The Mediterranean Diet Can Help Keep Your Gut Happy

A new study released this week found that a Mediterranean or plant-based diet can change the bacteria in your gut.
Good nutrition makes it more likely for "friendly" bacteria to grow in the gut.
Scientists still don't fully understand the microbiome and how it can impact your health.

The gut system is home to trillions of bacteria and other microbes. These living things make up a group called the gut flora.
Many bacteria in the microbiome are important for human health because they help break down food, keep the lining of the intestines strong, and keep people from getting sick.

For good bacteria in the gut to grow, new study shown at UEG Week 2019 suggests that a Mediterranean-style diet full of plant-based foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts may be helpful.
Researchers from the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands looked at what more than 1,400 people ate and the bacteria that lived in their guts. They found that a Mediterranean-style diet was linked to gut microbiota that was better. Lower amounts of inflammatory markers in stool were also linked to it.

All of this suggests that eating a lot of plants might help protect against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other bowel illnesses.
Finding a link between food and the microbiome in the gut helps us understand the link between diet and intestinal disease better, said Laura Bolte, lead investigator of the study and a dietitian who is currently getting her MD and PhD in nutrition.

Since the data show that diet can change the gut microbiome, it is likely to become an important and serious way to treat or manage gut diseases, she claimed.

The Mediterranean diet may help prevent swelling.

Bolte's study included people from the general community, people with Crohn's disease, people with ulcerative colitis (UC), and people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Crohn's disease and UC are both types of IBD that cause the bowels to be inflamed all the time. When someone has IBS, inflammation may also play a part in their illness.

The researchers gave each subject a food frequency questionnaire and a stool sample to look for possible links between diet, gut microbiota, and intestinal inflammation.

They discovered several connections between what the people in the study ate, the bacteria in their guts, and signs of inflammation in the intestines.
A Mediterranean-style diet full of fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and fish was linked to more good bacteria. These bacteria help the body make nutrients, fuel cells in the colon, and lower inflammation. This way of eating that was high in plants was also linked to lower amounts of inflammatory markers in the stool.

On the other hand, eating a lot of meat, processed sugar, or fast food was connected to having less good bacteria in the gut and more inflammation markers.

"It's not surprising that a diet pattern linked to a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and longer life is also linked to better digestive health," Julie Stefanski, MEd, RDN, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Healthline.

"This study adds to a growing body of evidence that finding the right mix of bacteria for health and having a healthy intestine may be key to fighting many chronic diseases," she said.

Lesson Summary

A recent study suggests that adopting a Mediterranean or plant-based diet can positively impact the microbiome in your gut, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. The gut is home to trillions of bacteria and other microbes collectively known as gut flora, with many of them playing crucial roles in human health.

The study, presented at UEG Week 2019, indicated that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in plant-based foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts is associated with a healthier gut microbiota and lower inflammatory markers in stool. Here are the key takeaways from the research:

• A Mediterranean diet can influence the bacteria in your gut, potentially protecting against inflammatory bowel disease and other bowel illnesses.
• Research from the University Medical Center Groningen linked this diet to better gut microbiota and reduced inflammatory markers.
• Eating more plants and less meat, processed sugar, and fast food is beneficial for gut health and may lower inflammation.

Lead investigator Laura Bolte emphasized that understanding the link between diet and the gut microbiome can improve our comprehension of intestinal diseases and pave the way for novel treatment approaches. The study included individuals from various groups, such as those with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome, and highlighted the associations between diet, gut bacteria, and intestinal inflammation.

Overall, the findings underscore the potential of the Mediterranean diet to influence gut health positively and its role in preventing inflammation-related conditions. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the importance of gut bacteria in combatting chronic diseases.