Diet Diversification
Why a diverse gut microbiome is essential and what you can do to maintain a diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods.
Key Takeaways
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A diverse gut microbiome is essential for maintaining overall health. This diversity enhances resilience, allowing the gut to recover quickly from disruptions such as infections or antibiotic use. A varied microbial community also supports the immune system, helping it differentiate between harmful and harmless entities, thereby reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases and allergies.
Additionally, a diverse microbiome competes with pathogenic bacteria, preventing infections and maintaining gut health. Maintaining a diverse gut microbiome through a varied diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods is crucial for these benefits. The diversity of the microorganisms that exist in the gut depends on the diversity of the fiber being consumed in one's diet. The more diverse one's diet, the healthier the gut will be.
Photo of bacteria Bacillus is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria, a member of the phylum Firmicutes.
Gut Microbes
Different microbes specialize in breaking down various dietary components, ensuring efficient digestion and nutrient absorption. Bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi are all key types of microorganisms that exist in the gut.
To name a few:
Firmicutes: Bacteria involved in the fermentation of dietary fibers and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate.
Bacteroidetes: Bacteria that break down complex carbohydrates and proteins.
Verrucomicrobia: Bacteria known for its role in maintaining the gut lining and contributing to metabolic health.
Methanogens: An archaea that produces methane and is involved in the fermentation process in the gut.
Eukaryotic Viruses: Viruses that can infect human cells and other microorganisms in the gut.
Yeasts: A fungus Including genera like Candida and Saccharomyces. Some, like Saccharomyces boulardii, are beneficial, while others, like Candida albicans, can cause infections if they overgrow.
To read in more detail about these microorganisms that exist in the gut, see this journal from the National Library of Medicine.
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Pre and Probiotic Foods
Foods that facilitate a healthy gut center heavily around pre and probiotics.
According to the Mayo Clinic, prebiotics are high-fiber and resistant starch foods that feed the microorganisms in the gut. Resistant starches and other types of fiber are not digested by the body. When the small intestine breaks down food and extracts its nutrients, the nondigestible fiber enters the colon and is fermented by gut microbiota. This process produces short-chain fatty acids, vitamins, nutrients, and other byproducts that benefit the digestive system. Not all fibers are equal. While most prebiotics are fiber, not all fibers are prebiotic.
Probiotics are living microorganisms found in foods like yogurt or fermented vegetables. Probiotics add to the gut microbiota, which helps foster a strengthened immune system and reduce inflammation throughout the body. Probiotics also help keep the unhealthy bacteria in the gut in check, bacteria that are linked to neurodegenerative diseases.
Examples of prebiotic foods: bananas, leeks, garlic, apples, onions, rye, mushrooms, berries, beans
Examples of probiotic foods: yogurt, fermented vegetables, apple cider vinegar, miso, kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, dark chocolate.
A diverse gut is a healthy gut!
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