A Diet Rich in Animal Products Alters Gut Bacteria Rapidly and Profoundly | Minds

A Diet Rich in Animal Products Alters Gut Bacteria Rapidly and Profoundly | Minds:

Everything we eat affects our health in some way. In the short-term, our foods travel to our stomachs and through our intestines, impacting the beneficial bacteria there in chemical reactions that take place nearly instantly. One recent study from researchers at Harvard indicates a diet rich in animal products may be doing the most damage to our internal ecosystem.

Published in the journal Nature, the researchers looked at how diet influences the balance of gut bacteria, or the “microbiome” within. They found that short-term consumption changes have profound effects. In particular, a diet with little plant foods and heavy on meat and dairy increased the abundance of certain microorganisms, one of which—Bilophila—is linked to digestive ailments and inflammatory bowel disease.