A well-balanced gut can do your body a lot of good. It can help stabilize blood sugar levels, promote immunity and bone health, and support digestion. It can also protect you against food poisoning, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Microbiology. Enterobacteriaceae (a family of bacteria that includes Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella, and E.coli) is naturally occurring within the gut microbiome. But when exacerbated, Enterobacteriaceae can make you gravely ill. Now, researchers say that pumping your body with "good" bacteria can help ward off high levels of Enterobacteriaceae—and it’s as easy as adding more fiber to your diet.
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Fiber supports "good" bacteria and has been proven "to protect against infection."
For their research, experts collected stool samples and used "gene functional analysis combined with metabolic modeling" to evaluate the gut microbiome composition of 12,238 individuals (ranging from young children to elderly adults) from 45 countries. Their objective? Determine, on a global scale, if "human gut microbiome signatures" will yield to Enterobacteriaceae colonization (bad bacteria that causes food poisoning) in the presence of good bacteria.
When Enterobacteriaceae isn’t present, it means the body’s protective gut species are flourishing. Per the findings, there are 135 of these gut microbe species. However, "colonization resistance" was linked to one species in particular called Faecalibacterium.
Faecalibacterium is a good type of bacteria and "one of the notable short-chain fatty acid producers in the gut," wrote the authors. This group of bacteria supports the body with "beneficial compounds" through the process of "breaking down fiber in the foods we eat," as explained in the press release. And by doing so, Enterobacteriaceae is less likely to wreak havoc on the digestive tract.
"Our results suggest that what we eat is potentially very important in controlling the likelihood of infection with a range of bacteria, including E.coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, because this changes our gut environment to make it more hostile to invaders," said lead study author, Alexandre Almeida, PhD.
These are some foods that are naturally high in fiber.
According to the study, consuming high-fiber foods can naturally increase the levels of good bacteria in the gut and, subsequently, act as a coat of armor against bad bacteria.
"By eating fiber in foods like vegetables, beans and whole grains, we can provide the raw material for our gut bacteria to produce short chain fatty acids—compounds that can protect us from these pathogenic bugs," explained Almeida in the release.
Fiber-rich foods come in all shapes and sizes, many of which you probably already eat on a daily basis. As outlined by Harvard Health Publishing, here are some common high-fiber foods you can start incorporating into your diet now.
- Legumes: lima beans, green peas, green beans, and lentils.
- Fruits: guava, blackberries, raspberries, and boysenberries.
- Vegetables: artichoke, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potato.
- Whole grains: unsweetened and shredded wheat cereal, bulgur, and long-grain brown rice.
- Nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, coconut, and almonds.
However, it’s worth mentioning that eating high-fiber foods during and after food poisoning isn’t recommended and could actually make your symptoms much worse, as they’re harder for the stomach to properly digest.
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11 foods and drinks that are safe to consume during and after food poisoning
While you might not have an appetite if you get food poisoning, it’s important to provide your body with some substance, even if it’s just a banana and toast. You also need to drink lots of water—preferably water that’s been mixed with electrolytes. Per GoodRx, easy-to-digest foods you should focus on during and after food poisoning include:
During food poisoning:
- Broth-based soups
- Popsicles and Jell-O
- Saltine crackers
During recovery:
- Simple pasta
- Bread and crackers
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Cereal
- Oatmeal
- Pedialyte
- Watered-down apple or cranberry juice
9 foods and drinks that will make food poisoning worse
Likewise, certain foods and drinks should be avoided when you have food poisoning, including during the recovery process. According to GoodRx, these items may irritate the stomach and be harder to digest:
- Spicy foods
- High-fat foods, including butter
- High-protein foods
- High-fiber foods
- Acidic foods, including pickles, tomatoes, and citrus fruits
- Dairy
- Alcohol
- Caffeinated beverages
- Diet drinks or anything with artificial sweeteners
The takeaway
The best way to keep bad bacteria (the kind that causes infections) under control is to pump your gut with good bacteria. This can be done naturally, without the help of medication, through fiber-rich foods.
