HARRIET FURUTA
Microbiologist
Biology subtly controls what we eat: we don’t even notice! The foods we choose change the hormones we release, and these then control what we eat, how much, and when.
So does the microbiome – microbes in our digestive system that help us break down food. Healthy people have diverse microbiomes, but if you eat a restrictive diet, e.g. a keto diet, raw vegan diet, or lots and lots of burgers, some kinds of microbe die off. This change to gut microbes has been linked to allergies, bowel disease, chronic fatigue… We don’t know why.
FACT
Processed foods can disrupt hunger cues – for example, we can drink much more orange juice than eat whole oranges.
ISSUE
Avoiding processed foods may lead to more restricted diets.
QUESTION
How do you escape a “cycle” of poor diet?