2023-04-25 09:10:06
Composed of good bacteria, the intestinal microbiota is a key player in maintaining good health. However, it is necessary to maintain it, in particular through a balanced diet.
Billions of bacteria that line the intestines. The intestinal microbiota is sometimes nicknamed “the second brain” as it is given a determining role for our health. However, it remains relatively unknown.
“Today, we are not able to define a healthy microbiota”, explains on BFMTV Harry Sokiol, gastroenterologist specializing in inflammatory bowel diseases at Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris.
“But overall, if you are in good health, have normal intestinal transit and have a balanced diet, there is a good chance that you will have a healthy microbiota”, he continues.
“Give them what they love”
Conversely, if it is out of order, the microbiota can in particular cause bloating or constipation. So what should you eat, or not, to keep your gut microbiota healthy?
“In the microbiota, we find bacteria that will produce good molecules for our health: they help us with digestion but also with immunity or metabolism,” explains Harry Sokiol.
Thus, “to stimulate these good bacteria you have to give them what they like”, explains the gastroenterologist.
Fiber and fermented foods
Foods rich in probiotics and fermented foods are particularly popular. We can for example mention cheese, yogurts or sauerkraut. Then, it is also important to consume vegetables and fruits.
“Our human enzymes are not capable of digesting vegetable fibres, it is the bacteria in our colon that will digest them for us and produce a series of extremely beneficial molecules”, specifies Harry Sokiol.
If some people can have a stomach ache following eating an apple, this is proof that the microbiota is working.
Harmful products
Other foods are, conversely, harmful to our microbiota. First and foremost are antibiotics. “Obviously it is essential and probably these are the drugs that save the most lives on the surface of the globe, but it should not be abused because it kills the good bacteria”, underlines Harry Sokiol.
“Antibiotics are not automatic,” he recalls.
In addition, ultra-processed foods “with all the additives, colorings, emulsifiers, preservatives or sweeteners like in sodas” are bad for our microbiota, as are “excess deli meats and red meat which will promote pro-inflammatory bacteria”.
The effects of understudied probiotics
According to the specialist, everything that has an effect on us will have an effect on our microbiota. “It is sometimes said that our microbiota is a kind of driving belt between our environment in the broad sense and our health”, explains Harry Sokiol.
What we eat, the air we breathe, pollution, sport… Without us yet understanding how, all of this can have effects, positive or negative, on our microbiota.
With regard to probiotics, these food supplements or drugs aimed at stimulating these good intestinal bacteria, “some have demonstrated an effect on health but are exceptions”, explains the gastroenterologist, adding that the vast majority of products come ” require more research”.
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