Maybe not everyone knows that the secret to good health is healthy intestines! The microorganisms in intestines contribute to our well-being and it is no coincidence that a healthy diet has a beneficial effect on our bodies and even our moods!
Everything passes through the intestines – from digestion to metabolism but the effectiveness of its microorganisms depends on their make-up but most of all on their diversification since only the presence of a wide range of bacteria can allow for the production of vitamins and enzymes. This diversification depends on many factors, not only genetic but also environmental which are greatly influenced by our habits such as what we eat etc.
Wine lovers can now rejoice thanks to a recent study from Dutch researchers from Groningen University which showed that drinking a glass of red wine helps keep the “community” of bacteria in your intestines, varied and effective.
But first thing’s first. Researchers, led by Alexandra Zherkanova, decided to study the many environmental factors which influence the make-up of intestinal microbiome. Currently there is very little knowledge regarding these factors, but it is known that their variation is particularly important to monitor, especially among healthy individuals.
After analyzing 200 recorded factors, 126 were found to directly affect the composition of the microbiome. Among these factors was of course diet. Certain food and drinks, including red wine, are found to directly increase the “diversity” of intestinal microorganisms.
The study has shown that red wine affects the abundance and proportions of various intestinal bacteria, unlike white wine and rosé wine which does not seem to have the same effect. Researchers deduce that this can be attributed to polyphenols which are found in red wine and other food and drinks such as tea, coffee and cocoa.
Red wine is associated to a specific organism – the Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, which has important anti-inflammatory qualities, which if present in our microbiome, could help prevent bowel problems and diseases.
