When you think of the word 'bacteria', your mind might jump to toxins, diseases and food poising. However, not all bad bacteria are bad. In fact, good bacteria is critical to human health in a variety of ways, specifically when it comes to fighting infections, absorbing vitamins, regulating weight and digesting foods. And where do most of these bacteria live? The gut.
Our gastrointestinal system, or gut for short, is a highly sophisticated system that spans across 12 areas of our body. It's home vital organs including our stomach, large and small attentive, liver and pancreas, and it also features over 100 trillion bacteria. This collection of microorganisms is commonly known as the microbiome or the gut flora, and the amount of bacterial cells it contains outnumbers human cells by a staggering 10 to 1.
When the microbiome is happy, it benefits your physical health in myriad ways. Moreover, due to the millions of nerves that connect the gut and the brain, a healthy gut has also been linked to improved cognitive functioning and decreased symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress. While there are lots of ways to look after this bacterial community, eating gut-friendly food is one of the best places to start.
With this in mind, this article outlines six ingredients that are guaranteed to support your gut and microbiome because prioritising gastrointestinal health is the key to unlocking a healthier body and mind.
With its roots stemming back to Japan, miso is a traditional paste that is produced by mixing
soybeans with salt and kōji (fermented rice). The ingredient has a strong 'umami' flavour, which refers to a pleasant savoury taste, and it is typically added to soups or broths, vegetables or stews. Aside from being delicious, the ingredient is also a potent source of vitamins, minerals and gut-friendly properties like bacteria and enzymes. The paste even contains the probiotic A. oryzae, which is particularly recognised to aid digestive function and diminish the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
However, if you're considering using miso to look after your gut, it's important that you don't combine it with freshly boiled water, as this may kill off the probiotics in the ingredient.
Kimchi is a side dish that originates from traditional Korean cuisine. It is made up of fermented and salted vegetables, including Korean radish and napa cabbage, garlic, ginger and jeotgal. Just like miso, kimchi is considered a potent probiotic because it's a fermented food. In fact, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that the disk may be able to relieve symptoms like constipation because of its ability to balance out levels of bad bacteria in the gut. Although, more research into its gut-friendly potential needs to take place for us to know for sure.
Often a feature of most kitchen cupboards of dining room tables, olive oil is an ingredient that doesn't need much introduction. As the name suggests, this ingredient is made by extracting oil out of pressed olives, and when used in moderation, olive oil is understood to benefit our health because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This is particularly true when it comes to the gut.
To be specific, research has shown that the oil is able to promote a healthy gut by boosting its immune response. It is able to do so by transporting fat-soluble vitamins to cells, which keeps the immune system in the lining of the gut strong and healthy. Therefore, if you're looking for a quick and tasty way to protect your gut's natural immunity, it might be wise to switch to olive oil.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a chemical compound that is extracted from cannabis Sativa and industrial hemp. Despite its relatively recent entrance into the health and wellness scene, it's already used by a lot of people to promote a healthy gut. One reason CBD oil is recognised to improve the function of our gastrointestinal tract is because of its anti-inflammatory properties . By limiting the production of proteins that set off an inflammatory response, the gut can become less inflamed, and symptoms of IBS, bloating and colitis can reduce.
Moreover, the cannabinoid may also be able to protect the body against a leaky gut by limiting the amount of cortisol that is produced. Since cortisol is a catabolic hormone, if it exists in abundance, it can drastically diminish the lining of the gut. Therefore, when CBD is consumed, the lining of the digestive system is placed at less risk, and its overall functioning is likely to be improved. To reap its potential benefits, you can consume CBD softgels , tinctures, oral sprays, edibles, to name a few.
Probably one of the most well-renowned probiotics, yoghurt is another ingredient that does wonders for your gut's microbiome. Just like miso and kimchi, yoghurt is produced through fermentation, which is the process when useful bacteria ferment lactose into lactic acid. This acid features an abundance of 'good' bacteria, so when they are transferred to the gut, they help to even out the flora to make it work more effectively.
While all yoghurt is recognised to generate this effect, some products work better than others. For instance, yoghurt drinks generally contain more probiotics which would make them better at assisting microbiome health, and some Greek yoghurts contain special probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei, which are particularly renowned for benefiting the gut.
6. Sourdough
If you weren't familiar with sourdough bread before the lockdown, you probably are now. Sourdough is an all leavened bread that is obtained by long-lasting fermentation of the dough. It doesn't rely on commercial yeast to rise and instead relies on a sourdough starter containing a bacteria called lactobacilli. Due to the unique way it is produced, the loaf is brimming with lactic acid, A.K.A, our microbiome's best friend. Although it is not fully known if these healthy bacteria survive the baking process, dead bacteria are still understood to deliver benefits to the gut. Whatsmore, many experts claim that sourdough can also benefit the gastrointestinal system by aiding digestion and improving the absorption rates of vital nutrients.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this article has emphasised the importance of gastrointestinal health and pointed you in the direction of some delicious, gut-friendly ingredients. While all of these ingredients have received some type of anecdotal and scientific backing, it's advised that you also do your own research prior to using them to assist your own gut health.
