Permaculturist Health

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

[also raw potato is excellent for your microbiome, is prebiotic and feeds beneficial intestinal microflora]

Beans may be the very best thing you can eat for your microbiome. Here is why. : nutrition
https://www.reddit.com/r/nutrition/comments/athyam/beans_may_be_the_very_best_thing_you_can_eat_for/?st=jsgo80ul&sh=9b52c3ee

Introduction:

"First off beans are the cornerstone for every blue zone diet in the world

https://www.bluezones.com/2016/06/10-things-about-beans/

So there's that. But for the microbiome they are incredible. First understand how important Resistant starch is for the microbiome.

https://www.dermveda.com/articles/why-you-should-eat-resistant-starch-for-a-healthy-microbiome

Resistant starch is metabolized by microbes in the gut to produce molecules called short chain fatty acids, such as acetate, butyrate and propionate. These short chain fatty acids have significant health benefits, including cancer fighting benefits and anti-inflammatory effects.[4,5] Diets high in resistant starch lead to higher levels of short chain fatty acids and may offer protection against colon inflammation and disease.[6] The dietary fiber that is fermented by our gut microorganisms are referred to as “prebiotics,” leading to the production of beneficial short chain fatty acids and other molecules, including serotonin and deoxycholic acid.[7,8]

Eating resistant starch may even improve problems with insulin regulation, including insulin resistance and diabetes.[9]

https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/new-review-explores-latest-knowledge-resistant-starch-nutrition-modulator-gut-microbiota/

In addition, RS (resistant starch) has specific beneficial effects on the gut environment including increased populations of Ruminococcus bromii -a dominant member of the phylum Firmicutes that plays a primary role in releasing energy from dietary starches that escape digestion by host enzymes through its exceptional activity against particulate resistant starches. Besides this, ingestion of food products rich in RS has been shown to increase luminal short-chain fatty acid levels, modulate microbial metabolism and improve markers of glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity

Regarding cell signalling pathways that can explain physiological effects of RS, using animal models it has been well documented that resistant starch has strong anti-inflammatory properties

And beans are far and away the best source of resistant starch in our diets. They have many more times the RS as any other commonly eaten food. See here for more.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/11/16/ask-the-expert-legumes-and-resistant-starch/

Eating beans may even alter the microbiome in such a way as to kill cancer cells!

https://www.healio.com/gastroenterology/oncology/news/online/%7B1d9afc8b-cef1-4b45-94bc-61dbfc08144b%7D/rice-bran-navy-beans-boost-gut-microbiome-slow-crc-cell-growth

To evaluate the chemopreventive effects of rice bran and navy bean intake, Ryan and colleagues performed a phase 2 pilot study (the BENEFIT trial), in which they randomly assigned 29 CRC survivors to consume 30 grams of rice bran per day, 35 grams of navy bean powder per day, or neither for 4 weeks.

They found that increased consumption of rice bran and navy beans led to higher dietary levels of fiber, iron, zinc, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, and alpha-tocopherol. Further, stool microbiome analyses revealed the rice bran group had increased gut microbial richness and diversity, and the navy bean group showed increased gut microbial richness.

Notably, analysis of human stool metabolite extracts before and after the dietary intervention showed increased intake of rice bran or navy beans reduced growth of colorectal cancer cells.

There's more but thats all I will post for now."