Our gut contains a vast array of bacteria. While it’s all too easy to think of bacteria as being bad, in reality only around 5 percent of all bacteria pose any threat, and many more are actually beneficial—some are so beneficial that our life would cease without them. The particular variety in our gut helps to breaks down and process foods, of course, but it also influences the production of hormones and affects neurotransmitters in the brain.

Recently scientists have explored the possibility that the bacteria play an important role in brain development as we grow, and that abnormalities are partly responsible for autism spectrum disorders. Given the wide range of influence these microbes have, it becomes essential for us to learn how to properly maintain them. Fiber has been one obvious avenue, but new research has discovered a benefit to coffee and wine:

A CUP of coffee or a glass of wine helps maintain “good” bacteria in the gut but whole milk or a calorie packed diet is bad, a study found.

It has long been established that whatever we eat affects the bacteria in our intestines.This colony consists of “good” bacteria that have anti-inflammatory properties and “bad” ones that promote inflammation.

Coffee and wine can increase the diversity as well, while whole milk or a high-calorie diet can decrease it.

Professor of Human Genetics Dr Cisca Wijmenga, of Groningen University, said: “Normally, researchers only investigate one particular region of DNA in which different groups of bacteria can be distinguished

“We have mapped all the bacterial DNA to gain much more detailed information about bacteria types.”

This is great news for anyone already consuming coffee and wine—most of the population?—for those that are not, perhaps now is the time to start. Check out the full post for more details on the study.

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