5 simple things a top nutrition scientist who studies the gut microbiome does to stay healthy

• An epidemiologist and nutrition expert shared what he does to look after his gut health.
• Professor Tim Spector studies the gut microbiome, which is thought to be key for overall health.
• His tips include eating 30 plants a week, foods that are colorful, and fermented foods.

A top nutrition scientist has shared what he does to care of his gut health, including eating up to 30 plants a week and fermented foods.

Dr. Tim Spector, a British epidemiologist and co-founder of nutrition company ZOE, who studies the gut microbiome, wrote in a post shared on Instagram earlier this month: "What I do to look after my gut health is the question I'm asked most often and I always go back to these 5 principles."

A person's gut health is considered important for their overall health because the gut microbiome, or microbes that populate it, have a symbiotic relationship with our bodies and play a key role in its functions. The food you eat contributes to the health of those microbes.

"Do all these things and you can't go far wrong," Spector said.

1. Eat 30 plants a week

Spector said he eats 30 different plants in a week, because "the wider diversity of plants you eat, the more diverse your gut microbiome tends to be."

Gut microbiome diversity has been linked to greater longevity and overall better health in studies. An unbalanced microbiome is meanwhile related to health issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, infections, and hardened arteries, according to Cleveland Clinic.

While 30 plants may seem like a lot to fit into one week, Spector said "it becomes a lot easier" if you consider that nuts, seeds, pulses, wholegrains, spices, herbs, fruits, and vegetables all count.

Business Insider has previously shared healthy vegetarian recipes that could help increase the number of vegetables in your diet.

2. Eat the rainbow

Spector said eating as many brightly colored fruits and vegetables as possible feeds the variety of microbes in the gut, which support your health in different ways.

Spector explained plants get their colors from polyphenols, which "are like rocket fuel for your gut," as they feed the good microbes.

As well as foods with vibrant colors, he recommended consuming those with bitter or tannic tastes, such as coffee, extra virgin olive oil, and berries.

3. Have a little bit of fermented food every day

Spector also eats plenty of fermented foods. A 2021 study that he cited found eating a diet high in fermented foods over a 17-week period was linked to increased gut microbe diversity and decreased markers of inflammation.

In another post on Instagram, Spector shared the types of homemade "fermentation experiments" he likes to keep in his fridge, including water kefir. Participants in the study ate more kefir, as well as yogurt, fermented cottage cheese, fermented vegetables, vegetable brine drinks, and kombucha.

4. Give your gut a rest

Spector said eating within a 10 to 12-hour window during the day helps microbes "get a good night's sleep" of 12 to 14 hours overnight.

This will allow specific microbes "to clean up your gut lining and keep it healthy," he said.

A 2023 review of studies found a link between time-restricted eating and improving or reversing the underlying factors of metabolic diseases and the issues associated with gut dysbiosis. However, it's important to note that many of these studies were done on mice, and the research on this is still in its early stages.

5. Eat fewer ultra-processed foods

Spector's final tip was to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods are produced using methods that are difficult to reproduce at home and don't look like the ingredients they are made from, according to the NOVA scale, which categorizes foods based on how processed they are. Eating a lot of UPFs has been linked to a range of health concerns, including a higher risk of developing cancer and dementia.

"Try to make some simple swaps to homemade alternatives wherever possible," Spector said.

BI recently reported on the ways a nutritionist reduces the amount of ultra-processed foods he eats.