Recipes & Rituals — microbiome

Gut health has become one of the most talked-about topics in nutrition. It has also become one of the most commercially exploited. Here is what the peer-reviewed research actually says — stripped of the marketing.The Gut MicrobiomeThe human gut contains approximately 100 trillion microorganisms collectively known as the gut microbiome. A healthy microbiome is characterised by high diversity. IBS, inflammatory bowel disease and a range of other conditions are associated with reduced microbiome diversity.What Damages the MicrobiomeThe primary disruptors are well established: antibiotics, ultra-processed foods, chronic stress, inadequate sleep and lack of dietary fibre. Each reduces bacterial diversity. Learn about...

Plant Health Day — 13 July — celebrates the science and practice of keeping plants healthy. For us, it is a reminder of why we source organic ingredients and why it matters for the gut health of everyone who eats That Protein.What Organic Actually MeansOrganic certification means ingredients are grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilisers. It means no genetically modified organisms. It means farming practices that build soil health, support biodiversity and work with natural ecosystems rather than against them.In the UK, the Soil Association organic standard is one of the most rigorous in the world. It covers...

Your gut and your brain are in constant conversation. This is not a metaphor — it is biology. The enteric nervous system, often called the second brain, contains over 500 million neurons lining your gastrointestinal tract. These neurons communicate directly with your brain via the vagus nerve in what scientists call the gut-brain axis.Serotonin and the GutApproximately 90% of the body's serotonin — the neurotransmitter most associated with mood regulation — is produced in the gut, not the brain. This is one of the most striking findings in modern neuroscience and helps explain why gut dysfunction so frequently co-occurs with...