplement, and if so, have you noticed a difference?

Featured Image: iStock.com/BRO Vector

Read Next:

• Why You Need Both Probiotics and Prebiotics for Good Gut Health and Overall Wellness (Plus The Best Food Sources)
• Gut-Health Promoting Foods & Recipes to Nourish Your Microbiome
• Why Your Gut Health Is More Important Than You Probably Think

The post What are Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics — What Do They Do? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease that results in joint inflammation and subsequent cartilage degradation. An estimated one percent of the world’s population and as many as 1.3 million Americans, according to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network, have RA. Patients with RA can suffer from fatigue, pain, stiffness, and impaired physical function, all of which can lead to severe disability.

However, unlike other types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, RA is not primarily caused by wear and tear. There are other factors at play besides age in the development of this type of arthritis, which often begins between ages 30 and 60.

With RA, the body attacks the connective tissue between joints that normally would help them move. This causes pain, swelling, and stiffness which limits movement and damages bones over time.

While RA is predominantly associated with joint tissue inflammation, as an autoimmune connective tissue disorder, RA can attack other types of connective tissue leading to complications with the lungs, heart, skin, and eyes, too.

However, like other types of autoimmune disorders and chronic diseases, more and more research is telling us that changes to your diet and the state of your gut might play an important role in your chances of developing RA, and effectively managing or reversing it if you do.

In this article, we’ll look at typical RA treatments and alternatives — and the link between rheumatoid arthritis, the gut, and what’s at the end of our forks.

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?

There’s no definitive answer as to what causes autoimmune diseases like RA. However, a growing body of evidence is pointing to a few key factors.

While each situation is highly individualized, many scientists suspect the following three major factors may play a role in causing rheumatoid arthritis:

• Genetics: According to Cleveland Clinic, RA is “more common among people designated female at birth” or who have a direct family member who is affected by the disease.
• Infections: Certain microbes, like Epstein-Barr virus (infectious mononucleosis) and Proteus mirabilis (which causes some UTIs) are linked to a greater risk of RA and more problematic symptoms.
• Balance of the intestinal microbiome: Evidence from the Journal of Immunology Research shows that your gut may be the most decisive factor in RA development. An imbalance of intestinal bacteria due to lifestyle and environmental factors can be a huge driver of rheumatoid arthritis. And since you have little control over your genetics (unless, of course, you invent a time machine and try to change who your parents were — which might create a new set of problems), or over what infections you might be exposed to, this is the area we’re going to focus on the most.

The Connection Between Gut Health and Rheumatoid Arthritis

There’s a growing and exciting body of research that confirms a strong link between the health of your gut and the condition of your joints — and overall health. But this isn’t exactly a new idea. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek healer known as the father of medicine, theorized that all diseases originate in the gut. (To be fair, he also taught that the uterus wandered around the body looking for warmth, so he didn’t always bat a thousand with his conjectures.)

The digestive microbiome is responsible for helping to break down food and produce vitamins, nutrients, and hormones that you need to stay healthy. Even more incredibly, 70% of your immune system is in your gut, where it trains immune cells, fends off harmful pathogens, and regulates immune function throughout your body.

Autoimmune diseases like RA are characterized by an overreaction of the immune system. (If another metaphor would help, it’s like a smoke detector that triggers the sprinkler system every time you boil water or make toast.)

Because gut microbiota helps regulate immune system stability and function, it makes sense that immune dysfunction could stem from an impaired microbiome. In fact, a 2021 study at the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Individualized Medicine found that the health of a RA patient’s gut microbiome could predict the improvement of their arthritis over time.

Another study found an interesting link between a bacteria known as P. copri and rheumatoid arthritis. In 75% of individuals suffering from RA, this microbe was in abundance in their fecal samples. Researchers hypothesize that having too much of this bacterial strain in the gut could be one of the potential causes of RA. The research is increasingly compelling that there is a strong connection between gut microbes and disease outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions.

How Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Commonly Treated?

RA symptoms can be debilitating and lead to lower quality of life, especially during a flare-up when symptoms are at their worst. Over time, the disease can become systemic and eventually attack vital organs, causing disease complications and death.

Because of this, treatments for RA are usually aggressive. And although there is no known cure, the first line of defense often includes medications prescribed to reduce joint inflammation, relieve pain, and prevent or slow joint and tissue damage.

Common RA treatments include:

• NSAIDs
• Steroids
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
• Biologic agents

However, many drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis have potentially serious side effects, like liver and kidney damage, increased blood pressure, and even the development of type 2 diabetes, among others.

If medications fail to stop the progression of tissue damage or have to be stopped due to side effects, surgery is typically the second line of treatment and can include:

• Total joint replacement
• Tendon repair
• Joint fusion

Does just reading those descriptions make you think, “These procedures don’t sound fun at all”? If so, you’re not alone. Because the treatment options for RA are potentially dangerous and carry serious side effects, many patients turn to complementary medicine, looking for additional sources of relief and treatment options that bring fewer side effects.

Can Dietary Changes Help with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

While genetic and infection-based causes of RA are mostly out of your control, you do get to decide what you eat.

And that’s good news because it turns out that nutritional therapy can be a powerful tool for managing RA. According to a 2017 study in Frontiers in Nutrition, dietary changes can reduce RA flare-ups. In the same study, scientists found that nutritional interventions can also delay RA progression. The researchers drew a direct connection between gut health, diet, and the symptoms and development of RA.

Is it metaphor time again? OK — it’s like your microbiome is full of trillions of employees, many of whom train, manage, and recruit the workers who run the immune system. And they eat all their meals at the company cafeteria. If you serve them abundant and nutritious fare, they do their jobs well. If you give them junk food, quality goes out the window, and pretty much anything goes.

Plant-Based Diets and Rheumatoid Arthritis

So, what types of dietary changes help with rheumatoid arthritis the most?

Specifically, people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis are encouraged to focus on eating plenty of colorful, whole foods, especially as part of a plant-based diet. Both vegetarian and vegan diets may help reduce inflammation and pain in RA. For example, a 2015 study found a 3-week vegan lifestyle intervention resulted in a 33% reduction in the level of C-reactive protein, a key marker of inflammation. Similarly, a randomized clinical trial found that a gluten-free, vegan diet decreases immunoglobulin G (IgG) for gliadin and whey — which are key proinflammatory antibodies.

Fruits and Vegetables for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Reducing inflammation and addressing symptoms of the existing disease is one thing, but what if diet might actually be able to prevent some RA cases? Excitingly, many fruits and vegetables may be protective against the development of RA. Specifically, a higher intake of certain carotenoids from fresh produce, as well as foods containing beta-cryptoxanthin from citrus and zeaxanthin from leafy greens, have been linked to lower rates of RA. One study involving more than 25,000 people found that the people who ate the most carotenoids had half the risk of developing inflammatory polyarthritis, compared with the people who ate the least.

Foods that are high in carotenoids include bell peppers, broccoli, cantaloupe, avocado, corn, kale, spinach, summer squash, and pumpkin.

Animal Protein and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Several studies have found improvements in RA symptoms like joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and limitation in function with diets low in arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid primarily found in animal products. Furthermore, a reduction in animal protein is linked to lower inflammatory markers and increased insulin sensitivity. By replacing animal products with low-inflammatory, nutrient-rich plant foods, you may be fueling your body with what it needs to heal.

A whole foods, plant-based diet is, of course, naturally low in (or free of) animal products. This eating path is also low in saturated fat and rich in inflammation-busting compounds. It’s also higher in fiber, which turns out to be critical to the health of your microbiome.

Prioritize High-Fiber, Whole Foods

Fruits and veggies are healthy for a thousand reasons, including that they’re just the kind of foods that your “good” gut bugs need to thrive. Research tells us that the bacteria and yeasts most beneficial to humans actually get stronger when fed colorful plant-based foods that are rich in fiber.

In RA patients, studies have shown that fiber improves gut bacteria composition and increases bacterial diversity. The resulting boost in gut health reduces levels of inflammation and joint pain.

Sadly, less than 5% of people get enough fiber in their daily diets. And adjusting to a high-fiber diet can take some work, so to help you figure out how to get more fiber, we’ve put together some resources in our article on why fiber is good for you.

When it comes to the inflammation that underlies RA, new research is beginning to look at the connection between intestinal and joint inflammation as well as the influence of high-fiber, low-glycemic index foods on inflammatory gene expression. Below are some recipes for rheumatoid arthritis to help you get started.

Recipes to Help Calm or Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis

These delicious plant-based recipes contain healthy and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats and nourishing antioxidants and micronutrients. Plus, they use highly supportive plant foods like cruciferous veggies and nourishing anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric to support a healthy gut, so you can get back to enjoying life to the fullest!

1. Ocean’s Savory Oatmeal

Ocean’s Savory (Instant Pot) Oatmeal has all the plant-based goodness to help fight inflammation, improve gut health, and keep you mobile. Is savory oatmeal new to you? You’re in for a treat! It’s filled with fiber from the oats, seeds, and kale; protein from the pumpkin and hemp seeds; and phytonutrients from the kale, alliums (garlic and onion), spices, and seeds. To top it off, ground turmeric adds a touch of earthy flavor and boatloads of phytonutrients to make this an anti-inflammatory breakfast of champions. Plus, this recipe is nourishing, tasty, and a fun way to use that Instant Pot!

2. Purple Powered Lunch Bowl with Crispy Chickpeas

Support your joint health with this highly nutritious (and colorful!) anti-inflammatory Purple Powered Lunch Bowl with Crispy Chickpeas. This bowl is full of purple foods (as well as a few other colors!) indicating its phytonutrient power. Many of these phytonutrients act as antioxidants, scavenging free radicals and reducing inflammation to help support mobile joints and an active lifestyle. Some of the most beneficial types of veggies for joint health are cruciferous vegetables, and this bowl has a few! Kale and red cabbage contain a compound called sulforaphane which, when eaten regularly, has anti-arthritic capabilities that help to block joint inflammation and slow cartilage deterioration. Not only is this bowl packed with plant-nourishing goodness, but it’s also full of flavor, texture, and other essential nutrients that contribute to overall health.

3. Cherry Chia Cacao Pudding Parfait

This Cherry Chia Cacao Pudding Parfait is creamy, nourishing, and filled with healthy omega-3 fats that can help reduce swelling, tenderness, and morning stiffness of joints among people with rheumatoid arthritis. The cherries included in this nutritious treat are packed with antioxidants that also help to reduce pain and inflammation in joints (you might call this part of the recipe the beneficial “cherry on top!”). This powerhouse combo is not only beneficial for your body, but it’s tasty, too! Enjoy it for breakfast, dessert, or as a scrumptious afternoon pick-me-up.

Diet Can Help with RA

Rheumatoid arthritis can be debilitating, especially when pain and inflammation make it difficult to hold down a job or care for family members. Treatments are often aggressive and can have their own set of side effects, so many people look to lifestyle factors and complementary therapies for relief. Diet can be one of the most important interventions in preventing and managing rheumatoid arthritis because inflammation and gut dysbiosis seem to play a part in its development and progression. A whole foods, plant-based diet, in particular, is a low-risk option with potentially significant benefits for RA. Eating this way can reduce inflammatory markers, decrease the risk of flare-ups, and improve the quality of life for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis — and for just about everyone else, too.

Tell us in the comments:

• Have you tried dietary changes to manage RA? What were the results?
• What is one change you could try this week to increase your fiber intake?
• What kind of food would you like to try to improve your RA?

Featured Image: AsiaVision

Read Next:

• What is Arthritis? + The Best and Worst Arthritis Foods
• How to Prevent Osteoporosis and Promote Bone Health with Food

The post Diet, Gut Health, and Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Do you like pop music? If so, you’ve probably enjoyed hit songs by some of the following artists: Britney Spears, Katy Perry, NSYNC, Taylor Swift, Usher, Avril Lavigne, Justin Timberlake, and The Backstreet Boys.

You may already be tapping your feet at some of their work, such as: “Baby, One More Time,” “Roar,” “It’s Gonna Be Me,” “Shake It Off,” “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” “I Kissed a Girl,” and “I Want It That Way.”

What you may not know, unless you’re a music insider, is that those songs, plus hundreds more performed by the most famous and commercially successful artists of the last couple of decades, were written by a retired Swedish singer turned songwriter and music producer, Max Martin. Preferring behind-the-scenes collaboration to frontman credit, Martin has turned the writing of pop hits into a science — and has the Billboard awards to prove it.

You know what else is a crucial behind-the-scenes partner to amazing achievement? Your gut microbiome.

Virtually unstudied until recently, the gut microbiome is now seen as the key to many aspects of health — digestion, immune function, even cognition and mood. And while Max Martin may prefer to stay under the public radar while he plies his craft, the human microbiome is now under the microscope, as it were, of public scrutiny.

With new popular awareness of the importance of the trillions of little critters that make their homes on and in our bodies, social media, blogs, and mainstream news outlets bombard us with tips on how to keep them strong and healthy. And like much of medical and wellness info these days, there’s at least as much misinformation as valid and useful guidance.

Gut and Immunity

Here is one particularly timely aspect of the gut microbiome: how it interacts with and supports our immune system. There are two basic ways the immune system can go wrong: it can underreact to infection (or become overwhelmed by it), and it can overreact or get triggered by false alarms (attacking benign foreign cells, and even the body itself).

The second problem, overreacting, appears to be responsible for the steady increase in gut health disorders and autoimmune diseases in the developed world that we’ve been seeing for many years now. Now, since the emergence of COVID-19, scientists have been  studying our immune systems with renewed vigor, including looking at how our microbiome impacts acute infections as well as chronic conditions.

The link is partly numerical: about 70-80% of the human immune system resides in the gut. This makes sense when you realize that the gut is where the outside world meets our squishy, delicate insides. The world is teeming with microbes, and a lot of them hitch rides on our food and end up splashing around in our intestines. If there was ever a place for a robust and alert immune system, it’s there.

And robust it is; the population of live microorganisms in the gut is estimated at around 100 trillion, which is 50 times greater than the number of galaxies in the known universe. 

These critters aren’t freeloaders, either; in exchange for room and board, they keep us alive and well in a bunch of ways. They regulate metabolism, digest food that our native digestive systems can’t handle, and support the mucosal immune system to protect the body from infection.

But modern life has been hard on our microbiome, for reasons we’ll explore in a bit. For now, suffice it to say that we tend to have fewer beneficial microbes and more problematic ones than are good for us. Which means it’s harder to keep our guts healthy and harder to maintain a well-functioning immune system.

In health and wellness circles, you often hear that you need to “heal your gut.” In this article, we’ll offer a collection of gut-healing recipes, so you can get started optimizing your own gut health.

The State of Our Gut Health

The gut health of modern humans in developed countries has been severely compromised. We didn’t know how badly until we started comparing our gut populations to those of Indigenous peoples who were maintaining, more or less, their traditional lifestyles. It turns out that Americans’ microbiomes are about half as diverse as those of the Yanomami, an Amazonian tribe with limited interaction with the modern world.

Partly to blame is our modern obsession with cleanliness and fear of germs. Our approach to microorganisms has been total eradication, with many household products and sanitizers promising to wipe out 99.99% of all bacteria, viruses, and so on. The problem with this is that nature abhors a vacuum. And sterile environments are basically unclaimed territory ripe for exploitation by whatever new bug comes along.

Another source of harm to our microbiomes is the chlorine in municipal water, which, while doing important work in removing potentially deadly microorganisms from our drinking supply, also appears to reduce the diversity of species in our microbiomes. After all, if it kills bacteria in water, then what do you think it does when it makes its way inside a human gut?

Antibiotic Resistance

But we’re not only making ourselves less capable of dealing with harmful pathogens; we’re also empowering and training the worst ones, making them even more virulent and dangerous. By overprescribing antibiotics, our medical system artificially selects for the mutations that don’t respond to antibiotics — the so-called “antibiotic-resistant” strains. After decades of miracles from antibiotics, we’ve reached the point where stronger and stronger drugs are providing fewer and fewer benefits against these “superbugs.”

Even if all medical professionals got the message, we’d still have an antibiotic overuse (I’d say abuse) problem. Factory farms are by far the largest consumers and deployers of antibiotics, both to keep animals alive in incredibly cruel, unhygienic, and crowded conditions, and to increase their growth rates and weights to increase profits.

These are industrial inputs, not prescribed drugs, and they attack all bacteria, including ones that are crucial for the animal’s health. And if we eat those animals or drink their milk, we’re at risk of exposure to the very antibiotic-resistant bacteria that the antibiotics have fueled.

We may not be able to personally end factory farming or reform the medical system or invent a water purification method that removes the chlorine before it enters our homes. But there’s one area that’s degrading our microbiomes where you do have control: the food you put in your mouth. 

How Food Can Heal Your Gut

Your gut microbiome is an extremely important part of you. The tiny critters inside your tummy and intestines help you digest your food and absorb the nutrients your body needs. So it’s crucial to feed them the right foods, so they can thrive — as well as protect them from foods that can harm them. Together, you’ll optimize your nutrition, your mood, and your health.

Fiber is Your Friend

The most gut-friendly nutrient is fiber, which comes in two basic forms, soluble and insoluble. Both are crucial for happy beneficial microbes. If you aren’t sure if a food is problematic or not, a simple question is, “Does it contain fiber?” Problematic foods don’t contain much, if any, fiber. For example, there is zero fiber in animal products and bottled oils. Likewise, sugar, white flour, and other refined products contain little to none.

A good rule of thumb: in a packaged food, the ratio of grams of carbohydrates to grams of fiber should be 5:1 or less. For example, a serving of Cheerios contains 23g carbohydrates and 1.7g fiber. 23/1.7 = 13.5, which is a lot bigger than five. Ezekiel bread, with 15g carbohydrates and 3g fiber per serving, just makes the cut (15/3=5).

Your best bets for fiber-filled, gut-healing foods are whole plants. While all of them will give you a fiber boost, look especially for those that contain prebiotic fiber that you can’t digest, but your microbes can. Some rich sources include jicama, bananas, legumes, allium vegetables (the onion/garlic clan), and leafy greens.

Probiotics

The probiotic foods that can add microbiotic (yes, spellcheck, that’s a real word!) diversity to your gut include fermented dishes such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurts, kefirs, kombucha, natto, and so on. Keep in mind that not all fermented foods still contain active bacteria by the time they reach store shelves. For example, heat treatments (think pasteurization) deactivate them in some brands of sauerkraut and yogurt, so if you’re not making your own, be sure to read labels to make sure the foods inside contain live cultures.

Resistant Starch

You also want to enlist the Resistance in your campaign to strengthen your gut microbiome — resistant starch, that is. Some starches in foods are not digested in our stomachs or small intestines, and instead, pass through to the large intestines where they provide a feast for our gut bacteria. This increases the production of short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, which performs a long list of beneficial functions for us.

Sources of resistant starch include whole grains, seeds, legumes, and potatoes, all of which are widely available, and therefore can be staples in our diets.

For more on starches, check out our article here.

Now, want some yummy recipes that are rich in gut-healing foods? You’re in the right place!

7 Gut Health Recipes to Replenish Your Microbiome

The gut health recipes below all contain ingredients that can help restore the gut — whole plant-based foods that are packed with phytonutrients, fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics.

The Fluffy Buckwheat Chia Pancakes are a fun and tasty way to incorporate buckwheat (a high-fiber food that cooks like a grain, though it’s botanically considered a pseudo-grain), into your morning routine. You’ll enjoy a fiber-filled, satisfying salad with the Grilled Peach and Barley (a member of the Resistant Starch Brigade) Salad. And get a double dose of prebiotic goodness with the Balsamic Dijon Artichokes and Asparagus.

Add some live bacteria to your plate by enjoying the Kimchi “Fried” Rice and Veggies. You’ll also find fiber, prebiotics, resistant starch, and phytonutrients in the Blackened Tempeh and Sweet Potato Bowl with Avocado and Kale. Turn creamy cashews into tangy yogurt with at-home fermentation, and you won’t even have to think about food labels.

Finally, gift your gut some anthocyanins, polyphenol pigments that act as prebiotics, in the Blueberry Ginger Smoothie. The ginger in the smoothie also supports gut health by reducing inflammation, relieving nausea, and fighting pathogens. Cheers to a healthy gut and a happy you!

1. Fluffy Buckwheat Chia Pancake

Studies show that those who eat a variety of whole grains have more diverse bacteria in their guts, which may lead to better health. Swap out traditional pancakes with these nutty and fluffy buckwheat chia pancakes and enjoy fiber-fueled nutrition with each bite. Word has it that your gut will thank you!

2. Grilled Peach and Barley Salad

Barley is a good-for-you whole grain food that contains resistant starch — a fiber-like nutrient that resists digestion and ferments in the large intestine — contributing to a healthy gut. The accompanying Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette is also good for your gut, thanks to its prebiotic fiber. Finally, leafy greens provide plenty of phytonutrients that can reduce gut inflammation, and fiber that can contribute to digestive and gut health. It’s a healthy gut trifecta!

3. Balsamic Dijon Artichokes and Asparagus

Both artichokes and asparagus have a type of prebiotic fiber called inulin, which feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut, keeping them happy and thriving. And, happy and thriving healthy gut bacteria help to keep you happy and thriving, too! This gut health recipe is delicious as a side dish alongside grilled tofu or tempeh or as a part of a grain bowl.

4. Kimchi “Fried” Rice and Veggies

This dish delivers fiber from the rice (and veggies), colorful phytonutrients from the vegetables, and probiotics from the kimchi. It also tastes super delicious and looks really pretty on the table! Pro-tip: Add the kimchi at the end of cooking to avoid destroying its bountiful beneficial bacteria.

5. Blackened Tempeh and Sweet Potato Bowl with Avocado and Kale

Tempeh is a fermented food, but since it needs to be cooked before consumed, we can’t benefit from its probiotics. Tempeh does, however, contain many other nutrients, including prebiotic fiber, which can feed the already existing healthy bacteria in our guts. What’s more, sweet potato contains resistant starch while avocado and kale bring the phytonutrients — all key ingredients for a healthy gut. Your good gut bacteria are probably getting hungry as you read this description!

6. Easy Homemade Cashew Yogurt

Are you into making magic? Because that’s what it feels like when you create your own yogurt! Technically, yogurt isn’t cooked. It’s incubated, which means it’s held at a constant warm temperature to encourage gut-friendly bacteria to be fruitful and multiply. This equates to a yummy, tangy yogurt and a happy belly!

7.  Blueberry Ginger Smoothie

Fun fact: Healthy bacteria in the gut enjoy more than just fiber. They also enjoy certain phytonutrients like anthocyanins from blueberries, which act as food to help good bacteria thrive. Ginger has been touted for its ability to help heal the gut for centuries. It can reduce inflammation, alleviate nausea, and fight intestinal infections. Plus, it adds a little zing to this nourishing smoothie!

Go Forth & Heal Your Gut

Modern society has an immunity problem, which stems partly from a multipronged onslaught against our gut microbiome. Many of us live in a world that doesn’t expose us to enough pathogens to “exercise” our immune systems. We kill beneficial bacteria with soaps and sanitizers; we dump repeated doses of antibiotics into our bodies; and we eat diets that starve the good bacteria and feed harmful bacteria.

But there are things you can do to protect and even heal your gut, which can strengthen your immune system. One of the best ways to improve gut health is by improving your diet. Focus on whole foods, especially fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fermented foods. Eliminate processed foods, sugar, and factory-farmed meat (especially processed meat).

That way, you’ll be able to say about your gut bacteria what Max Martin wrote for Katy Perry in the song “Part of Me”: “This is the part of me / That you’re never gonna ever take away from me.”

Tell us in the comments:

• What foods do you eat to feed your beneficial gut bacteria?
• What lifestyle changes can you make to help your microbiome thrive?
• Which gut health recipe from this article will you try next?

Feature image: iStock.com/RossHelen

Read Next:

• 7 Gut Health Resources (and 2 Recipes!) for Optimal Health & Digestion
• Why You Need Both Probiotics and Prebiotics for Good Gut Health and Overall Wellness (Plus The Best Food Sources)

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