Are Your Gut Microbes Controlling Your Cravings?

If you’ve ever felt like cravings are running the show, you’re not alone. At the Stanford Fermented Food Conference this past couple of days, one idea really caught my imagination: microbes may not just live inside us — they might actually influence what we eat.

Scientists call it the “microbial manipulation hypothesis”: if sugar-loving microbes dominate, they may nudge us toward sweet, ultra-processed foods. If your gut has a richer mix of species, your body often leans toward fibre, plants and ferments that support balance.

It raises a fascinating question: are our cravings really ours, or are they whispers from the trillions of microbes inside us?

The Problem We Face

You want steady energy, calm cravings and a gut that feels settled — but sometimes willpower alone isn’t enough.

Supermarket shelves don’t make it easy. They’re packed with ultra-processed foods (UPFs), many of which are marketed as “healthy” while hiding sugars and additives. Add to that the fact that your microbes may be nudging your cravings in the wrong direction, and it’s no wonder so many of us feel stuck.

The Cycle of Influence

In imbalance, sugar fuels sugar-loving microbes. Those microbes shout louder for more, keeping you caught in a loop of cravings, dips in energy and frustration.

In balance, diversity brings calm. Microbes begin producing compounds that support immunity, metabolism and even mood. Cravings quieten, energy steadies, and better choices feel easier — almost natural.

The empowering truth? Your gut isn’t fixed. It can shift surprisingly quickly when you change what you feed it.

Why Diversity Matters

Among all the research, one theme keeps coming back: diversity is the foundation of health.

• A diverse microbiome acts like a safety net — no single species dominates, and the system can adapt to stress.

• Low diversity weakens that net. It leaves the gut more fragile, linked with chronic inflammation, reduced immune function and higher risk of long-term conditions.

• In one Stanford study, simply adding fermented foods to the diet boosted diversity and reduced inflammation in just 10 weeks.

  
  

Think of your gut like a rainforest: the more species it holds, the more stable and resilient it becomes. When species are lost, the system doesn’t just get quieter — it becomes fragile, less able to protect itself, and easier to tip out of balance.

The Empowering Truth

The idea that microbes might manipulate our choices can sound unsettling — but it’s also empowering. Because it means the choices we make can, in turn, shape our microbes.

If we do nothing, imbalance tends to feed itself:

• Sugar and UPFs keep fuelling sugar-loving microbes.

• Cravings grow louder, energy dips lower, and resilience takes the hit.

• Over time, low diversity leaves the gut more fragile and health more vulnerable.

But when we choose balance and diversity, everything begins to shift:

• Microbes produce compounds that support immunity, metabolism and even mood.

• Cravings feel calmer, energy steadier, and better choices flow more naturally.

• The whole system — your microbiome and your health — becomes more resilient.

That’s why, at Enriched Being, we’ve chosen to put nutrient-dense microgreens — packed with power in every small shoot — at the centre of what we do. Locally, we grow and share them fresh with chefs and households. Nationally, we’ve created Big Shot — a cold-pressed, wild-fermented microgreen shot designed to make gut support simple, daily and doable.

✨ We believe lasting change starts small — with simple habits, powerful microgreens, and natural nutrition you can trust.