In medical research, it often seems that one finding will contradict another.
Two gut-health truths at odds with one another are:
All plants contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients. The other two are fat and protein. Increasingly, Americans are struggling to metabolize and absorb carbohydrates, giving rise to diets that drastically reduce or remove them for a short while or even permanently.
While bacteria and other microorganisms in our gut microbiome do the job of carbohydrate digestion, many factors—including diets high in refined carbs and sugar—have altered our microbial composition in ways that contribute to not only gut symptoms but also chronic diseases.
The conundrum of our need for certain carbohydrates that can be hard on digestion yet are important to build the microbes we need to be able to digest those carbs can leave us frustrated. Eating more plants can sometimes increase gut symptoms, rather than alleviate them.
However, herbs appear to hold the power to soothe and strengthen digestive health. Their typically smaller serving sizes due to the potency of their flavor can be a way to eat a more diverse diet and rebuild beneficial microbes.
A wide variety of herbs are helpful for symptom relief, and—if we can tolerate these plants—can boost the diversity of our microbiome and improve metabolism, according to Ashley Oswald, dietitian and founder of Oswald Digestive Clinic.
Oswald advises that those with sensitive guts who are struggling to eat fiber and produce should work with a nutritional specialist right from the start.
“But if they are tolerating produce, herbs are a great add-on, because the more variety we get, the better and more diverse our bacteria become, and that’s really the ultimate goal,” she told The Epoch Times.
An Overreliance on Carbs
Nearly 88 percent of Americans are metabolically unhealthy, putting us at risk for chronic disease and death, according to a
2019 research article in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.
In part, it could be because of our overreliance on carbs for energy, according to an Ohio State University article. A diet too full of certain carbs can cause the pancreas to secrete large amounts of insulin that the body cannot handle—a condition that can lead to insulin resistance. The liver stores excess carbs as fat.
Not only does this make it hard to lose weight, but it can also lead to gastrointestinal symptoms of bloating, cramping, heartburn, and gassiness, plus overall fatigue. Obesity, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes are all risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is on the rise in Western countries.
Though rising obesity rates can be indicative of poor metabolic health, one can exist without the other.
The 2019 research article noted that healthy weight doesn’t necessarily equate to metabolic health, which is defined by normal blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and triglycerides. Poor metabolic health gives rise to diabetes and heart disease.
Rise in Diets Removing Carbs
A growing number of diets, such as the low-FODMAP strategy, remove carbs in an attempt to restore digestive function. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols—fermentable short-chain carbs that are hard for some people to digest. Removing them allows the digestive system to rest and the gut lining to heal.
Registered dietitian Tamzyn Murphy told The Epoch Times that a poor diet with too much junk food could be responsible for our inability to process some carbohydrates. Simply removing refined carbohydrates, including sugar, and highly refined seed oils from the diet can help heal metabolic issues, she said.
“If we took those two things out of the diet, I wonder if we have the chronic disease that we have,” she said. “High carbs will hurt some people. Unfortunately, now a lot of people really should be eating a whole food, relatively low-carb diet because they’re already metabolically unwell.”
The goal of a low-FODMAP diet is to eventually reintroduce the foods in the hopes that they will be tolerated and the microbiome can be restored. Herbs, because of their medicinal properties, can play a role in this healing process.
Boosting Metabolism With Herbs
Herbs help our gastrointestinal (GI) health in a number of ways—including improving our metabolic functioning, licensed nutritionist Marcie Vaske told The Epoch Times.
The top herbs that Vaske recommends for metabolism are:
Ginger—stimulates hydrochloric acid gently compared with proton pump inhibitors that are prescribed for acid reflux and can lower digestive acid levels and damage beneficial microbes. Hydrochloric acid aids in digestion, moderating motility and maximizing nutrient absorption.
Rosemary—can increase gut flora, which help with bile flow, improving gallbladder function and overall digestion and nutrient absorption.
Oregano—has naturally powerful antimicrobial properties.
Berberine—prevents surges in insulin, and its antimicrobial properties work against opportunistic gut bugs that cause sugar cravings.
“In many studies, berberine even outshines Metformin to balance your blood sugars. Stabilized blood sugar is going to maintain people’s weight much better. You’re going to have less cravings and better gut health. I love that one,” Vaske said. “You wouldn’t really eat this one, though it is a supplement.”
Cinnamon (technically a spice because it’s made from bark)—stabilizes blood sugar. One teaspoon of organic cinnamon a day is all that’s needed, Vaske said. It can be added to yogurt, smoothies, cottage cheese, apple sauce, fruit, and various dishes.
Cayenne Pepper—stimulates enteric nerves that aid in digestion, reduces ulcers, prevents candida overgrowth in the intestine that can lead to sugar cravings, and supports weight loss.
Healing With Herbs
Herbs are also a great go-to for symptomatic relief, with many different options, Vaske said.
For instance, aloe is a good choice for constipation, and peppermint helps with gas and bloating, though she wouldn’t recommend it for clients with upper GI symptoms.
All parts of fennel are helpful for digestive problems. Licorice root and slippery elm are both soothing and can be used for inflammatory conditions. While many herbs are found in supplement form, Vaske said teas are a great way to increase these herbs for gut symptoms in the diet, particularly when they are made with a blend of herbs.
“I like having these different herbs in them because it just helps with everything, and synergistically they just help more,” she said.
Most important is finding a quality herb, tea, or supplement that is organic and sourced from a reputable farm, she said. Many products are poor quality, causing people to give up on herbs if they don’t notice benefits.
They might also be deterred by hesitant doctors who don’t typically recommend herbs or even offer advice to curious patients, mostly because they haven’t been trained on the uses of herbs for gut health, Vaske said.
Accessibility is also important, as there are countless herbs that are helpful for gut health but can be hard to find locally.
That’s why Lily Choi, an acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner, likes to suggest goji berries for overall gut health. She shares tips for using them on her popular Instagram account.
Goji berries have a sweet, tart flavor and are helpful for the liver and kidneys according to TCM. They contain a number of nutrients and phytochemicals, including polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Also, they have anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-diabetes properties, and they boost immunity and energy.
“People can get goji berries easily and have them dry or in any form,” Choi said. “I think it’s important to start with something accessible that they can use daily and see results. And they taste good.”
