SCIENCE UPDATE SMART FOOD SWAPS SMALL ......are proven to be a rich source of the soluble fibre...
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OCTOBER 2018 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 17 NEWS hfg 16 healthyfoodguide.com.au Ever heard of a ‘Big MAC’ diet? And, no, we’re not talking fast food. Find out about the very latest in gut health. Photo: iStock. S cientists are now realising that what you eat has a huge impact on keeping your gut — and therefore you — in good shape. In fact, your gut bacteria play a crucial role in your health. Feed these microbes well and your digestive system will work at its peak capability. And with more than 100 trillion bacterial cells in your gut, that means there are a lot of hungry mouths to feed in there! THE POWER OF PLANTS Prebiotics are the foods our gut bacteria thrive on, and plant foods are the main source of prebiotics. Think of prebiotics as a ‘gut fertiliser’ to promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Prebiotics now come under the new broad umbrella term of ‘microbiota-accessible carbohydrates’ (MACs). You’ll find MACs in the fibre of plant foods, but also in fungi, animal tissues and even other microbes: they all make good eating for our gut bacteria. We’re realising that there are a range of benefits to having plenty of prebiotics in our diets. A diet rich in prebiotics fosters a strong gut barrier to stop ‘invaders’ from outside your body moving into your gut. It also supports your immune system, and even promotes regularity of bowel movements. Prebiotics also help reduce the number of potentially damaging bacteria in your gut by making it a less hospitable place for these harmful bacteria. Dr Tim Crowe is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and nutrition research scientist. Connect with him at thinkingnutrition.com.au SCIENCE UPDATE LOVE YOUR GUT W I T H D R T I M C R O W E B E H I N D T H E H E A D L I N E S SMART FOOD SWAPS By eating more prebiotic foods (see panel below) you’ll be on your way to a healthy gut. Even better, when you shift to a healthier diet you can create a more favourable bacterial profile in just a few days. A recent study graphically illustrates just how much our diet influences gut bacteria. In the study, African Americans who swapped their meat-heavy, highly processed diets for one typical of African foods — a diet rich in beans and vegetables — recorded positive changes in gut microbes within just two weeks. And, in the reverse swap, rural Africans who switched to a typical American diet developed a microbe profile that pointed to a higher risk of colon cancer. VARIETY IS KEY There’s no single ‘superfood’ in the world of prebiotic foods. Food variety is what matters — which means a diverse mix of different types of prebiotics. Another recent study has dramatically highlighted the benefit of a varied plant diet for your gut. People who ate 30 or more different types of plant foods each week in the survey had much more varied microbiomes — or gut ‘ecosystems’ — compared to people who consumed only 10 or fewer types of plant foods weekly. And they also showed less resistance to antibiotics. 100 trillion reasons to WHAT ARE PREBIOTIC FOODS? The key prebiotic foods to eat more of are: • Aromatic vegetables like onions, garlic, leeks, celery and Jerusalem artichokes. They’re high in a carb called inulin, which bacteria use to promote healthy colon cells. • Whole grains, such as barley, oats and BarleyMAX are proven to be a rich source of the soluble fibre known as beta-glucan. • Foods high in resistant starch, such as cooked and then cooled potatoes, legumes and green bananas, are a great fermentable fuel source for bacteria. SMALL CHANGES, BIG RESULTS When you switch to eating more healthily, the improvements to your gut health will stay in place just as long as you stick to your improved food choices. So, approach prebiotics like a long-term game. Make small changes and healthy food swaps over a period of weeks and even months, so that the changes you make will be sustainable. Something as simple as eating two pieces of fruit each day, and choosing wholegrain foods over more refined grains, is a great place to begin. Then, start looking at eating more of the large variety of prebiotic foods on offer.
Transcript of SCIENCE UPDATE SMART FOOD SWAPS SMALL ......are proven to be a rich source of the soluble fibre...
OCTOBER 2018 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 17
NEWShfg
16 healthyfoodguide.com.au
Ever heard of a ‘Big MAC’ diet? And, no, we’re not talking fast food. Find out about the very latest in gut health.
Pho
to: i
Sto
ck.
Scientists are now realising that what you eat has a huge impact on keeping your gut — and therefore you — in good shape. In fact, your gut
bacteria play a crucial role in your health. Feed these microbes well and your digestive system will work at its peak capability. And with more than 100 trillion bacterial cells in your gut, that means there are a lot of hungry mouths to feed in there!
THE POWER OF PLANTSPrebiotics are the foods our gut bacteria thrive on, and plant foods are the main source of prebiotics. Think of prebiotics as a ‘gut fertiliser’ to promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Prebiotics now come under the new broad umbrella term of ‘microbiota-accessible carbohydrates’ (MACs). You’ll find MACs in the fibre of plant foods, but also in fungi, animal tissues and even other microbes: they all make good eating for our gut bacteria.
We’re realising that there are a range of benefits to having plenty of prebiotics in our diets. A diet rich in prebiotics fosters a strong gut barrier to stop ‘invaders’ from outside your body moving into your gut. It also supports your immune system, and even promotes regularity of bowel movements. Prebiotics also help reduce the number of potentially damaging bacteria in your gut by making it a less hospitable place for these harmful bacteria.
Dr Tim Crowe is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and nutrition research scientist. Connect with him at thinkingnutrition.com.au
SCIENCE UPDATE
LOVE YOUR GUT
WITH D R TI M C R O
WE
BEH
IN
D THE HEADLINES
SMART FOOD SWAPSBy eating more prebiotic foods (see panel below) you’ll be on your way to a healthy gut. Even better, when you shift to a healthier diet you can create a more favourable bacterial profile in just a few days.
A recent study graphically illustrates just how much our diet influences gut bacteria. In the study, African Americans who swapped their meat-heavy, highly processed diets for one typical of African foods — a diet rich in beans and vegetables — recorded positive changes in gut microbes within just two weeks. And, in the reverse swap, rural Africans who switched to a typical American diet developed a microbe profile that pointed to a higher risk of colon cancer.
VARIETY IS KEYThere’s no single ‘superfood’ in the world of prebiotic foods. Food variety is what matters — which means a diverse mix of different types of prebiotics. Another recent study has dramatically highlighted the benefit of a varied plant diet for your gut. People who ate 30 or more different types of plant foods each week in the survey had much more varied microbiomes — or gut ‘ecosystems’ — compared to people who consumed only 10 or fewer types of plant foods weekly. And they also showed less resistance to antibiotics.
100 trillion reasons to
WHAT ARE PREBIOTIC FOODS?
The key prebiotic foods to eat more of are:• Aromatic vegetables like onions, garlic, leeks, celery and Jerusalem artichokes. They’re high in a carb called inulin, which bacteria use to promote healthy colon cells.• Whole grains, such as barley, oats and BarleyMAX are proven to be a rich source of the soluble fibre known as beta-glucan.• Foods high in resistant starch, such as cooked and then cooled potatoes, legumes and green bananas, are a great fermentable fuel source for bacteria.
SMALL CHANGES, BIG RESULTSWhen you switch to eating more healthily, the improvements to your gut health will stay in place just as long as you stick to your improved food choices.
So, approach prebiotics like a long-term game. Make small changes and healthy food swaps over a period of weeks and even months, so that the changes you make will be sustainable.
Something as simple as eating two pieces of fruit each day, and choosing wholegrain foods over more refined grains, is a great place to begin. Then, start looking at eating more of the large variety of prebiotic foods on offer.
