The microbiome, the community of diverse bacteria living in our intestines, has long been a hot health issue. I am very interested in this topic and recently found an article that we may all find useful. I offer its translation for your attention.
Scientists are trying to figure out how the microbiome can affect our health, weight, mood, skin, ability to resist infection. And supermarket and pharmacy shelves are brimming with all sorts of probiotic products containing live bacteria and yeast, which we are assured can improve the intestinal microbiome.
To test this, the team of the British program BBC "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" (Trust Me, I'm A Doctor) organized an experiment. It involved representatives of the National Health System in Scotland (NHS Highland) and 30 volunteers and scientists from around the country. Dr. Michael Moseley says:
- "We divided the volunteers into three groups and for more than four weeks asked participants in each group to try a different approach to improving gut microflora.
Our first group tried a ready-made probiotic drink, which is available in most supermarkets. These drinks usually contain one or two types of bacteria that can survive a trip through the gastrointestinal tract and exposure to stomach acid to settle in the gut.
The second group tried kefir, a traditional fermented beverage containing many bacteria and yeast.
The third group was offered foods rich in the prebiotic fiber, inulin. Prebiotics are substances that the good bacteria already living in the gut feed on. Inulin is abundant in chicory root, onions, garlic and leeks.
What we found at the end of the study is fascinating. The first group that consumed the probiotic drink had a small change in the number of Lachnospiraceae bacteria affecting weight management. However, this change was not statistically significant.
But the other two groups did show significant changes. The third group, where prebiotic foods were consumed, showed an increase in bacteria beneficial to overall gut health.
The biggest change occurred in the "kefir" group: the number of Lactobacillales bacteria increased. Some of these bacteria are good for overall gut health and can help with diarrhea and lactose intolerance.
- So," Michael Moseley continues, "we decided to investigate fermented foods and beverages further and find out what you should look for to get the most out of the bacteria.
Along with Dr. Cotter and scientists from the University of Roehampton, we selected a number of homemade and store-bought fermented foods and beverages and sent them to the lab for testing.
There was one major difference between them right away: the homemade, traditionally prepared foods contained a lot of bacteria, while some commercial products had bacteria you could count on your fingers.
Dr. Kotter attributes this to the fact that typically store-bought foods are pasteurized after cooking for safety and to extend their shelf life, and this can kill bacteria.
So if you want to improve your gut health with fermented foods, it's better to choose those that are made using traditional methods, or cook them yourself. This way, you will provide your intestines with beneficial bacteria.
You must be logged in to post a comment.