Boosting The Beneficial Bacteria

What you eat has a huge impact on your gut health. Some foods are very good for your gut bacteria, while others have the opposite effect. So, which foods are the ones that boost the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut?

Boost Beneficial Bacteria with Plants

One food-advise that most gut microbiome science can agree on is; eating more plant-based products is good for you, the planet, and your gut health!

Plant-based foods contain many nutrients that we already know such as vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. However, they are also rich in a whole universe of active chemicals that not only feed the good bacteria but also provide countless benefits to your overall health: polyphenols!

Scientists suggest that eating a diet rich in plant polyphenols, over a long period, offers protection against the development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, and neurodegenerative diseases [1, 2]. People that maintain a plant-based diet tend to have a much lower risk of developing serious health conditions. 

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What Exactly are Polyphenols and Why are they Good for Your Gut?

First of all, polyphenols are a huge, diverse family of natural antioxidants in our diets. They are widely present in vegetables, fruits, cereals, but also tea, coffee and wine.

A large portion of the polyphenols we consume isn’t absorbed in the upper intestines. Instead, they travel down to the colon where most of them are metabolized by our gut microbiome. Our trillions of tiny tenants turn them into bioactive metabolites that are known to have beneficial effects on our intestinal health and overall wellbeing: 

1. Strengthening the connection between the cells of our gut prevents bacteria or toxins from entering our bodies.
2. Increasing the production of mucus serves to defend against invading microbes.
3. Stimulating the “good guys of our gut” to produce antimicrobial chemicals as yet another layer of defense.
4. Reducing the aggressiveness of our own immune system to improve intestinal inflammation.
5. Positively modulating the gut microbiome by inhibiting “bad players” while increasing probiotic organisms in our gut.

The Richest Polyphenol Sources for Boosting Bacteria 

Polyphenol concentrations can vary depending on the food source and the chemical reaction to the cooking method, but we have created a minimal reference guideline for the most polyphenol-rich foods to boost your gut bacteria.

1. Olive Oil

Consuming olive oil, and especially virgin olive oil, regularly is associated with many health benefits such as slowing the development of atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, obesity, cancer or neurodegenerative diseases.

In part, this is due to its outstanding fatty acid profile, but virgin olive oil is also an excellent source of polyphenols with concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 mg/kg. 

Therefore, we recommend the daily consumption of about 40g, which is equivalent to about 3 tablespoons.

2. Polyphenol Boosters

In addition to olive oil, we have identified more foods that are super rich in polyphenols. We call these: polyphenol boosters!

Herbs and spices, cocoa products, berries, flaxseed meal, chestnut and hazelnut seeds, pecan nuts and olives are extremely rich in polyphenols. Coffee, black and green tea but also red wine contain lesser amounts.

We advise consuming at least 2 or 3 servings/day of the richest sources to promote the growth of beneficial microbes.

3. Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are defined as foods made by bacteria and is a very old method and common way of preserving food in many cultures around the globe. They have become increasingly popular, due to their potential health benefits particularly mediated by the gut microbiome.

Fermented foods contain beneficial bacteria that keeps disease causing bacteria from growing. Fermenting food is said to increase the concentration of vitamins and bioactive compounds, boosting its nutritional value.

They also have the potential to increase the diversity of the ecosystem within us and decrease inflammation. A diverse microbiome is more resilient to changes and able to function better.

We recommend at least 1 to 2 servings/day.

Conclusion

Polyphenols are a large group of antioxidants found in vegetables, fruits, spices and plant extracts. They have anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic benefits that contribute to reducing the risk of developing severe diseases. They influence the gut microbiome in a number of ways that support beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods can be part of a balanced and healthy diet because they contain beneficial bacteria that are known to have a variety of health benefits, particularly for the gut.

If you want to dive deeper into the gut microbiome, then listen to our podcast "Mikrobiomet" (The Microbiome), where we explore everything science knows about gut health and the microbiome together with a broad range of microbiome experts. 

You can also read more about different food’s impact on the gut microbiome in our other articles. 

Listen to our podcast      Read our microbiome articles

By Cecilia Clausen (Clinical Dietitian)