What Does Your Microbiome Have to Do with Food Cravings?
What do gut microbes have to do with food cravings? Studies show that our eating behaviors can be changed by our gastrointestinal microbiome and cause food cravings. Discover why this happens and how to reduce food cravings.
What is the microbiome?
The microbiome means “all the microbes in a community.” The human microbiome is the counterpart to the human genome. All the microbes’ genes in the microbiome outnumber all the human genes in the genome approx. one hundred to one.
Our microbiome starts literally with birth – before that, we are sterile – as we are colonized by microbes from the birth canal (if vaginally delivered) or with mostly skin microbes (with a cesarean section). Within moments after birth, we are exposed to an array of microbes from our mothers and every other person we encounter. These microbes adapt and differ throughout our bodies or the human ecosystem, and some will only live in our guts and some only in our teeth. As we grow, our microbial profiles change with us and adapt to the environments we encounter.
Our Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome consists of trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material. These microorganisms live in our intestinal tract and are responsible for helping to absorb and synthesize nutrients and play an essential role in how we digest the food we eat. In addition, these gut microbiota play roles in many other functions of the body, including metabolism, immune regulation, cognitive function, and mood.
What is “Healthy Gut”?
Everyone has a fingerprint unique to themselves, and everyone has a gut microbiome that is a bacterial fingerprint. Scientists are still researching a healthy gut microbiome, but they have become aware that it is a safety net of sorts. When we have a healthy gut, it keeps things that don’t belong in the bloodstream out, such as undigested food particles, toxins, and microbiota. A healthy gut also helps to fight off infection. Scientists know that the diversity of bacteria in the gut is good, and this allows different types of good bacteria can help to fight off harmful bacteria:
- Good bacteria – also known as beneficial bacteria, is any bacteria that enhance overall health. Probiotics are an example of good bacteria
- Bad bacteria – are harmful to our body and usually cause us to be sick. Some harmful bacteria can spoil your food or create an unhygienic environment.
However, as with many health functions, balance is critical. Having about 85% good bacteria and 15% harmful bacteria is a good balance for our gut microbiome. Bacteria are needed to break down carbohydrates or sugars, toxins and help our body absorb fatty acids so our cells can grow.
What is Dysbiosis?
When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, it is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis can be caused by many factors, including overusing antibiotics, eating a nutritionally poor diet, being overweight, stress and illness. Eating a diet full of processed foods and lots of refined and artificial sweeteners can compromise our gut linings. Remember when we mentioned that the microbiome acts as a wall in our gut? If that wall is compromised, it can cause “Leaky Gut,” which causes the gut barrier to allow gut microbes and undigested food particles to enter our bloodstream. This can cause our immune system to be triggered and increase disease risk.
How do our microbes cause food cravings?
Our gut microbiota that makes up our microbiome, number in the trillions, may be responsible for food cravings and what our bodies do with fat. According to research, there is a link between “the diversity and richness of gut microbiota and the way we store fat, how we regulate digestion hormones and blood glucose levels, and even what types of food we prefer.”
Studies suggest that our gut microbes may also make our eating habits challenging to change. The microbiota may generate cravings for certain foods or foods that allow them to better compete for research against the other. In addition, the gut microbiome is linked to both the immune system and the brain.
This link between the three – our gut, our brain, and our immune system (through our bone marrow) was shown that the composition of the gut microbiota could be modified by our brain – by talking to our bone marrow immune cells! Research is still being done on this, but it is a fantastic discovery! In addition, research also shows that our gut microbial proteins influence our appetite control.
Microbes prefer certain foods to grow and thrive – each one has its preference:
- Bacteroidetes – certain types of fats
- Bifidobacteria – dietary fiber
- Prevotella – carbohydrates
- Akkermansia muciniphila – carbohydrates
So, if you find yourself craving pizza, chocolate, or junk food – your gut bacteria can be to blame!
How to reduce food cravings
Increase your gut microbiota diversity, and you decrease your food cravings. You can heal your gut in a few ways, and a balanced microbiome is a happy one. You are reducing food cravings and supporting overall wellness.
Add probiotics to your daily menu
Our gut health is more important than we think, and our microbiome needs to be balanced to support good overall health, from our immune system to our digestion. The way your body extracts nutrients from your diet, stores fat, or body weight can all be affected by your gut health. Inflammation can lessen the good bacteria in the gut. Eating foods with probiotics or taking a probiotic supplement daily can help give our body the microorganisms it needs to support overall well-being.
Add fermented foods to your recipes
These involve yeasts or bacteria that convert the sugars to organic acids or alcohols – many of these foods are rich in lactobacilli and have fewer Enterobacteriaceae (bacteria associated with inflammation and chronic disease):
- Yogurt
- Sauerkraut
- Kombucha
- Tempeh
- Kefir
- Kimchi.
Add L-Glutamine to Your Diet
L-glutamine is a gut-healing amino acid that supports a robust intestinal barrier, reduces intestinal permeability, helps normal immune function, and reduces the inflammatory response.
Boost your collagen
Collagen is beneficial to gut health because it is in the connective tissue in your gut. Collagen can strengthen the lining of your digestive tract, helping support the intestine’s barrier function. This means collagen can help with leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
Collagen-rich foods include salmon and bone broth. In addition, foods such as mushrooms, some dairy, and meats can help your body boost its collagen production. You can also take a collagen supplement and add it to your morning coffee or smoothie.
The gut microbiome and its effect on your health are being researched, and new information about this commonly called forgotten organ is being found. The human gut is complex, and its role in overall wellness in your entire body was vastly underestimated. Our cognitive function, heart health, immune function, mood, sleep, and of course, our digestion is all tied into our gut health. In addition, further research is emerging that it can help prevent some cancers, autoimmune diseases, skin conditions, aging, and more.
Jemile earned a degree in Food Studies and Writing and has worked for almost 23 years in the medical and health industries. She has been a digital marketing consultant for Acupuncture Atlanta since 2011 as the social media manager and content manager. Writing has been a childhood dream for Jemile and writing daily for clients in the health, wellness, food, and art industries have been phenomenal. Jemile is originally from Brooklyn, NY, and lives in the Hudson Valley, NY. She lives with her husband, two daughters, her dog, and two fish. You can contact Jemile via Linkedin, her mom blog, or her website, lunaroseconsulting.com
