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Nourishing the Gut for a Healthy Mind: Celebrating World Health Day 2024

On World Health Day 2024, let’s delve into the fascinating world of our gut microbiome and its profound impact on our overall well-being. The gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem of microorganisms residing in our digestive tract, is an integral part of our health that influences everything from our metabolism to our mood. Understanding the gut-brain axis and nurturing our gut health through nutrition can lead to a happier, healthier life.

 

The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network that links the enteric nervous system of the gut with the central nervous system of the brain. This intricate relationship means that our gut health can influence our mental state, earning the gut the nickname “the second brain.” The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in this axis, producing various neurotransmitters and signalling molecules that can affect brain function and mood.

 

So, how can we support this crucial aspect of our health through diet? Here are some practical tips for fostering a healthy gut microbiome:

  1. Boost Fibre Intake: Incorporate a variety of high-fibre foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These act as prebiotics, feeding the good bacteria in your gut.
  2. Embrace Dietary Diversity: Aim for at least 30 different plant-based foods each week to encourage microbial diversity.
  3. Enjoy Fermented Foods: Include fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, natto, miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha, which contain probiotics that can help balance your gut flora.
  4. Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water aids digestion and helps maintain the mucosal lining of the intestines.
  5. Limit Processed Foods: Ultra-processed foods that are high in sugar, saturated fat, salt and preservatives can disrupt your gut microbiome. Examples include sausage, frozen ready meals, sugary sodas, instant noodles and candies. Opt for whole, unprocessed ingredients whenever possible.
  6. Practice Mindful Eating: Take the time to chew your food thoroughly, which can aid digestion and absorption of nutrients, benefiting your gut microbiota.

The link between gut health and mental health is supported by numerous studies. For instance, an imbalance in the gut microbiota has been associated with various mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. By nurturing our gut microbiota through diet, we can potentially improve our mental health and resilience to stress.

Now, let’s put these tips into practice with a delicious and nutritious vegan recipe that’s sure to delight your taste buds and your gut bacteria.

Vegan Tofu Stir-Fry

Serves 2

Ingredients:

400g extra firm tofu, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 slice ginger, grated

1 medium carrot, shredded

1 cup snap peas

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add tofu and cook until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  2. In the same pan, sauté garlic and ginger until slightly softened. Add carrot and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
  3. Add snap peas and bell peppers. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
  4. Return tofu to the pan, toss everything together with soy sauce and heat through.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Ready to serve.

*This dish can be served with cooked brown rice or soba noodles*

 

Nutritional Analysis (per serving):

Calories: 251 kcal

Protein: 19g

Total fat: 11g

Total Carbohydrates: 22g

Fibre: 5g

 

This recipe is not only a feast for the eyes with its vibrant colours but also a treat for your gut microbiota, providing a rich source of plant-based proteins and dietary fibre. By incorporating such gut-friendly meals into your diet, you can take a proactive step towards enhancing your gut-brain axis and, consequently, your mental and physical health.

 

滋養腸道，保持健康心態：慶祝 2024 年世界衛生日

在 2024 年世界衛生日，讓我們深入了解腸道微生物組的世界及其對我們整體健康的深遠影響。 腸道微生物組是存在於我們消化道中的複雜微生物生態系統，是我們健康不可或缺的一部分，影響著從新陳代謝到情緒的一切。 了解腸腦軸並透過營養培養腸道健康可以帶來更快樂、更健康的生活。

腸腦軸是一個雙向通訊網絡，將腸道的腸神經系統與大腦的中樞神經系統連接起來。 這種錯綜複雜的關係意味著我們的腸道健康可以影響我們的精神狀態，因此腸道被稱為「第二個大腦」。 腸道微生物群在此軸中發揮關鍵作用，產生各種會影響大腦功能和情緒的神經傳導物質和訊號分子。

那麼，我們如何透過飲食來支持我們健康的這一重要面向呢？ 以下是培養健康腸道微生物組的一些實用技巧：

  1. 增加纖維：加入各種高纖維食物，如水果、蔬菜、全穀類、堅果和種子。 它們充當益生元，為腸道中的有益細菌提供營養。
  2. 膳食多樣化：每週至少吃 30 種不同的植物性食物，以促進微生物多樣性。
  3. 發酵食品：包括乳酪、克菲爾、納豆、味噌、天貝（印尼發酵黃豆餅）、德式酸菜、泡菜和康普茶等發酵食品，它們含有益生菌，有助於平衡腸道菌叢。
  4. 補充水分：喝大量的水有助於消化並有助於維持腸道黏膜內壁。
  5. 限制加工食品：富含糖、飽和脂肪、鹽和防腐劑的超加工食品會破壞腸道微生物組， 例如香腸、冷凍即食食品、汽水、即食麵和糖果。 盡可能選擇完整的、未加工的食材。
  6. 正念飲食：花時間徹底咀嚼食物，可以幫助消化和吸收營養，有益於腸道微生物群。

 

腸道健康與心理健康之間的關聯得到了許多研究的支持。 例如，腸道微生物群的不平衡與各種心理健康問題有關，包括焦慮和憂鬱。 透過飲食培育腸道微生物群，我們可以改善我們的心理健康和抗壓性。

現在，讓我們將這些技巧付諸實踐，製作美味又營養的純素食譜，以滿足您的味蕾和腸道細菌的需求。

 

純素豆腐炒雜菜

2人份

食材：

400克硬豆腐，切塊

2 瓣大蒜，切碎

1 片生薑，切碎

1 條甘筍，切絲

1 杯豌豆

1 個紅甜椒，切片

1 個黃甜椒，切片

1湯匙芝麻油

1湯匙豉油

鹽和胡椒調味

 

做法：

  1. 易潔鑊用中火加熱油， 加入豆腐塊，煮至金黃色。 從鑊中取出並放在一邊。
  2. 在同一個鑊中，爆香大蒜和薑。加入紅蘿蔔，炒約​​3分鐘至稍微變軟。
  3. 加入豌豆和彩椒，炒約2分鐘。
  4. 將豆腐放回鑊中，加入豉油攪拌，將所有食材炒至熟透。
  5. 依照自己的喜好加鹽和胡椒調味，即成。

*這道菜可配搭糙米或蕎麥麵一併進食*

 

營養分析（每份）：

卡路里：251大卡

蛋白質：19克

總脂肪：11克

總碳水化合物：22克

纖維：5克

 

此食譜不僅顏色鮮豔吸引，還為您的腸道微生物群提供豐富的植物性蛋白質和膳食纖維來源。 透過將此類有益於腸道的飲食納入您的飲食中，以增強您的腸腦軸，從而促進您的身心健康。

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Thinking Of Going Gluten-free? Read This First

Sally Shi-po POON (Registered Dietitian)

Gluten-free diet has gained considerable popularity in the general population over the past decade. Many celebrities and athletes have acclaimed it as an effective way to better health, weight control and athletic performance. There is, however, a lack of scientific evidence to support these claims. On the contrary, there are studies suggesting that gluten avoidance in diet may not be as “healthy” as it claims.

What is gluten-free diet?

Gluten-free diet is a diet that doesn’t contain any gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, malt, and oats (unless they are labelled gluten-free). These ingredients are commonly found in bread products, pasta, breakfast cereals, cakes, cookies, batter-fried foods, beer and ale. There are a number of gluten-free grains and plant foods that are suitable for those on gluten-free diet. They include amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, cassava, corn, flax, legumes, millet, nuts, oats labelled gluten-free, potato, quinoa, rice, sago, seeds, sorghum, soy, tapioca, and teff.

Who should follow gluten-free diet?

People who have coeliac disease should follow gluten-free diet strictly. Coeliac disease is a serious, genetic, autoimmune illness where the consumption of gluten induces damage to the small intestine and causes nutrient malabsorption. Symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, gas, constipation, fatigue, mouth ulcers, unexpected weight loss, hair loss and anaemia. The only treatment for celiac disease is strict avoidance of gluten for life. If you think you have coeliac disease, do not remove gluten from your diet until your doctor makes a diagnosis. If you remove gluten from your diet too early, it will cause an inaccurate result for both blood test and gut biopsy.

Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity

Some people have gut symptoms when eating gluten, even if they don’t have coeliac disease. This is called non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. Symptoms are similar to coeliac disease, such as abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhoea. Most people with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity agree that there is an improvement of symptoms after following gluten-free diet. The exact trigger for the non-coeliac gluten sensitivity remains controversial thus far. There are reports suggesting that fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAP) in wheat, rather than gluten, induce the gut symptoms. The exact cause is, however, yet to be identified.

Is gluten-free diet healthy for the general population?

Not really! Although some celebrities adopt gluten-free diet for weight loss, there is no data to support similar effectiveness among people without coeliac disease. It is important to note that gluten-free does not necessarily mean low-energy. In 2017, experts from the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition warned that gluten-free products should not be considered a healthy substitute to regular foods because they usually contain higher levels of saturated fat and lower levels of protein.

In 2017, a study published in British Medical Journal found that gluten-free diet may increase cardiovascular risk as a result of reduced consumption of hearty wholegrains. Gluten-free cakes, cookies, muffins, crackers, bread and pizza are usually made with refined carbohydrates, which are high in glycaemic index, and low in B vitamins, iron, and dietary fibre.

In addition, people on gluten-free diet were found to have significantly higher levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, lead, and cadmium than those not avoiding gluten. More research is needed to determine whether this diet poses a significant health risk in the long run. In case if gluten-free diet is needed, the best way to avoid excessive exposure to these metals is to diversify the food menu.

Does gluten-free diet improve athletic performance?

Implementation of gluten-free diet among non-coeliac athletes has become increasingly popular because of perceived ergogenic and health benefits. In 2015, a carefully designed study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise concluded that a short-term gluten-free diet had no overall effect on exercise performance, gut symptoms, perceived well-being, intestinal injury, and inflammatory responses in non-coeliac athletes. Whether avoiding gluten for a longer period of time would lead to improvements in sports performance or well-being is yet to be identified. Nevertheless, current study suggests that gluten-free diet is not a panacea. Athletes should always remember that proper nutrient intake and timing are critical components of athletic success.

Before adopting gluten-free diet…

The significance of gluten-free diet in the general population remains controversial and more research is warranted. Before adopting gluten-free diet, you should consult a dietitian to ensure that you will get all the essential nutrients from a variety of foods, including gluten-free grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, lean meat, nuts, seeds, and dairy.

If you are suffering from any gut symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, or diarrhoea, you should consult a doctor for medical advice. Self-treatment or delay in treatment is undesirable.

Sally’s Nutrition Blog @ Hong Kong Tatler: https://hk.asiatatler.com/life/everything-you-need-to-know-about-going-gluten-free

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