May 29th is World Digestive Health Day, also commonly known as World Gut Health Day, aimed at reminding people to pay attention to the health of their digestive system. Today we will learn about our own gut health. Eating the same meal, some people excrete quickly, while others excrete slowly. Which one is healthier? The time it takes for food to pass from the mouth to the exit is called "intestinal transit time". Transporting too quickly may lead to poor nutrient absorption, while transporting too slowly may allow harmful substances to accumulate and cause intestinal problems. In other words, the time from ingestion to excretion of a meal should be neither too slow nor too fast, usually considered to be between 12-73 hours. How do you know your intestinal transit time? Now let me teach you two methods: you don't need complex medical equipment, you can easily self test at home, and to some extent understand your intestinal health! Why is intestinal transit time important? The gastrointestinal tract is the core site for digestion and absorption of nutrients in the human body, also known as the "barometer" of human health. Intestinal transport time mainly includes gastric emptying, small intestine transport, and colon transport. Its transportation time is closely related to blood sugar regulation, satiety control, intestinal hormone secretion, and the formation and function of intestinal microbiota. 1. Gastric emptying: affects blood sugar and satiety. The gastric emptying rate determines the speed at which glucose enters the small intestine, which in turn affects blood sugar fluctuations and insulin response. The emptying is too fast, and the postprandial blood sugar soars, increasing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes; Slow emptying can stabilize blood sugar levels, prolong satiety, and reduce food intake. Soluble dietary fiber (such as β - glucan, pectin) can help slow down gastric emptying and improve metabolic health. 2. Small intestine transport: determines nutrient absorption and hormone secretion. The speed of small intestine transport affects glucose absorption and the release of intestinal hormones such as GLP-1 and PYY. Transporting too quickly reduces glucose absorption, while promoting hormone secretion, increasing insulin sensitivity, and enhancing satiety; If the transportation is too slow, it may lead to an increase in blood sugar levels after meals, which may affect metabolic health in the long run. Soluble fibers such as alginate and pectin can regulate small intestinal transport and improve blood glucose control. 3. Colonic transport: The faster colonic transport that affects microbiota and metabolic health helps eliminate harmful metabolites, promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria (such as fecal bacteria), increases short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, enhances insulin sensitivity, and reduces inflammation. Slow colonic transport may lead to imbalanced microbiota, increasing the risk of inflammation and insulin resistance. Insoluble dietary fiber (such as whole grains and bran) can accelerate colonic transport, optimize microbiota, and improve metabolic health. Is your intestinal transit time normal? The transportation time of food in the body is usually 12~73 hours, with an average of about 23-24 hours, but there are significant individual differences, which are influenced by diet, lifestyle, stress, and other factors. Do you want to know your gut rhythm? Try the Sweet Corn Test or Blue Poop Test to easily grasp your digestive health status! How to self-test intestinal transit time? Sharing two super simple methods: Sweet Corn and Blue Poop Test is a simple test that can be performed at home, calculating intestinal transit time and allowing you to quickly understand the operation of the digestive system. 1 Sweet Corn Test - Intuitive and Simple Sweet corn's shell contains indigestible cellulose, which can fully pass through the digestive tract and appear in feces, making it possible to measure intestinal transit time. Testing method: First, ensure that no sweet corn has been eaten within 48 hours before the test. Then, choose to eat a small bowl of cooked sweet corn (about 75g) at a meal and record the time of consumption. Then observe when corn kernels first appear in your stool and record the time difference, which is your intestinal transport time. 2 "Blue Poop" Test - Intuitive and Interesting This method uses the consumption of blue pigment to track the transportation time of food in the gastrointestinal tract, which is more intuitive. Test method: Before the test, it is necessary to maintain an empty stomach and consume blue cake, blueberry jelly, or blue sports drink within 10 minutes, and record the time of consumption. When your stool turns blue for the first time, you can know your intestinal transit time. How to interpret the test results? Regardless of the method used, the health status of the intestines can be roughly evaluated based on the length of time: less than 12 hours: there may be issues with rapid intestinal transport, which may be related to factors such as diarrhea and imbalanced microbiota. ·More than 73 hours or less than 3 bowel movements per week: Intestinal transport may be slow, and it is recommended to increase dietary fiber, water intake, and exercise to promote intestinal peristalsis. ·12-73 hours: Normal digestive function. Both methods are simple and easy to implement, which can help you quickly understand your intestinal rhythm. You can also record your intestinal transit time multiple times and find your normal range as a reference. If abnormal transportation time is found, dietary structure and lifestyle habits can be adjusted to relieve stress and make intestinal circulation smoother! Of course, this method can only roughly understand your intestinal condition. If you want to further understand your digestive system and identify risks, it's better to go to the hospital. (New Society)