“Spice Up” Your Gut Health
By now, you know that you’re only as healthy as your gut. In fact, the majority of your immune system is located in your gastrointestinal tract.
The bacteria that live there support…
- heart health,
- brain health,
- skin health,
- digestion,
- nutrient absorption,
- healthy metabolism, and
- lower inflammation levels.
So, how can you make sure you’re supporting your gut health? Let’s take a look…
There are many answers to this question, but today, I want to focus on one you don’t hear about very often:
Polyphenols.
Polyphenols are chemicals in plant foods, including fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices, and teas.
In a recent study, researchers analyzed the eating habits and stool samples of 96 healthy adults. In particular, they noted how much they ate of certain spices with a higher polyphenol content, such as pepper, onion, garlic, cinnamon, and turmeric.
Study participants were then divided into groups based on their polyphenol exposure.
Ultimately, the researchers found that folks with a diet high in polyphenols had higher levels of a beneficial bacterium called Lactobacillus in their gut.
Equally important, they had lower levels of harmful bacteria that promote inflammation.
While spices can provide probiotic-supporting polyphenols, foods like blueberries, apples, black olives, coffee, and pecans provide far greater amounts simply because they’re consumed in greater quantities.
But regardless of where you obtain your polyphenols, this study highlights their importance in supporting overall gut health.
P.S. This delicious “Purple Power” food is a secret gut HERO.
SOURCE:
Vita, A. A., Roberts, et al., Relationships between Habitual Polyphenol Consumption and Gut Microbiota in the INCLD Health Cohort. Nutrients, 16(6), 773. doi .org /10. 3390 /nu16060773
