Finding gut health at the supermarket

A rising interest in gut health is spurring leading supermarket and retail chains in India to stock up on gut-friendly foods their customers want

- Tanisha Saxena

In a landscape saturated with wellness trends, the subject of gut health seems to soldier on-inspiring everyone from researchers to wellness gurus to study it and advocate diets focussed on it.

And beyond the impact of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where influencers endorse various products and unconventional diets, the "Good Gut" trend is evolving into more than a fleeting craze, signifying a fundamental change in our approach to wellness and healthcare.

"Gut health involves the effective functioning of the digestive system including organs like the stomach and intestines. It encompasses a balance of beneficial and harmful microorganisms in the gut and the overall integrity of the gut lining," explains Dr. Sreekanth Appasani, a consultant medical gastroenterologist in KIMS Hyderabad. The GI tract houses a significant portion of immune cellsup to 80%. Trillions of bacteria form a protective barrier, fostering immune tolerance.

Which is why, as Appasani says, "a healthy gut is vital for proper digestion, absorption of nutrients, and plays a key role in supporting overall immune function." Good gut health has been linked to alleviating conditions such as depression, anxiety, chronic ailments, allergies, and even boosting immunity. This is because the gut and the brain are closely interconnected and engage in continuous communication. "The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in regulating mood and emotions by producing and interacting with various substances, including neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin," says Dipti Patawari, counselling psychologist at Lissun, a tech enabled mental health startup in Gurgaon.

Serotonin, often referred to as the "happy hormone" is primarily synthesized in the gut and influences mood, appetite, and sleep patterns, she adds.