Out gut health is more than just our digestive system, it affects other aspect of our health. Ever heard of the gut-brain connection? This is true. With an imbalance in gut bacteria, your mood can worsen. There is a gut-brain axis that links the two, further contributing gut issues to mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Thus it becomes important to take care of your gut health by optimizing your gut microbiome.

What is gut microbiome?

Your gut microbiome is a microscopic world within your body. There are trillions of microorganisms that lives in the environment, some of which also live in your digestive system, which is known as gut microbiome.

It is an ecosystem characterized by its environment and inhabitants. It includes microorganisms like bacteria, as well as viruses, fungi and parasites. Babies for the first time inherit their first gut microbes during vaginal delivery or breastfeeding, which is why it is also important for mothers to take care of their biomes.

Why Is It Important?

Like discussed, your gut influences many aspects of your health, include the health of your child if you are a new mother. This means we must take care of the food we eat to ensure a symbiotic relationship between gut health and rest of the mental, emotional and physical health.

Gut microbiome can help with digestions, absorb important nutrients, can train your immune system to tell apart from the unhelpful and pathogenic contents, affects your nervous system, secrete hormones through the interaction with endocrine cells, and can in fact cure Hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

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So, how can one optimize gut health?

Exercise: As per the 2023 study titled Optimizing the Gut Microbiota for Individualized Performance Development in Elite Athletes, exercise is one of the ways one can optimize gut microbiome.

There have been many studies which have proven exercise to be one of the first ways to affect the shape of your gut microbiome. Other studies too have shown that exercise, especially for those leaving a healthy, yet sedentary lifestyle has proven to be beneficial.

The study noted that people who had a sedentary lifestyle versus athletes, the microbiome differed. In athletes guts, there was an abundance of bacteria, beneficial for a healthy gut microbiome, like Bacteriodetes, Prevotella, Methanobrevibacter, Akkermansia, and Akkermansia muciniphila. It also noted that such guts also had the maximal oxygen intake.

Probiotics and Prebiotics: Another 2018 study titled Microbiome restoration diet improves digestion, cognition and physical and emotional wellbeing notes the use of probiotics and prebiotics to manipulate gut bacteria. The study saw a difference in people with IBS who consumed pro and prebiotics. It noted a reduction in IBS type symptoms and also in negative symptoms related to cognition, memory and emotional wellbeing.

What are prebiotic?

These are non-digestible fibres that feed the beneficial bacteria in our guts. Foods such as onions, garlic and asparagus can help improve gastrointestinal health by fostering a favourable environment for prebiotics.

One this that forms the major difference between this and probiotics is that prebiotics do not contain any live organisms and it promotes the growth of existing probiotics in the gut.

What are probiotic?

These are live beneficial bacteria that can improve gut health. Foods like yogurt, kimchi, or sauerkraut can help balance the gut microbiota and support immune function. It can also add new probiotic strains to the gut microbiome.

Change Your Diet: The 2018 study also noted that exclusion of certain food items could also help maintain a healthy gut microbiome. These include:

• Refined sugars
• Grains and pulses
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Dairy

Other ways to improve your gut health:

• Lower your stress levels: Exercise also helps in lowering one's stress levels. Other activities include meditation, getting a massage, practising yoga, spending time with a pet, etc.
• Get Enough Sleep
• Eat Slowly
• Stay Hydrated: A 2021 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, noted that drinking water helps in shaping a healthy human gut microbiome.

Intermittent fasting is known for its role in weight loss, however, research has shown that its benefits could go beyond the scale. Even if your goal is not weight loss, you could still benefit from intermittent fasting, as it helps improving your gut and metabolic health. However, many people find it difficult to follow, especially the 5:2 version of the diet, which involves severely limiting calories for two days a week.

New findings suggest a simpler alternative: you may not need to drastically cut calories at all. Reducing carbohydrate intake twice a week could be just as effective in improving metabolic health.

How Fasting Impacts Metabolism

Fasting changes the way our bodies use energy. After eating, the body enters the “postprandial” state, where it burns carbohydrates for energy and stores any excess. Several hours later, when in the “fasted” state, the body begins to burn fat instead. Alternating between these states helps the body become more flexible in how it uses fuel — a process known as improved metabolic flexibility.

This flexibility is closely linked to better heart and metabolic health, including a reduced risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Fasting vs. Calorie Restriction

In a previous study, researchers tested how the body reacts after a day of fasting or severe calorie restriction. The next day, participants consumed a high-fat breakfast. Those who had fasted or eaten very few calories the day before burned fat more efficiently. Their bodies had shifted from relying on carbs to using fat as a primary energy source — a change that lasted beyond the fasting period.

In another comparison, one group followed an intermittent fasting plan while another followed a calorie-restricted diet until both lost 5% of their body weight. Despite the same amount of weight loss, the fasting group showed better improvements in how their body processed food.

The Role of Carbohydrate Restriction

Researchers then looked into whether it was the calorie cut or the drop in carbohydrates that made the difference. In a recent study, 12 overweight and obese participants followed two separate diet days: one with severe calorie restriction, and another with a very low-carb intake. After each, they ate a high-fat, high-sugar meal.

The result? Both approaches led to similar improvements in fat burning. This suggests that limiting carbs may be just as effective as fasting when it comes to supporting metabolic health.

These findings may offer a more flexible approach to metabolic health. Severe calorie restriction can be difficult to sustain and may even lead to nutrient deficiencies or disordered eating. Likewise, long-term carb restriction can be hard to follow and might create an unhealthy relationship with food.

Researchers are now exploring a low-carb version of the 5:2 diet, where carbohydrate intake is reduced just two days a week. If successful, this method could provide the health benefits of intermittent fasting without the need for extreme calorie cuts.

Eggs have been a dietary staple for centuries, celebrated for their versatility and nutritional profile. They’re a breakfast favourite and a key ingredient in countless baked goods, playing a crucial role in binding ingredients and providing structure. However, despite their popularity, eggs have also been at the center of numerous health debates, from cholesterol concerns to misconceptions about storage and preparation.

One common myth is that egg yolks are detrimental to heart health due to their high cholesterol content. According to Healthline, a large egg contains around 212 milligrams of cholesterol. Yet, research suggests that dietary cholesterol has less impact on blood cholesterol levels than previously believed. Harvard Health Publishing highlights that the liver produces the majority of bodily cholesterol based on saturated and trans fat intake rather than dietary cholesterol. Tony Castillo, an elite sports dietitian, affirms that eggs can be safely included in a heart-healthy diet for most individuals, referencing a Harvard study that found no link between egg consumption and heart disease risk.

Another prevalent misconception is that brown eggs are more nutritious than white eggs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), egg color is determined solely by the breed of the hen. Nutritionally, white and brown eggs are nearly identical unless specified as nutritionally enhanced through fortified feed. Castillo further explains that the hen’s earlobe colour can indicate the egg color — white earlobes typically produce white eggs, while red or brown earlobes produce brown eggs.

Cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised labels can also be misleading. While cage-free hens are not confined to small cages, they are usually kept indoors, with varying space and enrichment conditions. Free-range and organic labels, regulated by the USDA, require outdoor access for hens. However, pasture-raised eggs offer the most outdoor space, though these standards are not strictly regulated, urging consumers to research farm practices.

The myth that raw eggs are superior for protein intake gained traction in the 1970s and 1980s, thanks to movies like "Rocky." However, cooking eggs actually enhances protein absorption. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that protein levels were consistent regardless of whether eggs were consumed raw or cooked. Additionally, raw eggs pose a higher risk of salmonella infection.

Despite being considered a good source of iron, eggs are not particularly effective in boosting iron levels. Only 3.7% of the iron in eggs is absorbed by the body, and compounds in egg yolks can inhibit iron absorption. Experts recommend consuming eggs with vitamin C-rich foods to enhance iron bioavailability.

Many people also believe that floating eggs are unsafe to eat. While the float test can indicate an egg’s age, it is not a reliable indicator of bacterial contamination. Dr. Don Schaffner, a food safety expert, advises checking for spoilage through appearance and smell rather than relying solely on the float test.

Finally, misconceptions about egg storage and pregnancy persist. While store-bought eggs in the U.S. require refrigeration due to washing that removes the protective cuticle, unwashed eggs from local farms may be safely kept at room temperature for up to two weeks. Pregnant individuals can safely consume thoroughly cooked or pasteurized eggs, which are rich in essential nutrients like choline and vitamin B12, crucial for fetal brain development.

Chicken has long been hailed as a healthier alternative to red meat, often featured prominently in diet plans including the Mediterranean diet. However, a new study from southern Italy is challenging this perception, suggesting that higher poultry consumption may be associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and gastrointestinal cancers.

What the Study Found

Researchers examined data from 4,869 middle-aged individuals in Castellana Grotte and Putignano in Apulia, Italy. The participants self-reported their meat consumption habits, focusing on both red and white meats. Surprisingly, the study found that consuming more than 300 grams (about 10.5 ounces) of poultry per week was linked to a 27% higher risk of death from any cause compared to those who consumed 100 grams (3.5 ounces) or less weekly.

The study also reported a 2.3% increase in the risk of gastrointestinal cancers among those consuming higher levels of poultry. For men specifically, this risk rose to 2.6%. These findings are notable because poultry has typically not been associated with increased cancer risk, unlike red or processed meats, which have been well-documented in studies including those by the World Cancer Research Fund.

Study Limitations and Unanswered Questions

Despite its significant sample size, the study has some limitations. It did not account for factors such as physical activity, lifestyle habits, or cooking methods—each of which can influence health outcomes. It also did not distinguish between different types or sources of poultry, such as free-range vs. industrially farmed birds, or fresh vs. processed poultry products.

Cooking methods may also play a role. High-temperature techniques like grilling or frying can produce harmful compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), both of which are linked to cancer. Additionally, processed poultry items—like deli meats and sausages—often contain curing agents and preservatives that have been associated with health risks.

A Shift in the Poultry Narrative

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020–2025) recommend up to 26 ounces of protein foods per week, including poultry, without imposing strict limits on specific types. Until now, poultry has been favored over red meat due to its lower saturated fat content and reduced production of TMAO—a compound linked to heart disease and cancer.

This new study suggests that the quantity and quality of poultry consumed, as well as preparation methods, may be more important than previously recognized. Industrial farming practices, the use of antibiotics and hormones, and environmental factors like pesticide exposure could all contribute to potential health risks.

What Should You Do?

While the findings are concerning, they don’t necessarily call for eliminating poultry from your diet. Instead, moderation and mindfulness in preparation and portion size are key. Experts generally recommend limiting poultry intake to around 200 grams (7 ounces) per week and choosing healthier cooking methods like baking or steaming.

Additionally, balancing poultry with fiber-rich vegetables and whole grains may help reduce health risks. This study highlights the importance of viewing dietary choices as part of a broader pattern rather than focusing on individual foods in isolation.