Diet plays a determining role in the types of bacteria that live in the gut, which are linked to numerous functions, including glycemic control, immune response, and cardiovascular risk factors.
Studies show that gut bacteria feed on high-fiber foods. And also that herbs and spices with a high content of polyphenols (with antioxidant properties) can influence the composition of the intestinal microbiome.
At the same time, a systematic review of nut consumption found that almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios increase the diversity of gut bacteria. However, until now no work had evaluated the effects of peanuts on the microbiome.
Recently, two studies investigating how peanut, herb, and spice consumption affect gut health have been conducted and published in The Journal of Nutrition Trusted Source and Clinical Nutrition.
In this way, they discovered that the three ingredients increase the diversity of intestinal bacteria after about four weeks of consumption.
The researchers recruited 54 adults with an average age of 45 years. All participants were overweight or obese and had at least one other cardiovascular risk factor, such as elevated glucose or triglycerides.
Forty-eight were given the same diet for four weeks along with one of three doses of spices and herbs: 0.5 g per day, 3.3 g per day, or 6.6 grams per day.
Participants ate the three amounts of herbs and spices for four weeks with a two-week "washout" period in the middle. They included cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, basil, and thyme.
They provided stool samples at the beginning of the study and at the end of each diet period.
In this way, they found that consuming 3.3 grams or 6.6 grams of herbs or spices per day increased levels of Ruminococcaceae bacteria.
With the study focused on peanuts, they took 50 adults who had elevated fasting glucose levels and were overweight or obese.
They asked the participants to consume 28 grams of peanut or crackers and cheese every day as an evening snack.
Over six weeks, with a washout period of four in the center, people tested both diets.
In this case, also after the collection of fecal matter, they found that those who ate peanuts had higher levels of Ruminococcaceae bacteria in their fecal samples than those who ate crackers and cheese.
They further noted that those who ate peanuts also had higher levels of the Roseburia bacteria than at the start of the study. It is a bacterium linked to weight loss and reduced glucose intolerance.
“Ruminococcaceae increase bacteria that produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that, when produced in higher amounts, can help control appetite, balance energy, and improve blood glucose,” said Lona Sandon, M.D. Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Nutrition, UT College of Health Professions. Southwestern Medical Center.
And he also determined: "In addition to being a source of protein and healthy fats, peanuts are also a source of fiber. Bacteria in the intestine feed on fiber. With more fiber in the diet, more bacteria and a greater variety can thrive in the intestine".
The doctor mentioned, on the other hand, that "substances found in herbs and spices, as well as dark cocoa, wine, grapes, berries and cherries, provide a source of food or help create an environment in the gut that supports the growth of a greater variety of bacteria.”
“Polyphenols from peanuts, herbs and spices are known to promote health in a number of ways, such as reducing the risk of cancer or inflammation. It may be that the way they work to promote health is through changes in the gut microbiome,” Sandon added.
In this way, the research concluded that adding small amounts of peanuts, herbs or spices to the diet could increase the abundance of certain intestinal bacteria.
This article was originally published in Clarín.
