Plant Diversity, Fibre and Fermented Foods: Supporting Gut Health

Part 1 of a two-part series on supporting your gut health.

By Sandra A Farrell

Gut health has become one of the most talked about topics in nutrition – and for good reason. Our gut microbiome contains thousands of different species of bacteria that live in our colon. Each person has a unique gut ‘community’ which differs in both the types and numbers of bacteria present. This raises an important question: how does our diet influence the gut microbiome?

The importance of fibre

What we eat, especially the amount and variety of fibre in our diet, plays an integral role in the health and diversity of our gut microbiome.

The UK recommended daily intake of fibre for adults is 30g. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey suggests, that present-day intakes are lower than this with an average of 18-21 g per day.

High fibre diets can enhance digestion and lower the risks of gastrointestinal issues like constipation. Fibre intake also helps us to feel full after a meal, reduces the risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improves the diversity of our gut microbiome. In contrast, a low intake of fibre is a risk factor for chronic inflammation.

Types of fibre

Fibre comes in two varieties, both beneficial to health.

• Soluble fibre: dissolves in water and forms a type of gel in our stomachs and can help lower glucose levels. Foods with soluble fibre include oatmeal, chia seeds, nuts and lentils.

• Insoluble fibre: does not dissolve in water, can help food move through your digestive system preventing constipation. Foods with insoluble fibres include kale, quinoa, brown rice and fruits with edible skins like pears and apples.

• To meet your daily fibre needs, aim to include a variety of high fibre plant foods in your diet such as fruits, vegetables, wholegrain carbohydrates, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds.

• Adding fibre in your diet too quickly can cause digestive side effects like bloating and flatulence. If you need to boost your fibre intake, increase it slowly, over time. Be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.

Plant diversity

• A large study by the American/British Gut Project Team showed that the diversity of plant fibre you eat, is important as well as fibre intake.

• Including 30 different plants in your diet each week is considered to be ideal for gut health. This is because eating a diverse selection of plants provide your microbiome with a variety of different substances to feed on.

• Thirty plants a week might sound daunting, but is not limited to just fruits and vegetables. Also included are seeds, nuts spices, herbs, rice and oats.

• It’s surprising how quickly plant servings add up. For example, a vegetable curry with spices, tomatoes, pumpkin and brown rice on the side, topped with parsley, provides eight to ten ‘plant points’.

Keeping track of your plant food variety

Track plant diversity per week by the following:

• Keep a weekly fridge tally chart of your plant points.

• Keep a weekly plant diversity sheet.

• Take photographs of your meals as they act as visual logs.

• Colour tracking of foods by eating a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables.

Fermented foods

• Research suggests that a diet rich in fermented foods is linked to greater gut microbial diversity and reductions in several markers of inflammation.

• Low microbiome diversity has been linked to obesity and diabetes.

• The researchers found that eating foods such as yoghurt, kefir, fermented cottage cheese, kimchi, vegetable brine drinks, fermented vegetables and kombucha tea, lead to an increase in overall microbial diversity with stronger effects from larger servings.

Summary

• Eat a varied range of plant foods.

• Include different coloured foods that depict the colours of the rainbow.

• Choose fibre rich foods from a variety of sources such as oats, wholegrains, seeds, nuts, beans and pulses.

• Aim for a diverse intake of 30 different plants per week (includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, wholegrains, herbs and spices, tea and olive oil).

• Consider adding fermented foods to your diet.

• Stay well hydrated.

Upcoming:  In Part 2 of this series, I will explore plant diversity, fibre and fermented foods and share a selection of recipes.

About the Author

Sandra A Farrell is registered Nutritionist, Health Coach and Nutrition and Health writer with a MSc in Global Public Health Nutrition and BA (Hons) in Food, Nutrition and Professional Cookery and certified in Health Coaching. She specialises in healthy eating and therapeutic diets. She is passionate about translating complex nutrition research into practical advice for everyday life.

Disclaimer

The contents of this article, regardless of date, is not intended to replace personalised medical advice from your doctor or healthcare professional.