Last night, while passing the TV I noticed a breakfast cereal advertisement promoting a high fibre cereal for improved gut bacteria and health. So, obviously I took a few second to watch it to see what they had on offer, and as per usual most of this information annoys me to no end! The fact that companies can spin so much nonsense and blatantly lie to their consumers irks me beyond words!
Firstly, let’s take a closer look at how most cereals are made (in a nut shell).
1. Grains are grown, often GMO, pesticides, herbicides etc are used.
2. Grains are delivered to the manufacturer.
3. Grains are ground down and mixed with mixing agents, synthetic vitamins, minerals, sweeteners, flavourings and water and then are cooked at high heats, in pressure cookers.
4. This mixture is then removed and dried under some more heat.
5. With some moisture left in the product, the mixture is then moulded into the cereal shapes.
6. These remaining shapes or flakes are then blasted with some more heat to remove the remaining moisture. (must be lots of natural nutrients left, yeah right!)
Ok, that being said… let’s look at the fibre that actually help gut bacteria…
1. FRUCTANS are high fibre carbs found in raw onions, garlic, wheat and other plant-based foods.
2. CELLULOSE is the (insoluble) fibre which your body cannot break down and are found in raw carrot peels, asparagus stems, broccoli stems and any crunchy, chewy part of the plant that most people throw away.
HOWEVER, there is a catch… when these fibres are exposed to heat, they break down and their nutritional benefits diminish.
So, what happens when you eat these “high fibre cereals”?
Research shows, that when these “high fibre” cereals are eaten, they in fact decrease the good gut bacteria. Why? Firstly, because most “high fibre” cereals have been through several heating processes and they have soluble fibre added, not the 2 fibres your fellow gut guys need. This decrease in healthy gut bacteria, allows for the mucous-eating bacteria to gain territory and tear through the mucous wall in your gut, exposing your gut wall to pathogens which can cause inflammation, leaky gut and other digestive issues.
Fortunately, our bodies are incredibly clever and can heal themselves quickly, providing they are provided with the right fuel. So, with the research study, they removed the “high fibre” cereal food and replaced the diet with the high FRUCTANS and CELLULOSE. Within a day, the good bacteria began to increase in number and declared war on those mucous-eating baddies.
So next time you mindlessly pick a “high fibre” cereal from the shelf for “better gut health”, remember that what is advertised to you, is not always the truth!!
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