Our bodies are just bags of bacteria. We’ve got them all over our skin, in our mouths, our lung and, of course, our guts. And these microbiomes are hugely important as they work to support our body’s functions (at least, if they’re functioning properly). 

But when the gut microbiome goes haywire, we soon know about it. The term ‘poor gut health’ tends to refer to microbiomes that have been overrun by bad bacteria which then cause all kinds of unpleasant symptoms. “Bad bacteria are otherwise known as pathogens; they are the bacteria that cause us harm. If we have too many of them in our gut, it can disrupt the balance of good bacteria which puts us at a higher risk of disease and upset in the workings of the body, says Camilla Gray, nutritionist at Optibac Probiotic.

Sas Parsad, founder of The Gut Co, tells Strong Women: “Bad bacteria come in thousands of different species and can enter the body through our skin, via what we eat and drink and what we breath in.”

That gut imbalance actually has a name: dysbiosis. According to Gray, some of the key symptoms include bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, acne flare-ups and low mood. 

Clearly, we want to get rid of as much bad bacteria as possible – all the while promoting the growth of good, helpful bugs. The question is, how do you do that? 

It’s a really tricky goal. Think about it: you’re currently sick with an infection caused by bad bacteria. Your GP prescribes you a course of antibiotics that are designed to kill those pathogens. But they do so by employing a kind of torched earth method; rather than just killing off the bad bacteria, they destroy everything – including the good bacteria.

If you’re struggling with stomach symptoms rather than an actual debilitating illness, you might look instead to more holistic means of re-balancing your gut. And in wellness circles, that often means attempting to ‘starve’ the bad bacteria. Just as we feed our good bacteria with fibre and prebiotics, the idea is that bad bacteria thrive on certain things we eat, and removing these fuel sources can cause them to die out. 

Those who believe in the method recommend avoiding animal protein, free sugars and high-FODMAP foods (such as artichoke, garlic and gluten) that are fermented in the gut). The problem? There’s no real proof that these work.

“The concept of completely avoiding certain foods to ‘starve off’ bad gut bacteria is not something I would recommend,” says Gray. “That’s mainly due to little scientific backing of its effectiveness. It wouldn’t be beneficial to completely starve off all so-called bad bacteria. All bacteria have the potential to be bad if there’s too much of it, and some of this bad bacteria actually has beneficial activity in the gut if the levels are kept in check.”

A 2020 review into ultra-processed foods and gut health found no link between a high intake of saturated fat, salt and free sugar and higher levels of pathogens. Instead, it concluded that a low-fibre diet was the most common cause of microbiome imbalance. 

According to researchers, bacteria like “bifidobacterium and some clostridium subgroups exhibit a significant reduction with reduced or limited fibre intake” while other microorganisms such as lactobacillus (one of the most popular ‘good’ bacterias found in probiotic supplements) is increased to an unhelpful level through a diet high in ultra-processed foods. 

In other words, you’re vastly better off concentrating on what you should eat more of rather than restricting.

“If the good bacteria aren’t fed correctly, they can die off – allowing more room for the bad bacteria. If you feed the good bacteria the nutrients they need, they will reproduce at a faster rate, leaving less room for the bad bacteria,” says Parsad.

While limiting your intake of ultra-processed foods and free sugars might not be a bad thing in general, your focus should be on adding in more fibre and fermented foods to your daily diet. Parsad recommends swapping to wholegrain breakfast cereals, brown rice and pasta, and adding in more vegetables and leafy greens to up the fibre content.

“Dietary fibre is the greatest source of nutrients for good bacteria, as it cannot be digested in the body – meaning that it arrives at the good bacteria intact. This allows them to feast on the nutrients and reproduce, leaving less room for the bad bacteria to reproduce,” he says.

Gray adds: “Fermented foods such as sauerkraut also feed the microbiome. It can also be beneficial to try probiotics that are scientifically proven for symptoms like bloating, pain and diarrhoea.”

Crucially, you won’t know if you have these pathogens in your gut unless you talk to your GP, so it’s best to visit your doctor if you’re worried about your symptoms. 

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