the impact of veganuary on your gut.

Why Veganuary Is the Perfect Time to Start a Synbiotic Supplement

Introduction

As the new year begins, many people take on Veganuary - a month-long challenge to embrace a plant-based diet. While this shift has significant health benefits, it can take time for your gut to adjust.

How Veganuary Affects Your Gut

Switching to a plant-based diet means eating more fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. These foods are excellent for your long-term health, however, the sudden increase in fibre can be tough on your digestion, leading to bloating, gas, or irregular bowel movements as your gut adapts.

Also, some nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc can be harder to absorb from plant sources compared to animal products. For example, non-heme iron from plants is less bioavailable than heme iron found in meat (Piskin et al., 2022). A balanced gut microbiome is essential in nutrient absorption so if your gut is lacking good bacteria, this will impact how well these nutrients will be absorbed.

The Role of Synbiotics

Adding a synbiotic - a combination of probiotics and prebiotics - can ease this transition. Prebiotics, like inulin or fructooligosaccharides (FOS), act as food for the good bacteria in your gut in order to grow and stay active. Probiotics help replenish beneficial gut bacteria, helping to reduce bloating and gas associated with high-fibre diets (Crucillà et al., 2024). They also enhance the absorption of vital nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and iron, ensuring you get the most from your plant-based meals (Rusu et al., 2020; Varvara & Vondar, 2024). 

Conclusion

Whether you're exploring veganism for the first time or are already plant-based, a synbiotic can provide the digestive support your gut needs. It’s a small step that helps you enjoy the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle whilst supporting your digestion.

References

• Crucillà, S., Caldart, F., Michelon, M., Marasco, G., and Costantino, A. (2024). Functional
  Abdominal Bloating and Gut Microbiota: An Update. Microorganisms, 12(8), 1669. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081669
• Piskin, E., Cianciosi, D., Gulec, S., Tomas, M., and Capanoglu, E. (2022). Iron absorption: Factors, limitations, and improvement methods. ACS Omega, 7(24), 23760-23775. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.2c02992 
• Rusu, I.G., Suharoschi, R., Vodnar, D.C., Pop, C.R., Socaci, S.A., Vulturar, R., Istrati, M., Moroșan, I., Fărcaș, A.C., Kerezsi, A.D., Mureșan, C.I. and Pop, O.L. (2020). Iron Supplementation Influence on the Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Intake Effect in Iron Deficiency—A Literature-Based Review. Nutrients, 12(7), p.1993. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12071993
• Varvara, R.-A., and Vodnar, D. C. (2024). Probiotic-driven advancement: Exploring the intricacies of mineral absorption in the human body. Food Chemistry: X, 21, 101067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101067