Back in 2009, a Harvard University-trained microbiologist by the name of Turnbaugh had some pressing questions about the ways in which dieting affects gut bacteria. So, he gathered up some lab rats and immediately started doing some simple studies on the matter. What he eventually discovered was amazing, to say the least. In just a single day, the gut microbes of those little rats had changed dramatically. After further studies, it ultimately turned out that basically the same thing was also true for human beings.

What Is Gut Bacteria?

It is important for you to know what gut bacteria are before you can ever hope to understand how your diet might be affecting them. Known sometimes as “gut flora,” your gut bacteria are a vital part of healthy digestion. Gut flora consists of a complex reservoir of microorganism species that thrive on the digestive tract of other living things. As nasty as that might sound, it is an absolutely necessary part of life. If gut flora were not present in our bodies, then the food we ate would never fully ferment, and we would eventually starve to death.

How Does Diet Affect It?

Dieting affects gut bacteria in a pretty big way. Consider that it is optimal that we try to maintain a healthy level of gut flora in our bodies at all times. However, this gut flora will not ever thrive if the diet it is given is lackadaisical or incomplete. Gut flora needs proper nutrients to do its job just as you need gut flora to help you digest those nutrients. In short, the relationship between what you eat and how well your body functions with its gut bacteria is a symbiotic one.

What Is the Best Diet for Healthy Gut Bacteria?

Eating the right foods at the right time and in the right amounts is the key to maintaining healthy amounts of gut bacteria. For the most part, people should be consuming a diet that has a lot of variety—with plenty of nutrients and micronutrients to go around. It is especially important for folks to be eating foods that are high in vitamin K and B as well, since these nutrients are a vital part of healthy gut-flora production and maintenance. However, it is probably best that you speak with your doctor for more information about how your specific diet affects gut bacteria.