you need to know

crobiota and actual changes in macronutrient composition rapidly change the composition of the function of gut microbes. It is confirmed that individual that consume more plants have greater GIT bacterial diversity.

Benefit of Beneficial Microbes

1. Protective effects exerted directly by specific bacterial species, 2. Control of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation, 3. Production of essential mucosal nutrients, such as short-chain fatty acids and amino acids, prevention of overgrowth of pathogenic organisms, 4. Stimulation of intestinal immunity 5. Some work against the development of cancer.

Example of beneficial microbes include: Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillius, Roseburia e.t.c Example of foods that contain prebiotic fiber capable of increasing the beneficial microbes include: wheat, banana, walnut, onion, garlic, oat, cereals, ice-cream, yoghurt etc Recommendation It’s advisable to make our diet diverse and select from plant source daily. Quantity of prebiotics taken has been shown to affect it efficacy so you will need to consult registered dietitian nutritionist to help in selection of this prebiotics and the quantity to take and how to add it to our diet.

By Olayemi Michael E-mail : olayemimg@gmail.com Diet and Human Gastrointestinal Microbiota. Studies show that our usual dietary intake affect the microbes that colonize our gastrointestinal tract. Some of these microbes are beneficial while some are pathogenic. Fiber containing foods has being shown in several studies to impact the gastrointestinal microbiota. It’s well established that there’s is connection between the gastrointestinal microbiota and health. Microbiome is a collection of microbial genome and Microbiota is a collection of microbes. It is confirmed that we have more bacterial gene in our body and human genome itself (amazing). Since some microbes has being confirmed to be beneficial, it is believed diet can contribute to these microbes in our GIT for them to continue their beneficial effect. Then we need to look at fiber since it has the ability to impact the gut microbiota. A dietary fiber is non digestible soluble and insoluble carbohydrates and lignin that are intrinsic and intact in plants, isolated or synthetic non digestible carbohydrates determined by food and drug association to have physiological effects that are beneficial t human health.

There are some fibers that act as prebiotics, Prebiotics are substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit. I want you to know that all prebiotics are fiber but not all fiber are prebiotics. Habitual intake of food is related to the composition of GIT mi-