Importance Of Gut Microbiota In Nutrition And Human Health
What is Gut and Gut Micriobiota ?
Gut refers to the gastrointestinal or in simpler terms, the digestive system which starts from the mouth and ends at the rectum. It contains a number of microorganisms which are not visible to naked eye. Gut microbiota refers to all the microorganisms living in the same environment, while microbiome refers to all genes of these microbes. So, the gut microbiota refers to the large community of microbes that reside in the gut.
What is the function of Gut Microbiota ?
The gut microbiota plays an important role in digestion, absorption and metabolism of food. On the other hand, the gut bacteria are thought to play an important role in obesity, immune function and minimally responsible in influencing mood. In fact, our gut bacteria is said to have an impact on most of our physiological functions, directly or indirectly. While the research around the gut microbiota is still ongoing, it is clear that it is a key factor in several aspects of the body’s optimal functioning.
What are the common gut related disorders and why does it occur ?
In certain situations, such as a disease, the microbes that reside in your gut can be disrupted. This will be different from the microbe community that was present when your body was healthy. This is termed as dysbiosis. Dysbiosis can be caused by change in eating habits, bowel movements and even medications taken when one is ill. However, it is to note that whether these changes in the microbiota are helpful or not is still under research. Some of the most common gut related disorders you would have come across are constipation, indigestion and diarrhea. In addition, conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, lactose intolerance and colitis are also gut related.
What can i do to maintain a healthy gut ?
The following tips can be incorporated into your daily life to ensure the gut microbes are functioning well in order to support your body to function optimally;
Diverse diet:
A large and diverse community of microbes resides in our gut. So, to support these microbes, our diet needs to be equally varied. Our food serves as substrates for these microbes to thrive. It is clear that the diversity of our diet determines the diversity and richness of the gut microbiota. The increasing number of fad diets is also an issue of concern as it encourages elimination of food groups, which in turn affect the diversity of the gut microbiota.
Fiber intake and polyphenols also play key role in shaping the microbiome. Low intake of fiber paired with high fat and sugar intake may reduce certain microbe groups in the gut. Polyphenols are found in foods like tea, chocolate, spice, seasonings, herbs and even fruits and vegetables. Interactions between polyphenols and the gut microbes can also impact health.
What can you do ?
Ensure your diet is diverse by varying the foods you eat on a daily basis. Consume fiber rich food such as whole grains, lentils/legumes, fruits and vegetables. Aim for at least 25-30g of fiber a day. It is important to note that fruits and vegetable are rich in polyphenols thus are able to provide much additional benefits.
Fermented Foods
Fermentation is a natural process by which bacteria break down substances into simpler forms. Examples of fermented food are kimchi, yoghurt and kefir among several others. These are commonly termed as ‘probiotics’ since they contain live cultures of microorganisms. While the research on probiotics is still ongoing, they do seem to show promising effects on enriching the existing gut flora.
Stress
This is something that affects each one of us on a day-to-day basis. While everyone knows that extreme stress is unhealthy, we never expect stress to also affect the diversity of microbes in our gut. Hence, get enough sleep and limit your involvement in anxiety inducing environment as much as possible to avoid disrupting your gut microbiota and maintain a healthy body.
Conclusion
In conclusion, gut health is a growing area of research. While there are still a number of questions left unanswered, the field seems vast and promising. It is clear that the gut plays an important role in several aspects of human health. Thus, it is necessary for us to understand this and nourish the gut by practicing a healthy lifestyle.
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