Kids are being encouraged to get in touch with their 50 trillion gut bacteria through a new interactive exhibition in Sydney.
And to keep them interested the exhibition focuses on gut goodies and bacteria baddies.
Gut bacteria goodies in the new installation at Wild Life Sydney Zoo include Bifido, Lacto and Strepto, which have been brought to life in robotic or "animatronic" versions.
The gut "heroes" sit among microscopes and educational texts giving visitors a chance to also explore the "bacteria baddies".
Health experts say an unbalanced diet that promotes bad bacteria could be fixed simply by eating more greens, more grains and more cereal.
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Doctor Sam Hay says one of the biggest problems facing modern guts is that too much fibre is being cut out of diets.
He points to an association between unhealthy guts and diseases including depression, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.
"Research shows 47 per cent of Australians are avoiding grains and therefore grain fibre in their diet," Dr Hay told AAP on Friday.
"It's all well and good to try and get some good bacteria from superfoods and kombuchas but you've got to feed them. That's where the grain fibre comes in."
The Gut Bacteria Zoo exhibition, sponsored by Kellogg's, runs until April 17 at Darling Harbour.
