We like to think that we are in charge of the decisions we make, from what we choose to eat to where we go on holiday.
But the truth is we make a lot of decisions subconsciously, guided by signals and cues that we are not even aware of.
Why did you eat that muffin on the way to work? Was it because you really, really wanted it, weighed up the benefits and the costs, and decided to buy it? Or did you see it when you went into the coffee shop and just picked it up on a whim? Most of us eat mindlessly, guided by habit and influenced by advertising.
But what about our gut bacteria? Is it plausible that tiny single-celled creatures lurking in our gut can also influence our decision-making?
There is evidence that combining a Mediterranean style diet with the 5:2 plan can boost brain function. Pictured is Prawns with Pasta and Seaweed, the recipe for which is below
We think so, and so do an increasing number of scientists. Our microbes have the opportunity, motive and tools to manipulate us.
We’ve talked before about the brain in your gut — the enteric system that contains the same number of neurons as you’ll find in the brain of a cat, which communicates with the brain in your head via the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is like a telephone line. The enteric system talks to your brain and it talks back.
Now, there is plenty of evidence that your microbes can hack into this system and talk to your brain via the vagus nerve. They also produce hormones and neurotransmitters that can reach your brain via your bloodstream.
Dopamine, for example, is a ‘feel-good hormone’. The micro-bes in your gut produce lots of it, possibly to reward you for doing what they want you to do (like eat more cake — see the sugar lovers below).
The microbes in your gut also produce chemicals that control your mood, like serotonin (another feel-good hormone) and GABA (a neurotransmitter that acts in a similar way to the anti-anxiety drug Valium). They even make chemicals that are similar to the main hunger hormones.
So microbes have the means to influence your brain. They also have the motive. Life in your gut is not for the faint-hearted. It is a state of endless war.
The microbes are not only competing for space and scarce resources, they also have different dietary demands. Some thrive on sugar, others love fat.
The more sugar you feed sugar eaters, the more they want. They are not like a friendly dog, waiting gratefully for anything that comes their way. They fight for life and will do anything to give themselves the edge.
Research from the Arizona State University Department of Psychology shows that microbes can not only influence how much we eat, but also what we eat.
We touched before on the idea that a diverse microbiome is associated with being slimmer and healthier, while a more limited ecosystem means you’re more likely to be overweight and sickly.
But it’s possible our microbes are doing more than just making us crave sugar. While a lot of this research has been carried out in animals rather than humans, we have no real reason to believe similar behaviours might not be seen in people, too.
Let’s give you an example. Mice, when infected by bacteria called Toxoplasma gondii, become oddly reckless.
Normally a mouse will stay in the shadows and avoid anything to do with cats. But when they are infected by Toxoplasma there’s a change of behaviour.
They are now attracted by cat urine and will deliberately move out into the open — to be killed.
The Toxoplasma bacteria are manipulating the mouse’s behaviour. They want it to be eaten by a cat, so that they can then infect the cat.
Scientists have also found that if you feed faeces from mice who display anxiety-like behaviour to mice who don’t display this behaviour, then those mice start to behave in a more anxious manner, too. This proves a relationship between what’s in the gut and the way creatures behave from an emotional perspective.
Research has also found it’s possible to make mice swim for longer, and more doggedly, if you feed them bacteria called L. rhamnosus.
What’s more, they found that if you sever the vagus nerve in these mice, so that the gut can no longer talk to the brain, the mice do not change their behaviour after being fed these bacteria, but instead swim as they’ve always swum before.
When it comes to humans, the evidence is more circumstantial. In a study involving 22 people, half chocoholics and the other half indifferent to chocolate, the researchers found those who loved chocolate had a different set of gut microbes from those who weren’t interested in the sweet stuff. This was despite the fact that both groups had been put on an identical diet for a set period of time before being tested.
There was also a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial (the gold standard for clinical trials) in which researchers showed that they could significantly improve depressed people’s moods by giving them a probiotic containing a mix of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium bifidum — all microbes found in a healthy gut.
And with infants, when the scientists examined their their nappies, children with colic (inconsolable crying) had reduced gut diversity and fewer bacteroidetes (the ‘good guys’) than those who didn’t cry as much.
One theory is lots of screaming means parents are more likely to pay attention to, fuss over and feed their babies, thereby providing the ‘bad guy’ microbes — which are irritating the baby’s guts and causing it to scream — with more food. It turns into a vicious cycle, with miserable parents and an even more miserable baby the losers, and bad gut microbes the winners.
However, you don’t have to be a colicky baby to struggle with sleep. Insomnia is a common problem, thought to affect one in three people in the UK, particularly the elderly.
But, intriguingly, a gut health-boosting diet can help here, too. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people who ate more fibre — something that’s a key part of the Clever Guts diet — tended to spend more time in deep sleep than those who ate less fibre.
It’s clear that a happy, healthy gut microbiome can lead to a happy, healthy you — but there’s also evidence to suggest that combining a Mediterranean style diet (which is what we’ve based the Clever Guts diet on) with intermittent fasting (the 5:2 approach) can actually boost brain function.
It could even help ward off degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s while also improving your memory and mood.
A review of 135 studies that looked at how the Mediterranean diet affects cognitive function long-term found that those who stuck to this sort of diet had less cognitive decline and better memory than those who didn’t.
Best of all, the research also suggested that you were never too old to benefit from switching to this diet.
Combine this with 5:2 and it looks like you’re setting your brain up for the best possible old age.
Why? Because cutting calories twice a week has been shown to not only improve neural connections in the brain, according to Professor Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging in the U.S. — it also seems to help protect the brain against dangerous proteins which build up in Alzheimer’s.
A delicious way of eating that helps you shed the pounds, improves sleep, puts you in a positive mood, and should get your body — and brain — in shape so you can carry on partying for many years to come might sound too good to be true.
But this isn’t a fad diet — these claims are backed by science. You might have decided to follow the plan for a few weeks just to get into your party dress, but we hope that once you’ve made it a part of your daily life and start to feel the difference, you’ll be hooked.
Toasted Slaw with Halloumi and Lemony Buttermilk Dressing
The purple broccoli and red cabbage in this dish boost your phytonutrient intake and the buttermilk dressing tops up your probiotics. By heating and slightly toasting the crisper vegetables you make them easier to digest.
SERVES 2 (530 calories with dressing)
100g red cabbage leaves, finely sliced
100g green cabbage leaves, finely sliced
100g purple sprouting broccoli, cut into bite- sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
50g shiitake or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
150g halloumi, sliced
Generous handful of bitter salad leaves (spinach, rocket or dandelion)
½ portion of Lemony Buttermilk Dressing
1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
Scorch the cabbage and broccoli slices on a very hot griddle, turning once. This should take about 2 minutes on each side. Tip them into a wide salad bowl.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms and halloumi slices until they are golden, then stir them into the cabbage mixture.
Add the salad leaves and toss everything in the Lemony Buttermilk Dressing. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top before serving.
Lemony Buttermilk Dressing
A great dressing for salads and slaws. It delivers a double hit of different gut-friendly microbes from both the buttermilk and the preserved lemons.
SERVES ABOUT 4
140ml live cultured buttermilk (or kefir)
½ tsp English mustard
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp maple syrup (optional)
½ tbsp Preserved Lemons (see below right), finely diced (or juice and grated zest of ½ small lemon)
½ tsp xanthan gum (optional thickener)
Whisk the buttermilk and mustard together in a bowl and gradually add the olive oil, followed by the maple syrup if using, and the Preserved Lemons. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Easy Chicken Tangine With Preserved Lemons
The North African equivalent of comfort food. Slow-cooked meat and vegetables are easier to digest, enabling you to absorb more nutrients, and leaving your digestive system with less work to do.
SERVES 4
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 skinless and boneless chicken thighs (about 600g)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5cm root ginger, peeled and diced
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp paprika
400ml chicken stock
1 large red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 heaped tbsp Preserved Lemons, diced (see below), or ½ lemon (removed before serving)
80g dried apricots, halved
Generous handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Preheat the oven to 150c/130c fan/gas mark 2.
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized casserole and saute the onion for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces and brown them all over.
Stir in the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for a couple more minutes.
Pour over the stock, then add the pepper, Preserved Lemons and apricots.
Cover the casserole and place it in the oven for 1-1½ hours, making sure to stir it occasionally.
Stir the coriander into the chicken tagine just before serving.
Serve the tagine with 1 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt (add 75 cals) and 2 tbsp brown rice (add 100 cals) or 2 tbsp quinoa (add 120 cals).
How to pickle those lemons
Lemon peel contains twice the amount of vitamins in lemon flesh, and has a more intense flavour than the juice, with a hint of bitterness. Once fermented, the flavours mellow and the peel softens. Preserved lemons work brilliantly in small quantities in both sweet and savoury dishes.
The majority of shop-bought versions are devoid of live bacteria, and in our experience can have an industrial mouthwash taste to them. So it is well worth making your own…
22 CALORIES PER 100g
l 6-7 large unwaxed lemons, preferably organic
l 1 heaped tbsp Maldon sea salt
l 1 tbsp live apple cider vinegar
l ½ tsp coriander seeds (optional)
You will also need:
l 250ml glass jar with well-fitting lid
WASH the lemons. Cut them in half and squeeze some of the juice from each into the jar. Then cut the halves in half again. Slice each lemon quarter finely, discarding the seeds and some pith.
Pack the slices tightly into the jar, scattering a generous pinch of salt between the layers until it is used up. Use a wooden spoon or the end of a rolling pin to squash the lemon slices down and force out the air bubbles. There should be enough juice to cover them. Put in the vinegar. If necessary, top up with salted filtered or spring water, using 1 heaped tsp sea salt to 200ml water.
As it’s an anaerobic process, prevent contact with the air by covering the surface with a small dish or a boiled clean pebble before closing the jar.
For the first few days you need to ‘burp’ the lemons a couple of times a day to release any trapped bubbles produced by fermentation. This means pressing them down so that they are always submerged. Leave them to ferment at room temperature for between 5 days and 2 weeks. Then store them in the fridge to prevent further fermentation.
Red Cabbage Sauerkraut
This brings a burst of colour to a meal and has a sweet and sour flavour. It’s packed with healthy phytonutrients.
MAKES 1 LITRE (20 CALORIES PER 100g)
1 small red cabbage (about 1kg), core and outer leaves removed, chopped
2 medium onions (200g) chopped
4 tsp Maldon sea salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
½-1 tsp chilli flakes
You will also need:
1 litre glass jar with well-fitting lid
In a bowl, massage the salt into the cabbage and onion and leave to sweat for 1-2 hours. Reserve the veg liquid that collects in the bottom. Transfer veg, seeds and chilli flakes to the jar. Pour in the reserved liquid and push the veg down. Liquid should rise above the surface.
If there is not enough, add brine made of 1 tsp Maldon sea salt dissolved in 200ml filtered water.
The water level should be ½-1cm above the veg and 2½cm below the jar top. Place a stone or glass object on top of the veg. Put on counter top out of direct sunlight for 3-14 days, depending on room temperature. Test for flavour and store in a sealed jar in the fridge. It keeps for a few months.
Omelette with Red Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut works well added to an omelette, providing a salty, tangy crunch and lots of good bugs for your microbiome.
SERVES 1 (220 CALORIES)
l Small knob of butter or drizzle of oil
l 2 medium chestnut mushrooms, finely diced
l 2 eggs
l 1 tbsp Red Cabbage Sauerkraut (see above)
HEAT the butter or oil in a small frying pan and saute the mushrooms for around 5 minutes or until they are soft.
Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour them into the pan. Lower the heat and cook until the bottom of the omelette is starting to firm up but the top is still moist.
Fold the omelette over and transfer it to a plate.
Spread the sauerkraut on top and serve with ground black pepper.
Slow-roasted Tomatoes
Wonderful with fish, or added to a salad.
SERVES 2 (170 CALORIES)
Handful of medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half around the middle
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh herbs, such as thyme or rosemary (or 1 tsp dried), leaves only
Preheat the oven to 120c/100c fan/gas mark ½. Place the tomatoes in an ovenproof dish, cut-side up. Drizzle with the olive oil and scatter the garlic and herbs on top. Season well. Bake for 3½-4 hours, until they are soft and caramelised.
No-kneed Sourdough Bread
Sourdough involves a fermentation process which breaks down some of the gluten, making it easier on the gut than other bread.
Thanks to Judith Starling, aka The Wild Baker, for this recipe. Here we assume you have a sourdough starter. You’ll find more information on cleverguts.com. You can make your own by using the ‘wild’ yeast and Lactobacilli present in flour. Mix a small amount with water to produce the ‘mother’, and then ‘feed’ it with a tbsp each of flour and water over the next 3-5 days. Some people add a spoonful of live buttermilk or yoghurt.
MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF, ABOUT 10 SLICES (260 CALORIES PER SLICE)
2 tbsp sourdough starter
445g strong white flour, or gluten-free option
95g strong wholemeal flour, or gluten-free
150g kamut flour (or wholemeal or gluten-free flour)
1 tbsp olive oil
Strong white flour for dusting
2 tbsp semolina or gluten-free flour to dust
Generous pinch of salt
The morning of the day before you want to bake, take the starter from the fridge and feed it with 25g strong white flour, 25g strong wholemeal flour and 50g water. Cover it with clingfilm and leave it to prove at room temperature.
In the evening you should see bubbles forming on the surface or that the starter has risen, or both. Place in a bowl and stir in 70g strong white flour and 70g strong wholemeal flour and 110g water — it should be thick. Cover it with cling film and leave it overnight.
It should be fermenting: thick, sticky and bubbly. This is your ‘pre-ferment’. The next day, take 250g of pre-ferment out of the bowl and place the remainder in a Kilner jar in the fridge – this will become the starter for your next loaf. Add 275ml tepid water, 150g kamut flour, 350g strong white flour and the salt to the pre-ferment in the bowl. Mix the ingredients with your hands (or in a food processor with a dough hook), until you have a smooth dough. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with lightly oiled clingfilm. Leave for at least 5-6 hours at room temperature — the dough will rise only a small amount; 50 per cent is fine.
Once it has risen, remove it and on a very lightly floured work surface, bring the edges to the centre in a circular pattern, causing tension on the underside. Place the dough, seam-side up, in a proving basket dusted with flour to prevent sticking, or use a bowl lined with a tea towel dusted with flour. Cover it with oiled cling film and leave it to rise at room temperature for 1-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to the hottest temperature and heat a baking tray inside. Just before you are ready to bake the loaf, place a roasting tin of boiling water in the bottom of the oven. Sprinkle the semolina over the baking tray (or use reusable non-stick baking paper or silicone). Turn the loaf onto the baking tray and slash the top with a knife. Bake it at 250c/230c fan/gas mark 10 for 10 minutes, then reduce to 190c/170c fan/gas mark 5 for 35-40 minutes. The loaf is cooked if it sounds hollow when tapped.
Seeded Soda Bread
A crispy loaf with added crunch and flavour thanks to the toasted seeds. This is a delicious easy bread which doesn’t require much kneading. The mildly acidic buttermilk or kefir reacts with the rising agent (bicarbonate of soda) to produce carbon dioxide, which creates the bubbles and does the leavening.
MAKES 1 GOOD-SIZED LOAF, ABOUT 10 SLICES (190 CALORIES PER SLICE)
200g wholegrain buckwheat flour
100g plain white flour (or gluten-free flour)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
35g sunflower seeds
25g sesame seeds
25g ground linseeds
25g chia seeds
1 tbsp maple syrup
160ml kefir (or buttermilk)
A little milk for brushing
Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas mark 6. In a bowl, mix together the flours, bicarbonate of soda and two-thirds of the seeds. Make a well in the centre and pour in the maple syrup and kefir and mix everything together to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough out on to a floured work surface and gently knead it. Make a round loaf and place it on a floured baking sheet. Cut a cross in the top with a sharp knife.
Brush the surface with a little milk, then sprinkle the remaining seeds over the top, pressing them in slightly. Bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes, until it sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Leave it to cool on a wire rack.
It can be frozen on the day of baking.
Bread you can make in a mug
Instant, fresh, gluten-free and delicious.
MAKES 4 SMALL ROUND SLICES (100 CALORIES PER SLICE)
2 tsp coconut oil
1 large egg
2 tbsp ground almonds or ground walnuts
3 tbsp ground flaxseeds
½ tsp baking powder
Generous pinch of salt
MICROWAVE the coconut oil in a mug with straight sides for 20-30 seconds on high, then use the oil to grease the sides of the mug.
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together the egg, 2 tsp water, the nuts, ground flaxseeds, baking powder and salt.
Pour the mixture into the mug.
Stir the mixture with a fork to incorporate the coconut oil, making sure the top is level.
Microwave for 1 minute on high.
If the bread still appears very moist, microwave it for another 10-20 seconds or so.
However, make sure that you avoid overcooking as this will make the texture very rubbery.
Tip the bread out of the cup — it may need loosening with a knife.
If it is still runny at the bottom, put it back in the cup and microwave it on high for a further 10-20 seconds.
Allow it to cool for a few minutes on its side, then cut it into slices.
Sour Cream and Seaweed Muffins
A nutritious snack to stop temptation…
MAKES 12 (200 CALORIES EACH)
l 50g butter, softened
l 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
l 2 large eggs
l 150ml buttermilk
l 160g sour cream and chive dip
l 11⁄2 sheets nori seaweed, finely chopped
l 260g wholegrain flour (buckwheat or spelt)
l 4 tbsp Parmesan, grated
l 1 tsp baking powder
PREHEAT oven to 180c/160c fan/gas mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Melt butter in a small frying pan and cook spring onions for 3-4 minutes.
Beat together the eggs, buttermilk and sour cream dip, then stir in the spring onions and seaweed. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, Parmesan and baking powder. Season with salt and pepper. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mix. Combine it all but don’t overmix.
Spoon the mix into muffin cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden.
Adapted by Claire Coleman from The Clever Guts Diet Recipe Book by Dr Clare Bailey (Short Books, £14.99). To order a copy for £11.99, visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. P&P is free on orders over £15. Offer valid until November 18, 2017. cleverguts.com