The gut microbiome is essential for maintaining gut health. According to research, the gut can communicate with and influence other parts of the body to support our overall health. There are external and internal factors that influence our gut microbiota, and focusing on adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle may help promote the growth and maintenance of beneficial gut bacteria.
In this blog, we will explore how you may be able to alter the microbiota in your gut to improve your gut microbiome, which may influence your immunity, metabolism, digestion, mood, and susceptibility to certain health conditions.
Meet Your Gut Microbiota
When reading about gut health, you've probably come across the term "probiotics." You may have seen commercials promoting the benefits of foods such as yogurt in providing these beneficial microbes. However, the science extends beyond just a spoonful of fermented foods. There's an exciting world in our gastrointestinal tract where food components, healthy flora, and food byproducts support this sophisticated environment.
Let's discuss the three most important factors influencing your gut health: prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics.
Probiotics
Probiotics are beneficial live bacteria that naturally live in our bodies. To ensure their viability and provide benefits to the host, these healthy bacteria that are ingested from food or supplements must survive stomach acids and reach the intestines where they will reside. These “good” bacteria may provide health benefits for its host.1
Prebiotics
Prebiotics are fermentable, soluble dietary fibers found in certain foods. They act as food for the probiotics, supporting their survival.2
Postbiotics
According to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), postbiotics are preparations of inanimate microorganisms or other components that provide a health benefit to the host.34
As you may be aware, there is a community of microbes inside and outside our bodies working around the clock to protect us from pathogens and environmental toxins. Let’s now look at how we can improve our gut microbiome.
Your Diet — Supporting Your Gut Health
A person’s dietary intake can greatly influence their gut microbiota. Research has linked greater gut microbiota diversity with higher dietary quality. A study of pregnant women revealed that those who followed a healthy diet had the highest diversity of gut microbiota compared to those who didn’t consume a healthy diet.5
While other factors also influence gut microbiota, diet is a key contributor to a healthy gut microbiome. So, take a moment to reflect on your current diet — are there areas you could improve?
Fill Your Plate With Whole Foods
Eating unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats, nuts, seeds, and legumes can improve your gut microbiota and support a healthy gut ecosystem.
Prebiotic Dietary Sources
Fiber-rich foods like berries, bananas, apples, leafy greens, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, beans, garlic, onions, legumes, and grains such as barley, oatmeal, and rye are great sources of prebiotics.
Probiotic Dietary Sources
Look for naturally fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, and yogurt with live cultures to get probiotic-rich options. According to an article in Harvard Health, it’s important to look for “naturally fermented” on the label to ensure that live and active bacteria were involved in the fermentation process.6
How Lifestyle May Influence Your Gut Microbiome
Beyond diet, factors such as medications, processed foods, and lifestyle choices can also impact gut health.
Medications
Some medications, like antibiotics, can wipe out natural microbiota. It's important to discuss with your healthcare provider whether a probiotic supplement might help restore balance in your gut microbiome.
Watch Processed Foods
Processed foods, particularly those high in added sugars and preservatives, can reduce beneficial gut bacteria. Limiting red meats, saturated fats, and ultra-processed foods may help.7
Choose Polyphenol-Rich Foods
Polyphenol-rich foods like nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, coffee, and green tea can support your gut health. Some polyphenols may even increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia muciniphila in the gut.9
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements - Probiotics. Accessed July 23, 2024.
- Prebiotics - International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP). Accessed March 30, 2023.
- The ISAPP Consensus Statement on Postbiotics. Published May 2021.
- Postbiotics_FINAL.pdf. Accessed September 2, 2024.
- Overall Dietary Quality Relates to Gut Microbiota Diversity. Published April 13, 2019.
- Fermented Foods for Better Gut Health. Published September 12, 2023.
- Microbiome Connections With Host Metabolism and Diet. Published January 2021.
- Polyphenols and Akkermansia Muciniphila. Published December 2022.