Collagen powder

Look on social media and collagen powders appear to be the answer to many of our health concerns, but the science is more complex.

There is growing evidence that some specific hydrolysed collagen, which is not usually in powder form and tends to be expensive, might be helpful for joint and skin health. However, the more affordable power collagens on the market aren’t backed up by the same scientific claims.

“Any powdered collagen that’s less than £50 is usually very similar to gelatin, which is found in jelly,” says Dr Rossi. “Essentially, they’re not actually going to do anything because they are too big of a molecule to pass into the gut in collagen form. Instead, they have to be broken down into amino acids which you can get just as effectively from a piece of chicken or some butter beans.”

Sea moss

Sea moss is the latest wonder product being sold as a gut cure. However, there is no science behind these claims. Instead, Dr Rossi fears it may do more harm than good. An emulsifier called carrageenan, which is being studied by her team at King’s College London, is derived from sea moss. Emulsifiers are a common ingredient in many ultra-processed foods: “I definitely wouldn’t be recommending having it as a supplement,” says Rossi.

Gluten-free

There are over 40 trillion bacteria in your gut that all need different types of fertilisers to thrive, so one of the best things you can do for your gut microbiome is to eat a diverse and varied diet. This means the now common-place trend of cutting out certain foods can be detrimental if people are doing it unnecessarily.

“As is always the case, there is a little bit of truth behind everything,” says Dr Rossi. “For people who have coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition, their body will mistakenly see gluten as a toxin and react to it. But, for the rest of us, gluten is completely fine; however, it’s mistakenly been labelled as a toxin.”

Sea moss and bone broth: 5 gut health trends to avoid (and what to eat instead), according to the Gut Health Doctor