10 ways to improve your gut bacteria based on science

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Vo Thi Thuy Trang - Gastrointestinal Endoscopy - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

In fact, there are about 40 trillion species of bacteria living in your body and a large number of them live in the gut. These bacteria, collectively known as the gut microbiome, play an extremely important role in human health. However, there are also some gut bacteria that contribute to a variety of diseases. Here are 10 ways to help improve your gut bacteria based on science.

In fact, there are hundreds of species of microorganisms in your gut. Each species plays a different role in health, and they also require different nutrients for growth and development.
In general, a diverse gut microbiome would be considered a healthy microbiome. This means that the more microorganisms your digestive system has, the greater the health benefits they contribute.
A diet that includes a variety of foods will help you get a diverse gut microbiome. However, it is estimated that about 75% of the world's food is produced mainly from only 5 species of animals and 12 species of plants. This makes the diet of many people not diverse, even loaded with fat and sugar into the body, affecting the gut bacteria.

Vegetables and fruits are the best sources of nutrients for the microorganisms in the gut. They contain a lot of fiber that your body cannot digest. However, fiber can be digested by certain gut bacteria, which helps stimulate their growth.
Beans and some other vegetables contain high amounts of fiber, which is good for your gut bacteria, including:
Artichokes; Raspberries; Broccoli ; Green bean; lentils ; Grains; Kidney beans; White beans. A recent study found that following a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can prevent the growth of certain disease-causing gut bacteria. Among them, apples, almonds, pistachios and artichokes have been shown to increase the number of Bifidobacteria in the human digestive system. This beneficial bacteria helps prevent intestinal inflammation and promotes digestive health.

Fermented foods have been modified by microorganisms. Fermentation usually involves bacteria or yeasts that convert the sugars in the food into alcohols or organic acids. Some examples of fermented foods that are good for the human digestive system include:
Yogurt ; Sauerkraut; Kimchi ; Kefir milk mushrooms; Water ginseng (kombucha); Compression (Tempeh). Most of these fermented foods are rich in lactobacilli, a type of bacteria that is beneficial for your health. In particular, people who regularly eat yogurt will have more of these beneficial bacteria in their intestines. In addition, eating yogurt regularly also helps reduce harmful intestinal bacteria, such as Enterobacteriaceae (a bacteria that can cause inflammation and some chronic diseases). In addition, a number of other studies also show that yogurt consumption can modulate healthy gut bacteria and help improve symptoms of lactose intolerance in infants. birth and the elderly. Furthermore, some yogurt products may also reduce the abundance of certain pathogenic bacteria in people with irritable bowel syndrome.
However, when choosing yogurt, you need to avoid those that are high in flavor and high in sugar. Ideally, you should choose natural or plain yogurt. This yogurt is just made from a mixture of milk and bacteria.
Besides, you can also regularly consume fermented soy milk as they help promote the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria (including Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli), while reducing the number of certain bacteria. other pathogenic bacteria.

Artificial sweeteners are now widely used as a substitute for sugar. However, they can negatively affect your gut microbiome.
A study in rats has found that the artificial sweetener aspartame may help reduce weight gain but also raise blood sugar and impair the body's insulin response. Furthermore, the aspartame-fed mice had higher levels of Enterobacteriaceae and Clostridium bacteria in their intestines - both of which are associated with certain diseases when present in large numbers. Another study found that consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners can lead to changes in the microbiota species in the gut, while also negatively affecting blood sugar levels.

Prebiotics are foods that promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria. They are mainly composed of complex carbs or fiber that cannot be digested by human cells. Instead, the microorganisms in the gut will break them down and use them as fuel.
Many fruits, vegetables and whole grains are high in prebiotics. Resistant starch is also another prebiotic, they are not absorbed in the small intestine but will go to the large intestine and be broken down by the intestinal microflora.
Many studies show that prebiotics can contribute to the growth of many healthy gut bacteria, especially Bifidobacteria. In addition, it also offers many health benefits for people with diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

In fact, babies are exposed to gut bacteria from the time they are in the womb. During the first 2 years of life, the infant's microbiome will continuously develop and is rich in Bifidobacteria that can digest the sugars in breast milk.
Experts say that formula-fed babies often have less diverse microbiota than breastfed babies. On the other hand, breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the incidence of obesity, allergies and other diseases that can occur in infants due to differences in the gut microbiota.

Whole grains are high in fiber and carbs like beta-glucan are indigestible. These carbs are not usually absorbed in the small intestine, and instead they go to the large intestine and are broken down by intestinal bacteria, thereby promoting the growth of some beneficial bacteria in the digestive system. chemical .
In addition, whole grains can increase the number of beneficial bacteria that are good for human health, including Bifidobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Lactobacilli. Evidence also shows that whole grains increase satiety, reduce inflammation and risk factors for heart disease.

A number of recent studies have shown that following a high-fiber vegetarian diet can be beneficial for the growth of microbial species in the gut. In addition, a vegetarian diet also helps reduce the levels of pathogenic gut bacteria in obese people, while reducing inflammation, overweight and high cholesterol in the blood.

Polyphenols are plant compounds that offer many impressive benefits to human health, including reducing inflammation, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and cholesterol.
However, it is not always possible for human cells to digest polyphenols. Because they are not absorbed efficiently, most of them find their way to the colon where they can be digested by intestinal bacteria.
Some excellent sources of polyphenols include:
Red wine; Grape skins; Cocoa; Black chocolate; Onion; Blueberry; Almonds; Green tea; Broccoli. The polyphenol content in cocoa can help increase the number of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in the digestive system, while reducing the number of harmful bacteria Clostridia. Furthermore, these changes in the gut microbiome may reduce inflammatory markers in the body.

Probiotics are live microorganisms, mainly bacteria, that provide many health benefits when consumed. That's because they can alter the overall balance of your microbiome and aid your metabolism.
Some recent studies show that probiotics can improve the microorganisms in the gut that are associated with certain diseases. In addition, probiotics also have powerful effects, helping to restore the microbiome to a healthy state after being compromised.
In short, the gut microbiome can be improved if you have a healthy, active lifestyle. Therefore, each person should equip themselves with the knowledge they need to know to always have a healthy intestinal microflora and prevent diseases.

Reference source: healthline.com