Is weed killer harming your microbiome? - Microbiome Insight

Did you know that the weed killer used on many of our food crops may also harm the beneficial bacteria living in our gut?

It's called glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, and it's widely used in conventional farming.

Here's why this matters.

Glyphosate works by blocking something called the shikimate pathway. Plants need this pathway to grow, so when it's blocked, the weeds die.

But here's what's interesting.

Many of the beneficial bacteria in our gut use this same pathway!

Research has found that glyphosate can harm these beneficial gut bacteria, causing their numbers to decline.

One group we're especially interested in is Bifidobacteria.

These are some of the good bacteria that help with digestion, support our immune system, and keep our gut lining healthy.

They also help other gut bacteria make something called butyrate.

And butyrate is really important!

It's a substance that feeds the cells lining our colon protecting against Irritable Bowel Disease.

So when we disrupt our beneficial gut bacteria, we may also interfere with their ability to help protect our gut.

So what can we do?

One simple step is to choose organic foods when possible.

Glyphosate isn't allowed in organic farming, so choosing organic can help reduce your exposure. And because glyphosate can be absorbed into crops, simply washing your produce won't necessarily remove it.

The Dirty Dozen list highlights fruits and vegetables with higher levels of pesticide residues, making these a great place to start when deciding what to buy organic.

And while we're at it, let's make sure we're feeding those good gut bacteria!

Foods like beans, oats, lentils, fruits, and vegetables provide the fiber our gut bacteria love.

The takeaway?

We have trillions of bacteria living in our gut, working every day to keep us healthy.

It makes sense to be mindful of what we're exposing them to AND what we're feeding them.

Choosing organic when possible and eating plenty of fiber-rich plants are two simple ways to take care of our gut.

And that's something worth paying attention to!