Hannah Holscher, a registered dietitian and microbiome researcher, teaches classes about nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is also the Director of the Nutrition and Human Microbiome Laboratory.
At the lab on the school’s campus in Champaign, Holscher and her team analyze biological samples like blood, stool and urine, and sift through large data sets from existing microbiome research to better understand “how the microbes in our body are able to break down components in foods that our own human enzymes can’t digest,” she told CNBC Make It in January.
Holscher’s work helps inform how people should eat to maintain or improve their health and well-being. She also uses what she’s learned while studying the human microbiome to shape her own diet.
And Holscher makes sure to get one vital nutrient in as often as possible for optimal gut health: “[I] try to get my recommended amount of fiber every day, which is going to be right around 25 grams.”
On average, American adults typically eat just 10 to 15 grams of total fiber a day, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
The gut-friendly breakfasts this dietician eats every day
To prioritize her gut health, Holscher frontloads her day with foods rich in dietary fiber or probiotics. Some fiber-rich foods are leafy greens, berries, apples, avocados and chia seeds
A typical breakfast for Holscher looks like:
- Overnight oats with whole rolled oats, chia seeds, flax seeds, milk, berries and honey
- High-fiber cereal
- Yogurt and granola
“I work really hard to try to prioritize consuming different plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes.”
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