Plant-Based Diets Beneficial for Gut Health

Numerous mechanisms have been identified to explain the well-documented long-term health benefits of plant-based eating patterns. A recent review study published in the top-tier journal Nutrients describes another potential mechanism: diets rich in plant foods have the ability to improve the gut microbiome–the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal tract–which in turn helps to reduce inflammation and risk for obesity and type II diabetes.

The authors explain how diets rich in plant foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables–thanks to their high fiber and phytochemical content–have the ability to promote a greater number of beneficial bacteria and fewer opportunistic bacteria within the gut microbiome. These changes lead to decreased production of several inflammatory compounds, while increasing the creation of highly beneficial short chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

In the same review, the authors explain how typical Western diets–high in animal protein, saturated fat and processed sugar, but low in fiber–alter the gut microbiota in the opposite way,  increasing production of inflammatory compounds while reducing beneficial bacteria and the creation of SCFAs. These changes are linked to increased risk for chronic low grade inflammation, metabolic disease, and obesity.

The authors conclude that “the adoption of a plant-based diet … has beneficial effects on the host’s microbiome, helping to reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote optimal energy balance, which could further lead to combating chronic diseases that are associated with low-grade inflammation.”

References:

Beam, A., Clinger, E., & Hao, L. (2021). Effect of Diet and Dietary Components on the Composition of the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients, 13(8), 2795.

Xiong, R. G., Zhou, D. D., Wu, S. X., Huang, S. Y., Saimaiti, A., Yang, Z. J., Shang, A., Zhao, C. N., Gan, R. Y., & Li, H. B. (2022). Health Benefits and Side Effects of Short-Chain Fatty Acids. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 11(18), 2863.