Is Glyphosate Destroying Gut Bacteria? Glyphosate is a chemical that is very useful to farmers because they can spray it all over their fields. The chemical kills weeds, but leaves the resistant crops untouched.
New evidence suggests that even tiny amounts of the herbicide might be harmful to your friendly bacteria. Some scientists say that leftover herbicide and pesticide on leafy green plants or fruits like apples and pears can end up in the stomach and intestines. There, it makes it harder for bacteria cells to multiply. Since individual bacteria cells don’t live very long, this can end up wiping out entire species.
RoundUp has Glyphosate as its active ingredient. Is Glyphosate Destroying Gut Bacteria? Scientists believe that it is killing bacteria that help people digest gluten, and that is leading to a huge increase in the number of people around the world who suffer from Celiac Disease. It’s that, over the next few decades, scientists will discover more and more diseases that could be connected to RoundUp.
Tips for Protecting Yourself
Peel or wash any fresh produce thoroughly. I soak all fruits (The ones without a hard skin) in water and add some Apple Cider Vinegar (1 teaspoon or less). This helps remove a lot of the pesticides. Rinse well with filtered water and you can’t taste the vinegar at all.
Buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Organic produce is grown without the use of any harmful chemicals, so choosing organics will protect your friendly bacteria.
Choose GMO-free foods whenever possible. As a general rule, if a food doesn’t explicitly market itself as non-GMO or GMO-free, it probably contains at least some genetically modified ingredients.
Avoid packaged and processed foods. These packaged foods are very likely to be made with one or more genetically modified crops. There’s no way to know.
Genetically modified foods, especially those that have been grown with the help of chemicals like RoundUp, pose a serious threat to the microbiome. It’s impossible to know what consequences these types of products might lead to, but the safest course of action is avoid potentially harmful foods whenever you can.
To protect your major organ of detoxification (your liver) you might want to consider supporting your liver. CLICK HERE to learn how.
SOURCES
Environ Sci Eur. 2016; 28(1):3 Trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally. Charles M. Benbrook
Ramakrishna, Balakrishnan S. Role of the gut microbiota in human nutrition and metabolism. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2012.
Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013 Dec; 6(4): 159–184. Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance. Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff.
