Are Emulsifiers Disrupting Your Gut Microbiome?

I was talking with a client recently about emulsifiers and how often they show up in our food, and I thought this was worth sharing because it is something I look at quite a bit when someone is struggling with gut issues. We spend a lot of time talking about gluten, dairy, sugar and other foods that may be contributing to symptoms, but sometimes we also need to look at what has been added to the food.

Emulsifiers are one example. They are added to foods to improve texture, keep ingredients from separating and help products last longer on the shelf. They are also found in a lot of packaged foods, including plenty of foods that are marketed as healthy. Research shows that certain emulsifiers may have an impact on the gut microbiome and the overall environment in the gut.

What is an emulsifier?

Basically, an emulsifier helps ingredients stay mixed together that normally wouldn't. Think about oil and water. Food manufacturers use emulsifiers to keep ingredients blended and to make foods smoother, creamier, thicker and more shelf-stable.

Some common ones you may see on ingredient lists include:

• Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), also called cellulose gum

• Polysorbate-80

• Carrageenan

• Mono- and diglycerides

• Lecithin

• Xanthan gum

• Guar gum

I don't look at this as every gum or emulsifier being “bad.” That is way too simplistic. What I am more interested in is how much of this someone is getting throughout the day and what is already happening in their gut.

Someone with a healthy, diverse microbiome who occasionally eats a food containing an emulsifier is very different from someone with significant bloating, constipation, diarrhea or dysbiosis who is eating packaged foods containing these ingredients several times a day.

Why does this matter for the gut?

We have trillions of bacteria living in our digestive tract, and those bacteria do a tremendous amount for us. They help break down food, interact with our immune system, support the intestinal lining and produce compounds that are incredibly important to our health.

Researchers have been looking at whether certain emulsifiers can change that environment. One human study looking at carboxymethylcellulose, or CMC, found changes in the gut microbiome along with decreases in some of the beneficial compounds produced by gut bacteria. Some people in the study also experienced more abdominal discomfort. Other research has raised similar concerns about certain emulsifiers and their effects on the microbiome, including changes in the production of short-chain fatty acids.

This does not mean that you eat something containing an emulsifier once and suddenly you have damaged your gut. What concerns me more is repeated exposure, especially when someone's microbiome is already out of balance.

Why short-chain fatty acids matter

One of the reasons these changes get my attention is because our gut bacteria make compounds called short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs, when they ferment certain fibers and resistant starches. One of the best known is butyrate, which is an important source of fuel for the cells lining the colon and plays a role in maintaining the intestinal barrier and supporting healthy immune function.

This is why, when I look at someone's microbiome, I am not only interested in which bacteria are present. I also want to know whether those bacteria are functioning in a way that supports the gut. Are there enough beneficial bacteria, are they being fed the foods they need, and are they producing adequate amounts of compounds like butyrate?

I wrote more about this in Why Short-Chain Fatty Acids Matter for Gut Health, Blood Sugar and Metabolism, because these compounds don't just influence digestion. They are also involved in inflammation, blood sugar regulation, insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.

This is also why diversity within the microbiome matters. Certain beneficial organisms play very specific roles in maintaining the gut environment. Akkermansia muciniphila, for example, is one of the bacteria I pay attention to when I run comprehensive stool testing because of its relationship with the intestinal mucus layer and gut barrier.

When beneficial bacteria are missing or very low, I want to understand why. Diet, lack of fiber diversity, medications, infections, digestive dysfunction and other factors can all affect the microbial environment.

Where I think this really becomes an issue

For most people, it isn't one food containing one questionable ingredient. It is what happens when these ingredients start showing up throughout the entire day.

For example, someone might have:

• Coffee creamer in the morning

• A protein bar later on

• Gluten-free bread at lunch

• Bottled salad dressing

• A protein shake made with almond or oat milk

• Another packaged snack in the afternoon

• A low-calorie dessert after dinner

• 
  

You could look at that day and think, I'm eating pretty healthy. But when you turn those packages around and actually read the ingredient lists, you may find gums, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners and stabilizers showing up in one product after another. That is where I start paying attention.

But it's gluten-free...

I see this all the time. Someone removes gluten because they are experiencing digestive symptoms, but then replaces their bread, crackers, cookies and snacks with gluten-free versions that have very long ingredient lists. They may actually end up consuming more gums, starches, stabilizers and other additives than they were before, and then understandably wonder why they are still bloated even though they have removed gluten.

Going gluten-free does not automatically mean you are eating in a way that supports the gut. Sometimes we need to take another step back and look at the overall quality of the food and the ingredients that are being eaten every day.

This is also why I like testing rather than guessing

When someone has ongoing digestive symptoms, there are many possible reasons. Bloating could be related to poor digestion, low stomach acid, bacterial overgrowth, H. pylori, an imbalance between beneficial and opportunistic bacteria, impaired intestinal function, food choices or several of these things happening together.

This is why I often use comprehensive stool testing such as the GI-MAP with clients who have persistent digestive issues. The GI-MAP allows me to look at the bigger picture of the microbiome rather than simply guessing based on symptoms. It can give us information about beneficial bacteria, opportunistic organisms, H. pylori and other digestive markers that can help us understand what may be happening in the gut.

I talk more about how I use this type of testing in my article on H. pylori and GI-MAP testing.

Testing doesn't mean that every number needs to be “fixed.” It gives us information that we can put together with someone's symptoms, diet, lifestyle, blood work and health history, and that is where functional testing can be incredibly helpful.

Do you need to avoid every emulsifier?

No. I don't think anyone needs to become afraid of an ingredient list or panic because they ate something containing xanthan gum. But if your gut isn't doing well, I do think it is worth paying attention to how much of your diet comes from packaged foods and how frequently these ingredients are showing up.

For the most part, I want people building their meals around real food:

• Quality protein

• Vegetables

• Fruit

• Healthy fats

• Nuts and seeds

• Whole-food carbohydrates that work for them

• Herbs and spices

Then packaged foods can be part of the diet rather than making up the majority of it.

If you are constantly bloated, start reading your ingredient lists

If you are dealing with bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux, abdominal discomfort or ongoing digestive issues, take a look through your refrigerator and pantry at the foods you eat regularly. Most of us are used to checking calories, protein, carbohydrates or sugar, but the ingredient list can tell you just as much. You may be surprised by how frequently the same gums, emulsifiers, sweeteners and stabilizers show up throughout the day.

That doesn't mean one of those ingredients is definitely causing your symptoms, but it does give us another piece of information to consider. When I work with someone who has ongoing gut issues, I am trying to understand the bigger picture: why they are bloated, why their bowel movements are inconsistent, why they aren't digesting food well or why their gut isn't improving even though they feel like they are eating healthy.

Sometimes the answer isn't one specific food or one specific ingredient. We have to look at the entire environment we are creating in the gut every day, including the foods we eat, the ingredients added to those foods, how well we are digesting them and what is happening within the microbiome itself.

That is really the point of looking at emulsifiers in the first place. It isn't about becoming afraid of food or trying to eat perfectly. It is about becoming more aware of what we are eating regularly and asking whether those choices are supporting the gut or potentially adding another layer of stress to an already struggling digestive system.

Discover the why. Transform your health.

If you're struggling with ongoing digestive symptoms and want help figuring out what may be driving them, you can book a free 15-minute consultation through this link.

And if you know someone who could benefit from this information, please feel free to pass it along.