With conflicting health advice ringing in your ears and the prices of groceries going up, it can be difficult to make any dietary changes.
Fortunately, a nutritionist has revealed the single most important dietary tweak to make this year.
Tina Lond-Caulk, Lead Nutritionist at Smart Protein, told Express.co.uk: “Strengthening the gut microbiome can be considered one of the most important dietary changes to make if you’re looking to improve your health this year, given the role it plays across several bodily functions.”
Emerging research continues to suggest that a healthy gut microbiome can positively affect “almost every organ” in our bodies, according to the expert.
For example, a review of current studies, published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, found that bowel cancer is considered to be affected by the gut microbiome more than other tumours. What’s more, an imbalance in bacterial composition within the gut occurred more frequently in people with bowel cancer than in healthy people.
Another study, published in the journal Nature, found that diet ultimately affects immunity through the gut microbiome.
Furthermore, research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggested that your gut could also play a role in your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Lond-Caulk said: “One of the most important benefits of a healthy gut microbiome is enhanced immune function, meaning the more diverse the composition of bacteria in our gut, the more our immune cells thrive and prepare themselves for any invasions.
“Additional benefits include improved digestion, reduced risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, clearer skin, and even improved mental health and mood regulation – this is because the gut and brain are connected through the vagus nerve, which acts as a sort of telephone wire between the two.”
The good news is that there’s an “abundance of ways” to boost your gut health. However, diet seems to be “the most important”.
From sauerkraut to kimchi and kombucha to miso, fermented foods are a great way to ensure your microbiome “continues to thrive”, according to the nutritionist.
Once you’ve built a strong and healthy microbiome, you need to keep taking care of it. Lond-Caulk said: “Fermented foods help introduce bacteria into the gut, while prebiotic-rich foods (such as onions, garlic, or asparagus) help to feed the bacteria that’s already living in the gut.
“Fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help support the gut by promoting regular bowel movements, to ensure everything continues to move in a healthy cycle.
“It’s also important to try and avoid regularly eating processed foods – these can wreak havoc within your gut due to the sheer amount of effort it takes for the body to break them down.”
While adding more fermented foods into your diet is the key to a healthy microbiome, it’s crucial you start slowly over “a matter of weeks”.
The nutritionist added: “If you’re someone who struggles with new foods, perhaps begin small by adding onion or garlic to your dishes rather than going for less common food choices such as kimchi or sauerkraut.
“Try gradually increasing the range of foods you eat and do your best to try different variations of gut-friendly foods to see which your body responds best to. Eventually, you’ll notice a difference in how your body feels – how you’re digesting food or how much energy you have – and this will encourage you to go even further on your gut health journey.”