It's Not Me, It's My Bacteria
It's Not Me, It's My Bacteria...
Our digestive system hosts at least 10,000 strains of bacteria, which get their energy from the food we consume. In return, the bacteria help us break down the food we eat and protect us from harmful pathogens.
Other roles of the beneficial gut bacteria include regulating fat storage and producing essential vitamins.
According to scientific publications, it has been hypothesized that gut bacteria manage us and dictate which foods to eat.
The number of genes in gut bacteria is 100 times greater than our human genes, and the strains with the largest population in the gut influence us and our food choices.
For example, in people addicted to chocolate, substances derived from specific bacterial strains were found in their urine. In people who are indifferent to chocolate, no such substances were found in their urine, even though aside from chocolate, both groups consumed the same diet.
Many studies have found that the gut bacteria population in lean humans and laboratory animals differs from that of obese humans and laboratory animals.
The hypotheses proposed by researchers are:
- Gut bacteria affect receptors in the taste buds on the tongue, making certain foods taste better to us, leading to higher consumption.
- The bacteria secrete substances that lead to an increased secretion of hunger hormones.
- The bacteria affect the vagus nerve that links the stomach to our brain, thereby influencing our eating habits.
Different bacterial strains dictate different food preferences; some bacteria make us want to eat more sugars, while other strains will cause us to consume more fat.
However, we are not helpless against our gut bacteria; the relationship is two-way. The food we eat influences and changes our gut microbiome population. Some bacterial strains help us lose weight and break down fat tissue. There are strains that improve our mood.
In any case, we cannot excuse the influence of bacteria on our food choices, the choice is in our hands. You can always try to add a probiotic supplement to affect the bacterial population in your gut, making it healthier and more beneficial to us.