The largest gut microbiome study ever conducted in Africa has revealed a disturbing truth about what urbanisation is doing to Black bodies worldwide. Published in Nature journal, this groundbreaking research followed 1,801 women across Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa and the findings should concern every member of the Black diaspora.

In this episode, King Kurus breaks down how the move from rural to urban living is literally killing beneficial bacteria that have protected African populations for millennia. But this isn’t just a modern problem. It’s the continuation of a colonial pattern that began with the systematic destruction of traditional food systems over a century ago.

We explore the historical connection between colonial economic extraction in places like Uganda, the forced urbanization of African populations, and today’s “food deserts” that plague Black communities globally. From the loss of Treponema bacteria to the rise of gut-related diseases, this episode connects cutting-edge science to the long arc of African history.

Whether you’re in Lagos, London, or Los Angeles, this story affects you. Discover why geography shapes gut health, how traditional diets protected our ancestors, and what we can learn from rural African communities that still maintain microbial diversity urban populations have lost.

Key topics covered:

• The AWI-Gen 2 Microbiome Project findings
• Colonial food system destruction and its lasting effects
• The science behind gut bacteria and health
• Why traditional African diets matter more than ever
• The connection between urbanization and disease
• What this means for Black communities worldwide

Host: King Kurus

Sources: Nature journal, University of the Witwatersrand, Stanford University, historical colonial records

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