August on a plate: seasonal foods that give the microbiome more fiber and the scientific basis of personalized nutrilogy
The role of dietary behavior in maintaining microbial homeostasis
Modern biomedicine views the human body as a complex symbiotic system — a “superorganism,” whose vital activity is maintained through continuous interaction with trillions of microorganisms that inhabit our mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tract. The greatest concentration of these microscopic inhabitants is concentrated in the intestines, where they form a unique ecological niche — the intestinal microbiome. It has been proven that changes in our diet and daily eating behavior are determining factors in the state of this ecosystem. This is explained simply: by consuming this or that food, we primarily provide nutrition to our own microorganisms, which, in turn, provide feedback and are even able to dictate to us our food preferences and needs.
Seasonality in nutrition has deep evolutionary and physiological roots. August in Ukrainian geographical conditions is traditionally the month of harvest, when the widest range of local fresh vegetables, fruits, berries and greens appears on the shelves. This opens a unique window of opportunity for natural enrichment of the intestinal ecosystem with fiber - a vital prebiotic substrate. However, in order for the transition to a summer diet rich in plant fibers to bring only benefits and not provoke discomfort, it is necessary to deeply understand the molecular mechanisms of interaction between dietary fibers and the intestinal wall, as well as to apply personalized approaches to diet modeling.
1. Biochemistry and physiology of fiber: why intestinal bacteria need dietary fiber
From a chemical point of view, dietary fiber is a complex of non-degradable plant polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin) that are not digested by the natural enzymes of the human stomach and small intestine. Instead, they transit to the large intestine, where they become the main source of energy and a nutrient substrate for anaerobic commensal bacteria.
Current official medical recommendations in developed countries, including the United States, suggest that an adult should consume 28 to 40 grams of dietary fiber daily. However, real statistics indicate an acute deficiency: the diet of an average urban resident contains barely 15 grams of fiber per day. However, scientists engaged in basic research on the metagenome and metabolism of microbiota are increasingly concluding that a person needs to consume more than 50 grams of fiber daily to maintain ideal health and prevent chronic inflammatory diseases. Regardless of whether there is meat on your plate or what type of diet you follow (veganism, vegetarianism or a traditional mixed diet), the determining factor is the variety of plant forms that you consume, because it is this that directly enriches your microbiome.
What happens with fiber deficiency?
If we don’t provide our microbiome with enough plant fiber, the consequences for the body are devastating. Leading microbiologists describe this with a vivid metaphor: “If you don’t feed your gut bacteria fiber, they start eating you . ”
The inner wall of our intestines is protected by a thick and dense layer of mucous mucus (mucin), which acts as a biological and physical barrier, keeping trillions of intestinal microbes at a safe distance from epithelial cells and immune receptors. When commensal bacteria lack dietary fiber from the outside, they are forced to use mucin as a backup source of carbohydrates for survival. Gradually, the bacteria deplete and destroy the protective mucous layer. This leads to the penetration of microorganisms and their metabolites directly into the intestinal epithelium.
Local immune cells, recognizing foreign antigens (e.g., lipopolysaccharides of gram-negative bacteria), switch to an aggressive defense mode. A cascade of reactions is triggered, leading to local chronic inflammation, damage to tight junctions between cells (leaky gut syndrome), and the development of various forms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The trap of rapid change
Having realized the importance of fiber, patients often make a serious mistake - they try to sharply and radically increase the amount of plant products in their diet. This inevitably leads to serious discomfort: severe bloating, flatulence, bowel disorders, and pain syndrome.
The reason is that the microbiome, depleted by years of malnutrition, simply does not have enough enzymes to quickly utilize large volumes of complex polysaccharides. Undigested fibers stagnate in the colon and become an easy substrate for gas-forming opportunistic strains. That is why changing the diet should be very gentle, using a strategy of gradually introducing new products in microdoses over several months, so that microorganisms and the intestinal wall have time to physiologically adapt to the new conditions.
2. August menu for the microbiome: seasonal prebiotic treasures of Ukraine
August is an ideal period for gentle intestinal recolonization due to the abundance of seasonal crops growing on Ukrainian soil. Let's consider the key groups of August products that have a pronounced prebiotic and anti-inflammatory effect on the gastrointestinal tract:
A. Leafy greens and green herbs
Fresh leafy greens are not only a source of critical micronutrients (vitamins A, C, K, folate). Studies show that leafy greens contain a specific type of sulfur-containing sugar, sulfoquinovose, which serves as a selective source of nutrition exclusively for beneficial intestinal bacteria, stimulating their growth and suppressing the reproduction of opportunistic pathogens. Greens are also rich in specific polyphenols that act synergistically with fiber.
B. Pumpkin and carrots
Pumpkin and carrots are outstanding prebiotic crops. They contain a significant amount of high-quality soluble and insoluble dietary fibers (pectins, hemicelluloses), which act as natural enterosorbents, effectively binding and removing toxic compounds and xenobiotics from the body.
It has been clinically proven that the combination of pumpkin-carrot wet component medium with beneficial bacteria, in particular strains of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei , has a pronounced synergistic effect. Pectic substances of these vegetables stimulate the viability and colonization resistance of lactic acid bacteria, while simultaneously suppressing the vital activity of dangerous pathogens (such as enteropathogenic E. coli , staphylococci and listeria).
B. Apples and pears
Apples contain a unique concentration of highly methoxylated pectin, a soluble dietary fiber that colon bacteria easily convert into short-chain fatty acids (including butyrate, which reduces inflammation). However, in the presence of severe dysbiosis, such as excessive growth of bacteria of the genus Ruminococcus , consuming too sweet summer fruits (such as melons, watermelons, sweet apples, and pears) can increase fermentation and cause severe bloating. In such cases, their use should be strictly limited on the recommendation of a specialist.
D. Traditional Ukrainian fermented vegetables and plums
August is the time for harvesting and salting the famous Nizhyn local cucumber. Thanks to the natural process of lactic acid fermentation, simple carbohydrates in the plant cells of cucumbers are converted into useful lactic acid. Such products are extremely valuable: the fermentation process facilitates the digestion of fiber, makes biologically active substances more accessible for absorption, and enriches the product with live lactobacilli.
Also in August, the plum variety Ugorka Opishnianska is harvested, the delicate pulp of which contains pectin compounds, organic acids and anthocyanins, which stimulate intestinal peristalsis and act as a natural antioxidant protection for the mucous membrane.
3. Technological breakthrough: the first microbiome salad ZelenOK & Ediens
Understanding the challenges people face when transitioning to a healthy diet (including bloating from raw vegetables), Ukrainian biotech company Ediens, together with innovative city farm ZelenOK, have created a unique product — the first microbiome salad . This functional solution is designed to integrate deep microbiome science directly into the consumer’s daily plate.
Concept and packaging
The main challenge in creating the salad was to preserve the viability of the beneficial probiotic bacteria. If live strains were applied to wet greens directly during cultivation or packaging, this would inevitably provoke contamination processes, premature rotting of the greens, and the rapid death of the bacteria themselves.
To solve this technological problem, Ediens scientists have developed a unique packaging format based on the sachet principle. The consumer receives a box of fresh premium greens from ZelenOK, inside which is a separate sealed bag (sachet) with a freeze-dried concentrate of beneficial bacterial strains. Before consumption, the person washes the greens (as required by law to ensure safety), opens the sachet, sprinkles the salad with live bacteria, mixes and consumes immediately.
Mechanism of action on digestion
When the probiotic bacteria from the sachets get on fresh greens, they are instantly activated in the oral cavity due to contact with moisture and saliva. Together with the thoroughly chewed greens, they enter the stomach and intestines, being in a state of maximum metabolic activity. Ediens bacteria immediately begin to actively ferment the complex fiber of the lettuce, helping your own intestines to break down coarse fibers.
This completely eliminates the problem of flatulence and bloating, usually associated with the consumption of raw vegetables, and provides instant release of CLFA (butyrate) to protect the intestinal epithelium. The product label contains a QR code that leads to detailed scientific information about the beneficial properties of each strain in the sachet.
4. Biocode4U Individual Nutrition Plan from Ediens
Despite the enormous benefits of seasonal products, there is an unbreakable law in modern 4P medicine: there are no universal diets . Leading microbiologists emphasize the individuality of each person: “If you give the same apple to different people, they will react to it completely differently. Each person processes the apple in their own way, involving different enzymatic pathways of their microbiome, and receives a different amount of energy and nutrients from it .” What is a superfood for one organism can support chronic inflammation and cause putrefactive processes in another.
That is why Ediens has developed an innovative IT information system for creating a Personalized Nutrition Plan Biocode4U . This service has nothing to do with formulaic advice from nutritionists or automated templates of general-purpose artificial intelligence.
How is a meal plan selected?
To develop your personal lifestyle using the Biocode4U system, specialists collect a comprehensive three-dimensional array of patient data:
Molecular genetic study of the intestinal microbiome (next-generation sequencing NGS): The DNA of all microorganisms in the colon is studied, which provides complete information about their species composition, diversity index (Shannon), enterotype and metabolomic potential (ability to synthesize CLFA, neuroactive substances, etc.).
Biochemical blood test (relevance - no more than 1 month): Key metabolic markers are analyzed (cholesterol, glucose, creatinine, liver and kidney tests, inflammatory markers), which allows assessing the current systemic state of the patient's body.
In-depth online questionnaire (Quiz): The patient describes in detail their chronic diseases, subjective complaints, daily stress level, sleep, physical activity, and the presence of food allergies or intolerances.
Algorithm EdiensUniCode™ (BioQuantum)
The obtained data is processed by a unique, scientifically based mathematical algorithm EdiensUniCode™. The algorithm compares the patient's individual microbial deviations (Shift-indices) with a large database of the effects of biologically active plant substances on specific strains of bacteria.
At the output, the system generates a strictly individual program for 14 days, which is not just a calorie restriction, but a targeted adjustment of the microbiome with the help of products. The nutrition plan consists of identical in structure and unified phases (usually 4 phases), which help to gently rebuild the microbiocenosis, restore the sensitivity of intestinal receptors and eliminate chronic deficiencies. The user receives a clear list of allowed local products, detailed recipes with AI-calculated grammage for his calorie content and support from an expert doctor.
Conclusions
August gives us a unique opportunity to restore and strengthen our gut microbiome thanks to the seasonal abundance of fiber. However, for plant fibers to work for our benefit and not cause discomfort, the transition to a new diet must be conscious, gentle, and scientifically based.
Using such advanced solutions as the first microbiome salad in Ukraine from ZelenOK & Ediens, it is easy and pleasant to enrich your daily plate with live probiotic strains directly during meals. And for those who seek systemic, long-term changes and deep prevention of chronic diseases, the Biocode4U personalized Nutrition Plan is the ideal tool. Thanks to accurate metagenome diagnostics and unique Ediens IT algorithms, you will be able to turn ordinary products into high-precision medicines for your microbiome, ensuring yourself strong immunity, excellent mood and active longevity.
Short Questions and Answers (Q&A)
1. Why do scientists claim that in the absence of fiber, bacteria begin to “eat” our intestines? Answer: When beneficial commensal bacteria experience a chronic shortage of dietary fiber from food, they are forced to switch to an alternative source of nutrition - mucin (a gel-like protective mucus that covers the walls of the intestines). Gradually, the bacteria destroy this mucous barrier, which allows toxins and pathogens to come into direct contact with the epithelium, causing systemic inflammation and digestive disorders.
2. Why does a sharp transition to a "healthy" August menu with a lot of vegetables often cause bloating? Answer: The body and depleted microbiome of a person who has not received fiber for years are not adapted to the rapid utilization of large volumes of plant fibers. Bacteria lack enzymes, so the fibers stagnate and begin to ferment under the influence of opportunistic flora. To adapt the microbiome, it is necessary to introduce new August products very gently and gradually - in microdoses over several months.
3. What is unique and physiologically beneficial about the ZelenOK & Ediens microbiome salad? Answer: The salad contains premium fresh greens, rich in prebiotics and polyphenols, and is accompanied by a separate sachet with a freeze-dried probiotic strain from Ediens. Thanks to the separate packaging, the greens do not rot, and the beneficial bacteria are mixed immediately before consumption. They are activated in the mouth and immediately help the intestines ferment fiber, completely eliminating the risk of bloating.
4. How does the Ediens Biocode4U Nutrition Plan algorithm create an individual menu? Answer: The Biocode4U system does not use general diets. The proprietary mathematical algorithm EdiensUniCode™ processes the results of your genetic microbiome study (NGS sequencing), current blood biochemistry and a detailed medical questionnaire. Based on this data, a 14-day nutrition plan is calculated from traditional local and fermented products, which are selected as prebiotics exclusively for the needs of your unique microflora.
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