- There is even more research that a plant-based diet is linked to a healthy microbiome, beneficial bacteria that live in the gut.
- Certain species of intestinal bacteria are associated with health outcomes, such as better blood sugar control, reduced body fat and a healthier heart.
- Researchers hope that analyzing a person’s unique gut microbiome can lead to personalized recommendations on what to eat for optimal health.
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Herbal diets are associated with many health benefits, and new evidence suggests it may be because they grow friendly bacteria in our gut that control blood sugar levels.
The study, published on January 11 in Nature Medicine, is the largest and most detailed to date that looks at the gut microbiome, diet and health.
Researchers from several universities, including King’s College London and Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, analyzed extensive data from 1,098 healthy adults in the UK and the USA, including information on long-term diet, blood tests before and after eating and samples of your poop to analyze intestinal bacteria.
They found close associations between certain diets, specific species of bacteria and good health.
This information can help researchers develop ways for individuals to analyze their own intestinal microbiome and use that analysis to develop a personalized diet plan. (Several of the study’s authors have ties to ZOE, a health start-up that analyzes intestinal bacteria and recommends diets based on their results.)
“Given the highly personalized composition of each individual’s microbiome, our research suggests that we can modify our intestinal microbiome to optimize our health, choosing the best foods for our unique biology,” Dr. Sarah Berry, co-author of the study and a science reader. of Nutrition at King’s College London, said in a press release.
In the meantime, the existing evidence supports the findings of this study that the best path to a healthy gut is now a complete plant-based diet.
Links between certain foods and types of ‘good’ bacteria
One species of bacteria, Prevotella copri, has been associated with reduced body fat, better blood sugar control and good cardiovascular health. The researchers found that these bacteria were more common when people were on a diet rich in polyunsaturated fat, found in fish, nuts and seeds, although they were not linked to specific foods.
Another type of bacteria, the Blastocystis species, was also associated with stable blood sugar and healthy metabolism, and was significantly less common in participants with obesity. This bacterium is controversial and previous research is confusing as to whether it can be considered a parasite, potentially linked to digestive problems.
Participants who had these two types of bacteria had, on average, 17% less visceral fat.
Other types of beneficial bacteria have been strongly correlated with a plant-based diet, rich in foods such as spinach, tomatoes, broccoli and seeds.
To nourish your gut, eat vegetables and avoid processed foods and added sugar
Much research has already suggested that whole unprocessed plant foods have great benefits for growing beneficial bacteria.
A 2019 study found that vegan diets are linked to weight loss and better metabolism, in part because they are good for the intestinal microbiome. Further research has found that you can improve your health without becoming totally vegan by eating lots of whole plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts.
Evidence suggests that these benefits also apply to diet plans such as the Mediterranean diet, which is also rich in whole grains, vegetables and fruits.
The key to the growth of a strong gut microbiome appears to be eating mostly nutrient-dense whole plant foods, but also avoiding processed foods, refined starches and oils and added sugar.
“These are all things your grandparents probably told you,” said Dr. Rob Knight, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, and co-founder of the American Gut Project, previously to Insider. “What is happening now is that we are trying to understand why these things are true.”