Health & Wellness

Can’t Stop Craving Junk Food? ‘The Art of Being Well’ Says Your Gut Bacteria Are Calling the Shots

October 3, 2025

It’s 3 p.m. and you’re face-deep in the office snack drawer again. Or maybe it’s nearing midnight. and you’ve somehow demolished an entire pint of ice cream without even realizing it. You tell yourself you just need more willpower, more discipline—but what if the problem isn’t your self-control at all?

On The Art of Being Well, host Dr. Will Cole sits down with Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe, an expert in microbiome science, to break down why your gut bacteria might be the real reason you can’t stick to your health goals. Whether you’re dealing with constant cravings, energy crashes, or feeling wrecked after eating supposedly “healthy” foods, this conversation reveals what’s actually happening inside your digestive system.

Gut Bacteria Cravings: Why You Can’t Stop Craving Junk Food

Your gut is running your life

Your gut isn’t just breaking down your lunch—it’s basically a command center for your entire body. Inside are trillions of microbes forming a living ecosystem that influences how you burn energy, balance blood sugar, and even how full you feel after a meal.

Within that ecosystem are what researchers call “keystone strains,” the bacteria with outsized influence on your health. Take Akkermansia muciniphila. Discovered only about 20 years ago, it’s now one of the most studied gut bacteria. Akkermansia helps maintain your gut lining, supports how your body processes food, and may stimulate GLP-1, the same hormone weight-loss drugs mimic. When this strain is depleted, it’s not just digestion that takes a hit. Metabolism, inflammation, and even hunger signals start to go haywire.

“You are 100 percent in control of what you feed them,” Cutcliffe says about gut bacteria. Every food choice you make influences which microbes thrive and which ones decline. The catch is that most people’s guts may not have the bacterial diversity to process certain food, so the salad you think should give you energy ends up leaving you with belly bloat instead.

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Why your gut is probably wrecked

Your gut issues probably aren’t your fault. Most people’s microbiomes have been under attack since day one, and the hits just keep coming.

Antibiotics are important for health, but they can also disrupt gut flora. Cutcliffe compares them to “bleaching” your garden when you spot a weed. So, in addition to wiping out harmful bacteria, they can clear out beneficial ones too. Studies suggest that early, frequent use of antibiotics in infants may be linked to certain conditions later in life. And the kicker? The microbiome you rebuild after antibiotics isn’t the same one you started with, so the key is focusing on rebuilding gut diversity afterwards through foods and habits that help microbes thrive.

Birth method and early feeding also matter. Vaginal delivery exposes babies to maternal bacteria, while C-section babies get a different microbial start. Breastfeeding shapes the gut too, feeding babies prebiotics and probiotics. And even once you’re grown, the environment doesn’t cut you a break. Stress, travel, hormonal changes, your period…every one of them can thin out the bacterial crew you rely on. Over time, all those tiny gut punches stack up.

How to fix your gut for real

The good news? Your microbiome isn’t locked in. Unlike your DNA, it’s flexible—something you can rebuild and upgrade with everyday choices. The goal isn’t a flawless gut, but a resilient one: a system that’s flexible enough to handle jet lag, busy weeks, and even a Taco Bell run without spiraling.

Start with fiber and polyphenols

These are the A-list snacks for your good bacteria. High-fiber foods (think beans, lentils, oats, apples, berries, and leafy greens) keep things moving, while polyphenol-heavy picks like green tea, dark chocolate, olive oil, and spices help keystone strains thrive.

Add in fermented foods

Kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir—they deliver probiotics plus fiber, giving your gut a double win. These foods bring in live cultures while also creating conditions for your existing bacteria to grow stronger. And if raw veggies usually leave your stomach feeling uncomfy, fermented versions can be much gentler. The fermentation process breaks down tough fibers ahead of time, so your gut gets the perks without all the extra work.

Fasting can also reset things

But what matters most is how you break it. “That first thing that you eat when you’re breaking your fast is the most important thing because that’s the first thing going down into that garden and whoever wants to feed off that, that’s what you’re feeding them,” Cutcliffe says. In other words, don’t let your first bite be gas station snacks. Give your microbes a head start with something like fruit, oats, or even a matcha latte.

For more insights, check out The Art of Being Well with Dr. Will Cole wherever you get your podcasts.