Shocked by the title? So was I, when I initially started learning about Gut Health. The surprise, however, wanes off soon because you realize almost every function in your body is directly or indirectly connected to your Gut.
The Gut Microbiome is made up of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses that live inside our digestive tracts. These minions that live inside your digestive tract have a strong grip over your body. They also play an important role in weight management and can also influence our body in weight loss interventions.
Research shows that the genes within these bacteria determine
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How quickly the bacteria grow
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How well people can take advantage of nutrients in food.
How quickly the starches and fibers get broken down into sugars in order to aid weight loss.
Weight loss is associated with rapidly growing bacteria. A major proportion of the nutrients are absorbed by the bacteria itself, hence leaving the human body with limited human weight gain, as compared to slower-growing bacteria. On the other hand, bacteria that produce more enzymes to break down starch or fiber quickly into sugars are linked with making people more resistant to weight loss.
If your intestinal environment is imbalanced, it can cause what is known as dysbiosis which isn't suitable for your body. It can mean that you have low levels of beneficial bacteria, more opportunistic pathogens, or reduced diversity, which invariably can have an impact on your body. Altogether, this can negatively impact your health and may even answer the question of gaining weight easier than other people. Your lifestyle is influenced by your weight as well as your gut microbial health, which brings us to the fact that food and exercise are important for the diversity of your gut bacteria.
Akkermansia muciniphila and Christensenella minuta are two gut bacteria associated with lean body weight. They help your body with weight loss as they are linked with preventing weight gain and are often found in slim individuals.
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Akkermansia strengthens your intestinal barrier by feeding on the mucus that lines your gut, promoting its production. A weak gut lining is found in obese bodies.
These microbes also produce acetate, a short-chain fatty acid that helps regulate body fat stores and appetite.
Foods to boost Akkermansia:
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Cranberries
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Concord grapes
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Black tea
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Fish oil
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Bamboo shoots
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Flax seeds
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Rhubarb extract
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Christensenella is also an emerging gut microbe associated with weight control. Like Akkermansia, it is abundant in the microbiomes of lean people, and scientists think it could be promising for preventing obesity, which is now considered a global health epidemic.
Akkermansia muciniphila and Christensenella minuta are two gut bacteria associated with lean body weight. They help your body with weight loss as they are linked with preventing weight gain and are often found in slim individuals.
-
Akkermansia strengthens your intestinal barrier by feeding on the mucus that lines your gut, promoting its production. A weak gut lining is found in obese bodies.
These microbes also produce acetate, a short-chain fatty acid that helps regulate body fat stores and appetite.
Foods to boost Akkermansia:
-
Cranberries
-
Concord grapes
-
Black tea
-
Fish oil
-
Bamboo shoots
-
Flax seeds
-
Rhubarb extract
-
Christensenella is also an emerging gut microbe associated with weight control. Like Akkermansia, it is abundant in the microbiomes of lean people, and scientists think it could be promising for preventing obesity, which is now considered a global health epidemic.
P.S: A can of cranberries won’t get you anywhere, weight loss is not linear. Multiple functions in the body affect your weight, including your gut health. The more you know!
Divya Salian
MSc dietetics
Nutritionist, Diabetes Educator
