March 6, 2026: The surprising benefits Of Camembert

Welcome to this month’s edition of Boost Gut Health. As  Hippocrates, the father of medicine, observed: all disease begins in the gut. 

Two Gut Healthy Habits

Test for gluten sensitivity. Up to 15 per cent of us are sensitive to gluten, the protein in wheat. That’s because some of us have a gene that makes us react to gluten. You might suspect a sensitivity if you feel bloated after a meal. You can find your genetic response to gluten through consumer-testing companies like 3x4Genetics and The DNA Company. 

Test stomach acids. Our stomachs are acidic by design to help break down food. Too much stomach acid can cause problems, as can too little acid. If you have repeated problems with digestion, or heartburn, then a test called a Heidelberg or SmartPill test may turn up some answers. Ask your doctor.

One Lesson

Camembert cheese changes in our gut for the better. New research in mice shows that our gut works on Camembert cheese to produce a new molecule that improves memory.

Camembert is made from milk that is fermented by a white mold: penicillium camembert. Researchers found that, once this gets into our gut, our enzymes create something called myristamide, which is not found in natural foods.

Mice fed Camembert cheese had less cognitive decline than mice that did not. But just be careful before you load up on Camembert. It’s roughly 25% fat, so a little goes a long way. And the good news is that the study showed you only needed a little Camembert to show an effect. That is in mice! Humans are TBC.

Here’s the study:
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168010224000403

One Quote

“Nature uses only the longest threads to weave her patterns, so that each small piece of her fabric reveals the organization of the entire tapestry.”

Richard Feynman