When you eat, you're also supplying the bacterial community in your colon, made up of 100 trillion cells. The right food can help this microbiome. Fast food is not one of them. Click through our gallery to learn more about the best and worst foods for your gut.
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Meat and fried foods can cause bacteria linked to obesity to flourish.
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Garlic, leeks, wheat and barley contain inulin, a type of fiber that promotes healthy gut bacteria.
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Fake sugar isn't fooling your gut. Artificial sweeteners have been known to increase bacteria associated with type 2 diabetes.
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Fermented foods like yogurt contain bacteria that work with your gut bacteria to produce high levels of an inflammation-fighting molecule called butyrate.
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Drinking coffee can also wake up your gut, in a good way. It can increase the levels and activity of health-promoting bifidobacteria.