The Science Behind Plant Foods and Gut Health
30 Plant Foods Per Week
In short, when gut health deteriorates, the immune system kicks into high gear, triggering the production of inflammatory molecules that can travel throughout the body—including to the brain. This often leads to a decline in both mental and physical health.
Research shows that individuals who consume 30 or more plant-based foods (like vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices) each week have the healthiest, most diverse gut microbiomes[1]. A thriving gut microbiome, made up of trillions of beneficial microbes, supports gut health, immune function, and helps regulate inflammation. Unfortunately, factors like poor diet, medications, and environmental toxins can disrupt this delicate balance.
One of the most effective strategies for supporting gut health is to increase the variety of plant foods in your diet. The fiber found in plant-based foods is essential for feeding your gut microbes. The more diverse your plant fiber intake, the more diverse your gut microbiome becomes—and a healthier microbiome means improved overall health.
By following a plant-rich, gut-healing protocol, you will begin to feel improvements in no time.
The research on symptoms/ailments/diseases associated with gut health seems endless (because, remember, the inflammatory response our gut sets off can travel anywhere in the body). Below are just some of the symptoms and diagnoses associated with poor gut health:
- bloating
- gut pain
- constipation
- diarrhea
- excess gas
- IBS
- nutritional deficiencies
- numerous food sensitivities
- brain fog
- memory loss
- depression
- anxiety
- ADD
- ADHD
- mood disorders
- allergies
- asthma
- eczema
- dermatitis
- gout
- arthritis
- pre-menstrual symptoms
- PMDD
- metabolic syndrome
- weight gain/obesity
- hypertension
- high cholesterol
- non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
- type 2 diabetes
- heart disease
- certain cancers
- the list goes on... poor gut health can be connected to most, if not all, health issues.
1. McDonald D, Hyde E, Debelius JW, et al. American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research. MSystems. 2018;3(3). doi:10.1128/mSystems.00031-18
Does this mean you need to be vegan/vegetarian?
The short answer is, no. The more plant foods you eat, the better, however. You can fill the rest of your calories up with other health-promoting foods. (However, there are some plant foods to avoid, depending on the specifics of your gut health)