The Unexpected Vegetable Test You Can Do At Home To Check Your Gut Health

You've heard the saying, "Listen to your gut." A queasy gut may warn you of a bad decision, but it might also tell you that the chicken you had at lunch went bad. Researchers are now recognizing how important your gut health is to your overall health. Poor gut health is linked to a weaker immune system. You associate that happy neurotransmitter serotonin with your brain, but most of it is manufactured in your gut.

Problems with your gut might manifest as gas, diarrhea, or constipation, but sometimes poor gut health can cause brain fog, sleep problems, or poor mental health. One way to check the health of your gut is by testing your gut transit time.

If you ever look at your poop (you know you do), you might notice that some foods like corn wind up seemingly undigested in your poop. It's not that your body can't extract the nutrients found in corn, such as vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. What your body isn't digesting is the outer kernel of corn that's made of cellulose. Knowing that corn winds up in your poop, you can tell how quickly your body digests food.

How to do the 'sweetcorn test'

The "sweetcorn test" takes a few days to do properly. First, you need about 10 days of "washout" where you don't eat any corn. Just eat as you normally would. When you're ready to do the test, eat about 100 grams of corn (about half a cup) two hours before dinner. Note the time and date you eat the corn. Then, look for those corn kernels to show up in your poop. How long it takes for that poop to appear is your gut transit time.

According to The Conversation, you have slow gut motility if it takes more than 48 hours to see those kernels of corn. This could mean that the bacteria in your gut are feeding on protein rather than fiber for their energy source, which could cause bloating or inflammation. Slow gut motility could also indicate that your food remains undigested in your small intestine. If you have an overgrowth of bacteria in your small intestine, you could experience abdominal pain or nausea.

If you see the corn in less than 12 hours, you have a fast gut transit time. People with anxiety, inflammatory bowel disease, or irritable bowel syndrome might have faster gut motility. Having a faster gut motility could mean that the nutrients you need aren't being properly absorbed in your intestines.

How to improve your gut motility

You shouldn't be too concerned if your gut transit time is too slow or too fast unless you're experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms. How long it takes for your food to work its way through your digestive system can vary from day to day. A visit to the doctor might be necessary if you consistently notice a fast gut transit time. A more sluggish gut could pick up its pace by adding more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and water to your diet.

(Here are some warning signs from your stomach you shouldn't ignore.)

Your gut motility has a close relationship with your gut microbiome. According to a 2022 article in Gut, some bacteria in your gut create short-chain fatty acids and other compounds that stimulate gut motility. Other gut bacteria can slow down gut transit time because they produce gas like methane. A slower gut transit time not only has your gut bacteria rely on proteins for food, but they also can produce harmful byproducts that lead to inflammation. Eating more fermented foods like yogurt can improve your gut microbiome.