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In early 2000, the microbiome (which are trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that live in your gut helping your digestive and immune systems) was not a household term like it is now and very little importance was put on the gut and its impact on our overall well-being. Now, however, everyone seems to be an expert on gut health, including TikTok creators, who have collected more than 150 million views on the topic.
Vancouver dietitian Desiree Nielsen is thrilled that the gut is finally getting the attention it deserves – after all, more than 20 million of us have digestive issues, according to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation – but she’s dismayed by the amount of misinformation that is regularly posted on Instagram and other social-media sites. “Despite what social media might have you believe, there is no overnight shortcut to better digestive health,” says Nielsen, who recently published Good for your Gut: A Plant-Based Digestive Health Guide and Nourishing Recipes for Living Well.
In an effort to set the record straight on what we should – and should not – put in our tummies, we asked Nielsen to pick four gut health “fixes” online that are, in fact, total bunk.
Myth: Grains are bad for your gut
Germ of Truth: Wheat, the most commonly eaten grain in North America, contains gluten which can harm the gut of someone with celiac disease.
Reality: Wheat is a common allergen. However, if you don’t have a wheat allergy, celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, we have no research to support the idea that grains are harmful to your gut. And in fact, the fibre that whole grains contain (a cup of wheat berries has as much as eight grams of fibre!) and the arabinoxylans they contain help drive the production of beneficial short chain fatty acids by the gut microbiome.
Whole grains in their true form like wheat berry or 100-per-cent whole grain pasta or sprouted grain bread, contain fibre which our body needs because it drives the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, therefore improving gut health and supporting a healthy microbiome.
Takeaway: Don’t be afraid of eating 100-per-cent whole grains (including barley, buckwheat, brown rice, millet, oats etc.) unless you have celiac disease or an allergy.
Myth: Apple cider vinegar is a probiotic. Take a shot a day to help with bloating, weight loss and reflux.
Germ of Truth: Raw apple cider vinegar with the mother (distinguished by its cloudy and murky appearance) is made from fermented apples and does contain some natural probiotic (friendly bacteria).
Reality: Apple cider vinegar does contain living microbes, however not nearly enough (and not the right kind) to call it a probiotic. Raw apple cider vinegar is a fermented food, with yeasts and bacteria that are still active in the product. However, probiotic supplements are very different from fermented foods and there is no scientific research to suggest that apple cider vinegar can act as a probiotic in the human body. The acid contained in apple cider vinegar does help slow stomach emptying and produce a more moderate blood sugar curve … but so does adding fibre, fat or protein to a meal.
Takeaway: Don’t take shots of it (the acidity messes with the enamel on your teeth). Taking something acidic can make your stomach feel more settled. However, the better option is to use it in salad dressings or stir it into a tonic.
Myth: Snacking wrecks your gut
Germ of Truth: There is a strong cleansing wave (MMC, short for migrating motor complex) that activates only after food has been digested and absorbed to help sweep the gut clear. So if you are constantly snacking you may have fewer activations of this wave.
Reality: Your body is designed to digest and absorb food multiple times a day. That’s its job. Snacking does not cause gut issues. However, for someone with pre-existing constipation, sluggish digestion or intense bloating, giving your gut a bit of time in between meals to do its job may help you feel a bit of relief.
Takeaway: If you don’t have issues with your gut, snacking is not going to cause you any problems at all. Eat the way that feels best to you, whether three squares or multiple mini-meals a day.
Myth: Always eat fruit on any empty stomach. Eating fruit with meals slows digestion and causes fruit to sit in your stomach and ferment or rot.
Germ of Truth: There is none. Nothing can ferment in your stomach.
Reality: A smaller amount of food (such as a piece of fruit) will always empty from the stomach faster than a large volume (a meal). But nothing can rot in your stomach. Fermentation takes time and lots of microbes, two things your stomach does not have. When food reaches the stomach, it’s strongly churned up with acids that kill microorganisms. It also empties quickly, starting in roughly 20 minutes and completing in a couple of hours even for a large meal. In fact, slowing the emptying of your stomach by adding protein, fibre and fat to your meals plus snacks is a good thing since it helps you feel full for longer, helping to support better blood sugars and stable energy levels.
Takeaway: Enjoy an apple (or two) a day. The key to a healthy gut is to manage stress, eat fermented foods and a wide variety of whole plant foods.
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