Gender's Impact on How Processed Foods Shape the Microbiome
We live in a hyper-processed world. Instead of eating simple, one-ingredient foods that we cook ourselves, our diet is usually poured out of boxes and bags! Unfortunately, when we eat hyper-processed foods, we consume more fat, salt and sugar. And this type of dietary pattern is linked to higher rates of inflammatory bowel diseases, colon cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome as it impacts our gut microbiome. Now I’m sure you already know this and how detrimental hyper-processed foods are, but did you know that there are differences in how a diet in ultra-processed foods can impact the gut microbiome of men and women?
A new study out of Spain found that a consumption higher than five servings per day of ultra-processed foods affected the gut microbiota composition differently in women and men. So is sex an explanation or mechanism of why different diseases have different risk factors for men and women? Super interesting! Further research is definitely needed to confirm these observations!
In the meantime, continue to skip the boxes and bags for whole foods like fruits and vegetables, which have a ton of fibre and beneficial phytochemicals. Speaking of fresh fruits and vegetables - apples are worthy of becoming a daily addition to a gut-friendly menu. In addition to being one of the most economical and widely available fruits, apples contain one of the highest levels of the soluble fibre pectin. And don’t forget the importance of fibre for gut health and regular elimination, appetite, and lowering cholesterol levels.
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