People often say: My family is from (fill in the blank) so that s why I love to eat the way I do. Now a new study debunks that and finds that no matter where your ancestors are from or what type of food you grew up on, there are two universal truths: Plant-based food is better for you, and processed food is worse for you. Beyond that, there may not be a single best diet for everyone, the study authors found. But those two truths are confirmed by this research. The authors and supervising doctors include researchers from Kings College, London, to Trento, Italy, Malmo Sweden, Madrid Spain, and Mass General, in Boston.
Researchers say a recent study demonstrates a clear association between specific gut microbial species, certain foods, and risk of some common diseases.
A diet rich in healthy and plant-based foods is linked with the presence and abundance of certain gut microbes that are also associated with a lower risk of developing conditions such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, according to recent results from a large-scale international study that was co–senior authored by Andrew T. Chan, from Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The report appears in Nature Medicine.
“This study demonstrates a clear association between specific microbial species in the gut, certain foods, and risk of some common diseases,” says Chan, a gastroenterologist, chief of the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit at MGH, and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “We hope to be able to use this information to help people avoid serious health problems by changing their diet to personalize their gut microbiome.”
The largest and most detailed study of its kind has uncovered strong links between a person s diet, the microbes in their gut (microbiome) and their health. This interrelationship appears to associate with an individual s risk of some serious conditions, including diabetes and heart disease. The study shows that gut microbe composition is highly individualized, and these findings could be used to provide personal dietary advice for better health.