If you’re wavering among carrots, tomatoes, or spinach to accompany your next meal, go for the greens. Researchers at the University of Vienna in Austria have discovered that when green vegetables break down, they release something call sulfoquinovose (SQ), a plant-derived sugar, which in turn provides essential food for good gut bacteria to feast on. “Our research has found that SQ promotes gut microorganisms known to be associated with healthy individuals,” says lead study author Buck Hanson, Ph.D. Specifically, SQ is broken down into acetate and hydrogen sulfide, metabolites that support the body in functions ranging from brain signaling to appetite regulation to cardiovascular health, says Hanson. (To figure all this out, the scientists studied the fecal samples from a group of vegetarians—hello, plant poopers—and worked their way backwards to figure out the influence of SQ on gut microbes.) 10 Ways to Make Vegetables Suck Less Not a fan of the green stuff? Try these tricks