Improve health of your gut by knowing prebiotics from probiotics

Gut health is the hot health topic right now – and with good reason. There are numerous benefits to improving your gut health, from more energy and reduced bloating to disease prevention.

We created The Gut Stuff (thegutstuff.com) after being the first to take part in a ground-breaking piece of research looking at whether gut health is ­determined by genetics or environmental factors.

We’re identical twins, and learnt that despite having 100% the same DNA, we only had around 30 to 40% the same gut bacteria, which could explain why our bodies had behaved so differently our whole lives.

This means there are steps everyone can take to improve the diversity of gut bacteria which can improve body metabolism, boost mental health, help weight loss and promote overall health and wellbeing.

And the best thing is, you can start today with these simple tips.

Start a diary

Monitor what you eat, how you feel both mentally and physically, your bowel movements and any exercise you do.

This will help you tune into your body and spot patterns. Experiment by taking different foods out of your diet and putting them back in.

You may also see some patterns between stress and digestion. If you do suffer from gut problems, you can
take your diary to your GP or health professional.

• TOP TIP: To be able to spot patterns clearly, try to keep your diary for at least 12 weeks.

Get more fibre

Fibre is the unsung hero of nutrition and 90% of us aren’t getting enough. We’re supposed to eat 30g per day (one apple, for example, contains approximately 4g).

There are two types of fibre – insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fibre passes through the gut largely unchanged apart from absorbing water, which increases the bulk of your stool and how quickly you need to go to the toilet.

Soluble fibre is what the beneficial bacteria in your gut live on by fermenting it. This also increases the bulk and ­softness of your stool.

When bacteria ferments fibre, it produces short-chain fatty acids, which are a source of energy. They also slow down the breakdown of sugars found in carbohydrates, which help stabilise your energy levels.

Both types are important for preventing constipation. Eating a variety of fruit and veg is key as they have different benefits.

A diet high in fibre can also reduce the risk of developing high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and bowel cancer.

• TOP TIP: Increase fibre slowly to reduce the risk of temporary digestive symptoms. Swap refined white products for wholegrain and include plenty of veg and fruit – in that order – in your diet, eating the skins where you can

Avoid ultra-processed foods

Some ultra-processed foods contain substances such as artificial emulsifiers, flavourings, colourings and preservatives which can wreak havoc on your ­beneficial gut microbes.

• TIP: Swap artificially flavoured drinks for sparkling water infused with fruit or herbs.

Eat a varied diet

You have trillions of bacteria in your gut and they all thrive on different foods, so variety is key to making them all happy.

The recommendation is to eat 30 different types of plant-based fruit and veg a week, including nuts and seeds. This may sound like a lot, but try adding nut and seed mixes to your smoothies or cereal, and use a variety of veggies to make simple stir-fries.

• TOP TIP: Cook with olive oil. It’s high in polyphenols, which gut bacteria love.

Chew your food

The action of chewing physically breaks down food into small pieces, and the enzymes in saliva help break it down further. Smaller pieces means there is less work for the rest of your digestive system to do, reducing the chance of excessive gas, bloating and pain.

• TOP TIP: Chew each mouthful 20 to 30 times before swallowing, and make sure you are sitting down when you eat.

Get moving

A study investigated the effect of a six-week exercise regime on the composition of different microbes in the gut. After exercise, previously sedentary ­individuals had increased levels of beneficial gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acids, which you need for good gut health.

However, these levels returned to baseline when exercise was subsequently stopped.

• TOP TIP: Exercising outside will expose you to an even greater number of bacteria that are only found in nature.

Keep calm

Stress, anxiety and depression can have a direct effect on the microbiome and how well your gut works. Learn all you need to know about SIFO. Research has shown that people suffering from anxiety or depression have a less diverse range of gut bacteria than those without.

Prolonged periods of stress may increase inflammation. Over time this can damage cells in the intestinal wall, resulting in the gut membrane becoming more permeable and allowing substances to pass through that shouldn’t.

This can increase susceptibility to diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and depression, but we still need more research to fully understand why.

• TOP TIP: Take three deep breaths before you eat in order to switch your body into “rest and digest” mode

Prebiotics vs probiotics

They sound similar but do very different things. A probiotic is a living micro organism that is beneficial to health.

They can be found in food or supplements, but different strains have different effects and some might have no effect. Probiotics do their job in the gastrointestinal tract, where they may influence the bacteria already there.

Think of a probiotic ­supplement as an extra pair of hands when things get a bit tough, for example, after a course of antibiotics or illness.

Because of the individual nature of the gut, it may be a process of trial and error trying different products and strains.

Foods that contain probiotics include live yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, miso and kombucha.

Prebiotics, on the other hand, are a specific type of fibre and are food for good bacteria.

• TOP TIP: Great sources of prebiotic food include: onions, garlic, leeks, chicory, bananas (the unripened green ones that nobody wants), asparagus, artichokes, olives, plums, apples, bran and almonds

Polyphenols explained

A polyphenol is a natural chemical found in some plant-based foods that is packed with antioxidant and disease-fighting properties.

If something has antioxidant properties, it has the power to combat the negative effects of free radicals, which can cause stress-related cell damage to the body, including ageing.

Imagine them as superheroes, sweeping up the free radicals that your body naturally produces, as well as those you are exposed to as part of everyday life.

Your microbes need polyphenols to thrive and make them more effective.

Only five to 10% of polyphenols are absorbed in the small intestine, meaning the rest travel on down to the large intestine, where your gut microbes break them down into more useful components that are ­beneficial to our health.

Polyphenols are also a prebiotic. They support your beneficial microbes and keep the less helpful ones under control. Polyphenols also help microbes produce short-chain fatty acids, which act as fuel for our gut cells and support our immune function.

Polyphenols can be found in brightly coloured vegetables and fruit, dark chocolate, red wine and green tea.

• TOP TIP: Swap milk chocolate for good quality dark chocolate to enjoy the gut-loving properties it contains.