A handful of peanuts and just a few herbs and spices may give your gut a healthy boost, according to two separate studies from Pennsylvania State University in the United States.
The human stomach and intestines are home to trillions of individual microorganisms, consisting of hundreds to thousands of species of bacteria, viruses and fungi. These are collectively known as the gut microbiome, and their importance is so important to our health that scientists consider it an accessory organ.
Diet, exercise, and medications are just a few of the factors that can affect a person’s gut composition.
When the gut microbiome is not nourished and properly nurtured, harmful microbes can thrive, but commensal microbes pose more of a problem in tasks such as processing the immune system and breaking down food. is holding
Scientists are trying to figure out what traits characterize the healthiest gut communities, but as research progresses, they’re starting to get a better idea.
Nutritional scientist Penny M. Chris Etherton says, “Studies show that people with more different microbes are healthier and eat better than those with less bacterial diversity.
While we typically think of our diets in terms of basics such as vegetables and meats, a fair amount of variation in cultural and personal preferences comes down to how we add excitement to our diets.
Kris-Etherton and her Penn State University colleagues were among the first researchers to study the effects of herbs and spices on the composition of the human gut.
In their study, 54 adult participants at risk for cardiovascular disease participated in a 4-week randomized controlled feeding experiment.
During the trial, everyone adhered to the same general menu designed to reflect the average American diet. and other participants were asked to add 3.3 grams or 6.6 grams.
The spice blend included cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, basil, and thyme.
Fecal samples taken before and after the experiment reveal that diets containing more spices tend to show more bacterial diversity.
“It’s very easy for people to do,” says Kris-Etherton.
“The average American’s diet is far from ideal, so I think everyone can benefit from adding herbs and spices. This is also a way to reduce sodium in the diet.” , it’s also a way to season food in a way that makes it delicious and actually delicious!”
The new findings support recent research suggesting that herbs and spices are natural prebiotics that nourish healthy bacteria in the human gut.
In 2019, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot study found that 5-gram capsules of a spice blend containing cinnamon, oregano, ginger, black pepper, and cayenne pepper caused changes in the gut microbiome. I understand. within a few weeks.
However, in a more recent study, the spice blend was slightly different and incorporated directly into the participants’ daily diets.
Those who ate diets containing medium and high amounts of spices, equivalent to about 3/4 teaspoons and about 1 1/2 teaspoons per day, showed an abundance of gut bacteria called Ruminococcaceae. This group of microbes is generally abundant in healthy adults, but their exact role in the gut is unknown.
Participants in this study who ate the spice also showed lower numbers of pro-inflammatory molecules in their gut, indicating a possible anti-inflammatory effect.
More research is needed to figure out exactly which spices influence gut bacteria and why, but they’re not the only dietary supplements that appear to increase specific gut bacteria. .
A recent randomized controlled trial from Pennsylvania State University was the first to examine the effects of peanuts on the microbiome.
The study was conducted over a period of 6 weeks and included 50 adults, all eating the same daily diet. At the end of each day, after dinner and before bed, the participant ate 28 grams of dry-roasted unsalted peanuts or a small amount of cheese and crackers.
In the nut-snacking group, Ruminococcaceae bacteria were significantly more abundant in the gut of the participants at the end of the study, similar to the spices in previous studies.
There’s still a lot that scientists don’t understand about the gut microbiome, but for now, adding just a little bit of spice to your diet won’t hurt. – And it may help. Nothing adds flavor.
Spice research published journal of nutritionand the peanut study was published in clinical nutrition.
