Understanding the human body is a team effort. That's where the Yachtel group comes in.

Researchers at Yachtolt have been delving into the secrets of probiotics for 90 years.

Yacold also partners with nature portfolio to advance gut microbiome science through the global grants for gut health, an investigator-led research program.

To learn more about Yachtolt, visit yawcult.co.

.jp.j. That's Y-A-K-U-L-T.C-O.J-P. When it comes to a guide for your gut, count on Yacolt.

This is Scientific American's 60-second science. I'm Christopher in Taguata.

Your nose may be the first place you think of as a source of mucus, but mucus is a major player in your gut too.

There's antimicrobial peptides and proteins that are present in there.

Bacteria live there and forage on the carbohydrates, and it's the lubricant.

It helps sweep contents

down the GI tract without probably injuring the epithelial layer.

Eric Martens, microbiologist at the University of Michigan. He says farther down the GI

tract in the colon, the mucus builds a wall, a barrier against friendly bacteria.

As well as pathogens that could be transiting through.

But here's the problem.

Your gut bacteria may chew right through that wall if you skimp on fiber in your diet.

Martin's and his team modeled that scenario in mice who'd been born free of microbes.

They seeded the mice's guts with a human gut microbiome, and then fed them on a high-fiber diet,

raw-milled corn, whole wheat, whole soybeans, and oats.

It's about as raw of a diet as you can get.

The human equivalent, double our recommended daily intake of fiber.

It's a lot of kale.

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