Unless you are a Turritopsis dohrnii, aging well is likely a
concern for you. If you are one of these newly discovered
“immortal” jellyfish lazing about the Mediterranean Sea,
you possess the ability to regress to earlier stages of
development at will. If you are not one of these lucky
creatures, however, you’ll likely want to preserve mind and
body for as long as possible.
One result of fiber consumption is that our microbial
friends metabolize the fiber and transform it into chemicals
called short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs.^7 This category of
fatty acids includes butyrate, acetate, and propionate, all of
which have been linked to many longevity- and health-
promoting effects. These fatty acids are the literal waste
products of bacteria, and yet we are indebted to them for it.
The most extensively studied of the SCFAs is called
butyrate. Grass-fed beef and dairy contain small amounts of
this fat, but a much more appreciable amount of butyrate is
churned out by our microbiota when we simply eat more
fiber. This is desirable partly because butyrate has been
shown to raise levels of BDNF, which directly promotes
neuroplasticity and slows neurodegenerative processes.^8
Aside from increasing BDNF, the brain’s anti-aging
“Miracle-Gro,” one of butyrate’s most beneficial effects is in
reducing inflammation. Generally speaking, the more fiber
you consume, the more closely your microbiota begin to
resemble an inflammation-extinguishing butyrate factory.^9
In terms of your cognitive function, less inflammation
means that you can think more clearly and focus and
remember things better.^10 But while taking steps to reduce