“We are what we eat” should actually say, “We are what our microbes eat.” In fact, what we eat immediately and profoundly influences our gut microbiome, which then determines our health.
1 Protein – Overall, protein consumption was found to be positively correlated with bacterial diversity in the gut. Whey and pea protein increased both Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, while whey also decreased Bacteroides fraglis and Clostridium perfringens, both pathogenic.
Additionally, pea protein was found to increase short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, which are considered anti-inflammatory, and play a role in mucosal integrity. One study, however, found that a high animal protein/low carbohydrate diet resulted in reduced Roseburia and Fubacterium rectale, both beneficial bacteria. Animal protein can be high in fat, and fats also influence the gut microbiota.
- Fats — When researchers looked at fats, what became clear is that not all fats are created equally. In one study, mice were fed either lard-derived or fish-derived fats. Bacteroides and Bilophila increased in the lard-fed mice, while Actinobacteria (Bifidobacterium and Adlercreutzia), lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus and Streptococcus) and Verrucomicrobia (Akkermansia muciniphila) increased in fish oil-fed mice. The lard-fed mice also had white adipose tissue inflammation and impaired insulin sensitivity. Fish-oil fed mice fared better overall, and researchers concluded that the gut microbiota contributed to the overall inflammatory response to a high saturated fat diet.
- Digestible Carbohydrates — Carbohydrates, which include digestible (starch and sugars) and indigestible (fiber), might be the most studied macronutrient for their ability to alter the gut microbiome. Humans fed high amounts of glucose, fructose and sucrose in the form of dates had increased levels of Bifidobacteria and reduced Bacteroides. On the contrary, when fed saccharin, an artificial sweetener, an increased abundance of Bacteroides and reduced Lactobacillus reuteri occurred, a microbial shift exactly the opposite of the natural sugars.
- Non-Digestible Carbohydrates — Fiber is considered a non-digestible dietary component, sometimes referred to as a prebiotic because it benefits the host by stimulating the growth of good gut bacteria. Sources include soybeans, inulins, unrefined wheat and barley, raw oats, and non-digestible oligosaccharides such as fructans, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS), and arabinooligosaccharides (AOS). A diet low in fiber is linked to lower bacterial abundance, whereas a diet rich in these non-digestible carbohydrates increases Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. Other studies found non-digestible carbohydrate consumption positively correlated with increased abundance of Ruminococcus, E. rectale, and Roseburia, and negatively correlated with Clostridium and Enterococcus species. And while higher fiber intakes resulted in reductions in the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and insulin resistance, lower dietary fiber intake consistently showed a decreased short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, confirming the intimate effect diet has on the microbial population and its influence on our health.
- Fermented Foods — In addition to macronutrients and fiber’s influence on our gut bacteria, fermented foods containing lactic acid bacteria, such as cultured milk products, were also found to increase levels of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.
- Polyphenols – Finally, but not least importantly, are the polyphenols, which include catechins, flavonols, flavones, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids (found in foods such as fruits, seeds, vegetables, tea, cocoa products and wine), were found to increase Bacteroides, and decrease pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Clostridium species.
In summary, this review confirmed that diet is our first line of offense and defense in engineering a microbiome that will foster overall health. After looking at various diets ranging from the “Western” diet to the vegan diet, the researchers determined a Mediterranean-Type Diet, replete with its beneficial fatty acids, high amounts of fiber, high levels of polyphenols and greater ratio of vegetable to animal protein, to be the most preferred by the beneficial bacteria.
The review limited its research to human studies published between 1970 and 2015, and evaluated 188 articles that fit the criteria of how dietary intervention affected microbial composition.
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