Our gut is one of the largest and most important organs in our body. The role of the gut in human health has not yet been fully researched, yet we know there are thousands of bacteria, viruses and fungi that play a key role! The resulting, extremely sensitive and important intestinal flora is called the microbiome.
If the intestinal flora gets out of balance due to a few factors, the intestine complains and this affects health. One of those factors is diet. With this we can damage the intestine considerably and do it some good.
5 facts on how diet affects the microbiome:
- Probiotic bacteria keep the microbiome in balance: These are found in yoghurt, cheese or other fermented foods
- Food in its natural form: fiber is extremely healthy for the microbiome. This can be an apple with its skin or legumes
- Teas not only taste good, they also calm the intestines: herbal teas such as caraway, fennel or chamomile calm an unbalanced intestine
- Eat slowly: Digestion is already affected in the mouth. Eating and chewing slowly helps the gut
- Consume organic food: Food from organic farming contains fewer pesticides and toxins and is good for the intestines.
What can diet do?
A balanced and healthy diet has a positive effect on the function of the microbiome. Special foods such as high-fiber foods, probiotics and lots of fruit and vegetables are good for the intestinal flora. On the other hand, a lot of sugar, alcohol or foods enriched with pesticides destroy the microbiome.
Healthy eating is not only good for us, it also nourishes our microbiome. So if you make sure that the intestines are supplied with foods that are good for the microbiome, you will enjoy better health.
A plant-based diet is considered to be the most tolerable
Plant-based foods are best for the gut microbiome. This was particularly evident in long-term studies. Because the microbiome has the best composition among a plant-based diet. But stay away from processed foods! The microbiome does not like these at all, mainly because they usually contain many unhealthy fatty acids, too much sugar and too little fiber.
If intestinal problems such as flatulence, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation occur, this can be the first sign that the microbiome is out of balance. Here you should urgently consult a doctor.
Citation
- Die besten Lebensmittel für einen Mikrobiom-Boost. In: MyMicrobiome. (Zuletzt abgerufen am 20.07.22). https://www.mymicrobiome.info/die-gesuendesten-besten-lebensmittel-fuer-dein-mikrobiom.html.
- Müller (02.12.21): Mikrobiom: Der Darm und seine Bewohner: Was ihnen schmeckt und welche Bedeutung sie haben. In: Bundeszentrum für Ernährung. (Zuletzt abgerufen am 20.07.22). https://www.bzfe.de/ernaehrung/ernaehrungswissen/gesundheit/mikrobiom/.
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