Five surprising, science backed ways to nurture your gut microbiome.
To mark Love Your Gut Week, here are five surprising, science-backed ways to nurture your gut microbiome:
1. Keeping pets
Keeping pets has been found to have a beneficial effect on gut health and wellbeing. Some studies even suggest that it may influence longevity. One study of older adults found that dog ownership can alter the microbiome, suppress harmful bacteria and increase good ones.
When your pet goes outside, they explore places you might not reach, coming into contact with a greater variety of bacteria and microbes, which they then pass on to you. This exposure can help enrich your gut microbiome, boosting its diversity and supporting better overall health.
Pet ownership has also been associated with lowering the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a key part of the “fight or flight” response, which takes energy away from the rest and digestive processes. Lower levels of cortisol mean more energy goes to the gut to support the gut function.
Plus, walking a dog encourages physical activity, which itself is known to be good for our gut microbiome.
2.Drinking matcha
Matcha is a type of green tea, but it uses the whole leaves which are finely ground and dissolved in hot water. Rather than steeping the leaves, removing them and drinking the leftover liquid, you are consuming the whole leaf including its fibres, which has potentially favourable effects on gut microbiota.
One study found that daily matcha consumption for two weeks reduced the inflammatory bacteria Fusobacterium and increased the beneficial bacterium Coprococcos, which is involved in energy production.
Matcha is rich in polyphenols which can reduce inflammation, improve gut barrier and support immune functions as well as provide prebiotic-like effects, by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. They also have prebiotic-like effects by inducing mucus production, which subsequently supports the growth of certain bacteria.
It contains a type of polyphenol called catechins – epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Catechins are broken down in the large intestine to produce important health-benefiting compounds including short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate and acetate. Butyrate is known for its anti-inflammatory effects, as well as supporting energy metabolism and immunity.
In the UK, matcha is often consumed alongside milk (e.g. as a matcha latte- whereas in many Asian cultures it is often consumed with just water). However, some emerging research suggests that dairy milk proteins bind to tea catechins and reduces their bioavailability (meaning some consumers may not get the full polyphenol benefits).
Matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid which has a relaxing effect on the brain and can promote focus. L-theanine may also slow down the release of caffeine meaning it can provide a more sustained energy release without the ‘jitters’ that some people feel with other caffeine products. L-theanine has been shown in research[i] to help with stress, anxiety and sleep. However, this is usually at higher doses than a single cup of matcha would provide. Levels of L-theanine vary depending on the matcha e.g. matcha grade, growing conditions, water temperature and storage.
One study found matcha contains 1.63–3.98 mg/g of vitamin C depending on the type of product and its origin, which is around double that of green tea. For context, adults require 40mg of vitamin C a day.
Overall, more research is needed in matcha specifically to understand its health benefits..
3. Eating fermented and prebiotic foods after taking medication to get gut health back on track
Taking medication when we are ill is important for our overall health, but some medications can have side effects on the microbiome. Did you know that antibiotics can disrupt the microbiome?
Antibiotics kill the pathogenic bacteria that are making you ill, but unfortunately, they also kill the beneficial bacteria in your microbiome. This can wipe out the gut microbiome, and it can take time to build it back up.
And it’s not just antibiotics! Some acid reflux or laxative medications can also impact gut health.
However, the good news is that there’s plenty you can do to protect and restore the health of your gut microbiome. While taking medications, and in the weeks after, try eating fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut. These contain beneficial bacteria that support gut health. It also helps to eat plenty of prebiotic food like leeks, mushrooms, bananas and oats. This can help support getting your gut back on track.
4. Eating mushrooms
Mushrooms are often thought of as vegetables, but they belong to the fungi kingdom, which gives them unique benefits for gut health.
The gut wall is made up of a physical barrier to stop things leaking out and into the rest of the body, a chemical barrier which helps to protect against pathogens, and an immunological layer which is made up of immune cells.
The polysaccharides in mushrooms feed the gut microbiome and can increase diversity, promoting the balance of good to bad bacteria in the immune layer, which protects against infection and reduces inflammation. These bacteria can then ferment the polysaccharides, producing beneficial compounds that help strengthen the physical barrier. Mushrooms can also increase the production of short-chain fatty acids, which are an important energy source for intestinal cells.
Even everyday button mushrooms offer these benefits. More exotic varieties, such as reishi and lion’s mane, have also been studied for their potential to support brain health, possibly through their influence via the gut-brain axis.
5. Do some gardening
Getting your hands dirty could actually be good for your gut.
Soil contains a huge range of bacteria, and exposure to them through gardening can increase microbiome diversity.
One study even showed that rubbing hands in bacterially rich soil before a vaccination helped improve the immunity of the participants. Gardening is one way of coming into contact with soil and it has been shown that it can change the gut bacteria of gardeners, leading to a richer and more diverse microbiome. Microbiome diversity is important for the resilience of the gut because the greater the variety of bacteria, the greater the range of functions that bacteria can perform. Interestingly, one study found gardeners had more bacteria that produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that provides the mitochondria in gut cells with the fuel needed to make energy.
Happy Love Your Gut Week! See our new recipes here