Foods that improve intestinal and digestive health in four weeks

Diet plays a major role in the types of bacteria that live in the intestineslinked to numerous health measures, including glycemic control, which is important for regulating blood sugar levels, immune response, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Studies show that intestinal bacteria feed on foods rich in fiber. And also that the herbs and spices high in polyphenols (with antioxidant properties) can affect the composition of gut microbiome.

At the same time, a systematic review of nut consumption found that almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios increased the diversity of gut bacteria. However, to date no study had evaluated the effects of peanuts on the microbiome.

Recently, two studies have been conducted to investigate such as the consumption of peanuts, herbs and spices affects intestinal health and were published in Trusted Source of the Journal of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition.

In this way, they discovered the three ingredients they increased the diversity of intestinal bacteria after about four weeks of consumption.

spoonful of herbs and spices

The analysts recruited 54 adults with an average age of 45. All participants had obesity or overweight and had at least one other cardiovascular risk factor, such as high glucose or triglyceride levels.

Forty-eight received the same diet for four weeks along with one of three doses of spices and herbs: 0.5 g per day, 3.3 g per day or 6.6 grams per day.

Participants ate all three amounts of herbs and spices for four weeks with a two-week “washout” period in between. included cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, basil and thyme.

They provided stool samples at the start of the study and at the end of each diet period.

Therefore, they concluded that they found they consumed 3.3 grams or 6.6 grams of herbs or spices per day increased levels of bacteria Ruminococcaceae.

How many grams of peanuts to consume

At the time of studying peanuts, they took 50 adults with elevated fasting glucose levels and were overweight or obese.

Participants were asked to consume 28 grams of peanuts or crackers and cheese every day as an evening snack.

Over six weeks, with a four-week period in between, people tried both diets.

In this case, even after collecting fecal material, they found it those who ate peanuts had higher levels of the bacteria Ruminococcaceae in their fecal samples compared to those who ate crackers and cheese.

They also noticed that even those who ate peanuts higher levels of the Roseburia bacterium compared to the beginning of the study. It is a bacterium linked to weight loss and impaired glucose intolerance.

Diet and changing the gut microbiome

“Ruminococcaceae increase the bacteria that produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid which, when produced in larger quantities, can help control appetite, balance energy and improve blood sugarsaid Lona Sandon, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Nutrition in the College of Health Professions at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

And he also established: “In addition to being a source of protein and healthy fats, peanuts are also a source of fiber. The bacteria in the gut feed on fiber. With more fiber in the diet, more bacteria and a greater variety of bacteria can thrive in the gut.”

The doctor recalled, however, that “the chemicals present in herbs and spices, as well as the dark cocoa, wine, grapes, berries and cherriesprovide a food source or help create an environment in the gut that supports the growth of a greater variety of bacteria.

“This is known polyphenols in peanuts, herbs and spices promote health in various ways, such as reduce the risk of cancer or inflammation. It may be that the way they work to promote health is through changes in the gut microbiome,” Sandon added.

Thus, the research concluded that adding small amounts of peanuts, herbs or spices to the diet could increase the abundance of certain gut bacteria.