Gut health

Many studies have shown that infants who are fed formula have an altered microbiome with fewer Bifidobacteria than infants who are breastfed (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

What’s more, breastfeeding is also associated with lower rates of allergies, obesity, and other health conditions that may be due to differences in the gut microbiota (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).

A baby’s microbiome begins to properly develop at birth. However, studies suggest that babies may be exposed to some bacteria even before birth (26Trusted Source).

During the first 2 years of life, an infant’s microbiome is continuously developing and is rich in beneficial Bifidobacteria, which can digest the sugars found in breast milk (27Trusted Source).

Many studies have shown that prebiotics can promote the growth of several types of beneficial bacteria, including Bifidobacteria (22Trusted Source).

Certain prebiotics have also been shown to reduce insulin, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels in people with obesity, which could be beneficial for the prevention of conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).

Many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain prebiotics, but they can also be found on their own.

Resistant starch can also be a prebiotic. This type of starch is not absorbed in the small intestine and passes into the large intestine, where the microbiota break it down.

Prebiotics are foods that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

They are mainly fiber or complex carbs that human cells cannot digest. Instead, certain species of bacteria in the gut break them down and use them for fuel.

Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of nutrients for a healthy microbiome.

They are high in fiber, which your body can’t digest. However, certain bacteria in your gut can digest fiber, which stimulates their growth.

Beans and legumes also contain very high amounts of fiber.

However, diets in certain rural regions are often more diverse and richer in different plant sources.

For this reason, a few studies have shown that gut microbiome diversity is much greater in people from rural regions of Africa and South America than in people from urban areas in Europe or the United States (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

A diet consisting of different food types can lead to a more diverse microbiome (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

Unfortunately, the traditional Western diet is not very diverse and is rich in fat and sugar. In fact, an estimated 75% of the world’s food is produced from only 12 plant and 5 animal species (4Trusted Source).

There are hundreds of species of bacteria in your intestines, each of which plays a specific role in health and requires different nutrients for growth.

Generally speaking, a diverse microbiome is considered a healthy one. This is because the more species of bacteria you have, the more health benefits they may be able to contribute to (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

There are around 40 trillion bacteria in your body, most of which are found in your gut.

Collectively, they are known as your gut microbiome, and they’re incredibly important for overall health. However, certain types of bacteria in your intestines can also contribute to many diseases.

Many factors, including the foods you eat, can impact the type of bacteria found in your digestive tract.