ProLongevity finds fermented foods better than “ultra-processed” gut health products

19 Jan 2024 --- ProLongevity is a personalized program focused on providing a detailed analysis of what triggers blood sugar spikes in customers, supporting weight loss, disease prevention and overall well-being.

Nutrition Insight speaks to founder Graham Phillips about the potential risks associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), promising to aid gut health. 

 “Products sold as shortcuts to good gut health risk lulling people into a false sense of security,” emphasizes Phillips. He points to a berry kefir shot for gut health recently released by M&S Food and Zoe Nutrition.

“You can’t look after your microbiome with an ultra-processed single shot. One in three adults now has prediabetes, compared to one in ten in 2003. Most of this is caused by a diet high in processed foods and sugar,” he argues. “We recommend a range of fermented foods that humans have eaten for thousands of years, like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and tempeh.”

The need for natural alternatives
Phillips argues that UPF of any type cannot be beneficial for the gut, as the industrial formulation of foods can have detrimental effects on the gut microbiome. 

“First of all, we need to define gut health — 85% of our immune system is in our gut, and the bugs that live there affect our mood, sleep and health status. The idea that a one-size-fits-all gut shot will help everyone is simply marketing hype.”

“The integrity of the gut lining is maintained by the microbiota — a colony of trillions of bugs. If those colonies are damaged (termed dysbiosis), the gut lining becomes leaky. This means we cannot absorb the micronutrients that are key to our health and also allows toxins to enter our system leading to inflammation, auto-immune conditions, type 2 diabetes and dementia.”

Phillips also underscores the importance of symbiosis — looking after those colonies in the gut will help maintain overall health. 

“Our bodies and the microbiota that reside within are incredibly complex,” he adds. “That’s why ProLongevity provides personalized Precision Nutrition.” 

This is becoming increasingly difficult as the number of people consuming an ultra-processed diet increases. According to Philipps, in the UK, 60% of all consumed calories come from UPFs, with this number being even higher among teenagers, at 80%. 

“While M&S food is undoubtedly highly palatable, the majority of it is highly or even ultra-processed,”  he explains.

Phillips also provides recommendations for alternatives to highly processed products labeled as probiotics.“At its simplest, just eat real food. When shopping, look at the back of the label. If it has more than five ingredients (and some names you’ve never heard of), avoid it. Eat like your grandparents did, and you’ll generally do just fine. Bottom line, traditional fermented foods will be far more effective than an over-hyped and expensive gut shot.” 

“The way we view food needs to evolve beyond just taste, convenience and calories to a new level of consciousness where we ask ‘how is this food affecting important biological systems in my own personal body?’” he concludes. 

By Milana Nikolova