Superfood is the buzzword nowadays specifically when you talk of healthy foods. Every month we would listen to a new food pitched as the next superfood be it broccoli, blueberries, kale or even quinoa. It is a no brainer since these foods are claimed to be rich in vitamins, minerals & antioxidants & even anti-inflammatory. However, the fact is a food rich in antioxidants does not mean that your body will be able to extract & leverage the benefit of antioxidants. In order of words, a food is healthy does not mean it will be healthy for you. This is the biggest mistake assuming that a food will be a superfood for everyone; your gut microbiome is the one who decides whether a food will be superfood or toxin for you. Yes, it all depends upon your microbiome & what functions they are performing.
Your gut microbiome has done various hats to keep our gut ecosystem stable. Some work hard to protect the gut from foreign invaders while others are tied up regulating their environment. However the fact is to survive, we need to feed them. Based on our dietary habits, these microbes adjust their eating habits & pattern accordingly. The diversity, richness & activity of these microbiomes depend upon food we consume & they ( & their functions) differ from one person to the next.
Let us discuss one of the most consumed superfoods in detail- Broccoli. It is is high in Vitamin C, calcium & antioxidant-glucosinolate. This antioxidant boosts over the immune system & helps us tide over normal wear & tear inside our bodies. However, if your colon pH level is high- more of Alkaline & less of acidic- it can become a thriving ground for Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (This generally happens when we eat less of carbs & fibre or diet is high in protein &/or fat). In such cases these Sulphate reducing bacteria convert sulphate in the broccoli to sulphide which combines with Hydrogen(H2) to release hydrogen sulphide. This leads to uncomfortable bloating & gas. In Fact many cruciferous vegetables such as Brussel sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli contain glucosinolate which may result in hydrogen sulphide. If your gut microbiome has high level of Sulphate reducing bacteria, consumption of such food should be avoided.
Like Broccoli, there are many superfoods that may do wonders to the health of your friend or spouse but would create trouble for you- & may get digested in the wrong way. Therefore we cannot accept or adiot generic recommendations that broccoli or spinach or even for that matter blueberries or apples are healthy. It all depends upon what your microbes do with the food you eat.
It is hard to get inside the body, analyse every biochemical activity taking place there, who are living in the gut & what microbes in our gut are doing- what activity/functions they are performing to predict if a particular food would create trouble for your health & digestive tract or will give you essential nutrients. This is where we come in. We use microbial genes sequencing technology to digitise your body & analyse every single biological functions/biochemical activities inside your body to tell you if a particular food is going to give you nutrient or toxin & then we categorise your food recommendations into,
- Foods you should consume more frequently,
- Foods you should consume in moderation
- Foods you should minimize
- Foods you should avoid
For instance, if we learn from your gut microbiome evaluation that you have highly active sulphate reducing bacteria, foods such as Broccoli, Cauliflower or Brussel Sprouts would be in your avoid list even though Broccoli is high in Vitamin C & Calcium & you probably strawberries, potatoes, Kiwi or Bell Peppers would be in your most frequently consumed food list.
It all depends on how your microbes interact with the food you eat. If you are suffering from frequently bloating & gas & you are not able to figure out what is causing this uncomfortable gas, probably this is the time you should listen to what your gut microbiome is trying to tell you. Learn about biochemical activities taking place inside your body to align your food choices with your unique biology. For more details, give us a shout here.
