The gut and weight control

What is the gut?

When we say ‘the gut’, what we mean is the intestines -  the series of small and large tubes that digest your food and remove waste. The gut is the first barrier into your body, allowing the nutrients that make it into your bloodstream and rejecting harmful bacteria.  Until recently, the gut was thought to carry out this relatively simple process. However, new research has found this to be far from the truth.

What we know about the gut now

Your gut is an incredibly complex ecosystem. Much like a jungle or a coral reef, there are over 1000 different species of microorganisms that are constantly competing for the space and food that it takes to survive. These are called microbes and they are vital in the way that you break down your food.

Your gut microbes are the only part of the body that have the enzymes that digest fibre. Without them, you wouldn’t get many of the health benefits from your fruit and vegetables. In other terms, your gut microbes are a pretty big deal.

The part that the gut plays in your weight

Making sure that your gut microbiome has enough ‘good stuff’ to thrive is crucial to your health and weight control. A number of studies have shown that people with higher gut microbiome diversity and fibre intake have lower long-term weight gain.

Ultimately, it takes a careful balance between your gut microbiome and diet to control how much of your energy gets stored as fat. This exciting scientific discovery could be the secret to your general wellbeing and have a large part to play in your weight control.