Butyrate: food for your gut

Ritesh Bawri

13 Nov 2025 — 2 min read

If you are chasing good health, it is hard to throw a rock and not hit gut health. Among the many factors that affect gut health, one important one is butyrate.

So what is butyrate and how does it affect you?

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that your gut bacteria make when you eat the right kind of food. It is produced in your colon when friendly bacteria ferment dietary fibre.

Think of it as fuel for your gut cells known as colonocytes. These cells line your intestinal wall, forming a barrier that keeps harmful substances out of your bloodstream.

When butyrate is present, your gut barrier stays strong reducing inflammation and improving overall health.

When levels drop, the barrier weakens leading to what we often call a leaky gut.

There is more. Butyrate helps regulate inflammation improves insulin sensitivity. It supports metabolism and even influences your brain through what scientists call the gut brain axis.

It is known to increase brain derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, a molecule that enhances learning, mood and memory. In simple words, a healthy gut helps build a healthy brain.

So how can you increase butyrate naturally?

Eat more fibre. Your gut bacteria need raw material to make butyrate. Focus on vegetables fruits legumes and whole grains. Foods like onion, garlic, asparagus, broccoli and leafy greens.

Add resistant starch. When you eat cooked and cooled rice or potatoes or green bananas you are consuming resistant starch.

Your gut bacteria love it and increase butyrate production naturally.

Include fermented foods. Foods such as yogurt,kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut add beneficial bacteria to your gut.

These bacteria help maintain a microbiome capable of producing butyrate

Choose healthy fats. Butter from grass-fed cows naturally contains small amounts of butyrate.

Finally, avoid processed foods, sugar refined carbohydrates and additives that harm the delicate balance of your gut bacteria.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain

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