The gut and its resident microbes are also connected to your immune system, as over 70% of immune cells are in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, keeping your gut healthy can play a big role in keeping your body healthy.
Increasingly, scientists agree that the more diverse your gut microbes are, the more able your microbiota is to respond and adapt to changes in the environment.
The different types of microbes that make up your microbiome each require different nutrients for growth. Because different foods provide different mixes of nutrients, your diet determines which types of microbes thrive and fail.
A typical Western-style diet that is comprised of processed foods that are high in fat, refined carbohydrates, and sugars not only makes us more likely to absorb caloric energy ~ leading to weight gain ~ but contains little nourishment for gut microbes.
Getting Fiber Right
Regardless of what type of diet you consume, there are foods that should be on everyone’s menu.
Plant-based foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains provide a rich source of fiber that has important benefits for your intestinal microbiome.
