Study reveals secrets to maintaining good gut health
Gut health is very important for us to feel and function as we should. The type of food we consume, and how often we eat it, are key when it comes to human gut health, a new study using artificial intelligence reveals. But you knew that already, right? However, the research found that we can’t just ‘binge’ on fruit and vegetables from time to time and expect everything to be okay. So, what do we actually need to be doing? (Picture: Getty)
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne say the food we eat and how regularly we eat it are the most important factors in determining gut health. Diets that are rich in fibre, fruits, vegetables and nuts promote higher gut microbe diversity and better digestive health. (Picture: Getty)
What are gut microbes?
Gut microbes are bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms that inhabit our digestive system, and some support our health while others can be harmful. But the new research, which is published in the journal Nature Communications reveals that consistency in following a healthy diet is as necessary for gut health as the type or quantity of food we eat. (Picture: Getty)
The study, which is driven by AI analysis, shows that regularly eating fruits, vegetables and grains is crucial for developing a healthy gut microbiota. The researchers confirmed that it’s not just the consumption of fruit, vegetables and grains that create a healthy gut microbiota, but whether you eat them regularly or not. (Picture: Getty)
Associate Professor Marcel Salathé, co-author of the paper, said: ‘This research clearly shows that you cannot binge on vegetables on your healthy day and then eat in an unhealthy way for the rest of the week or month. In fact, our study suggests that irregular consumption of healthy foods undoes many of their beneficial effects on the gut microbiota. This is a real incentive for future studies to not just look at what people are eating but the patterns of what they are eating over time.’ (Picture: Getty)
The team also found that a person’s gut bacteria and what they eat can predict each other with up to 85% accuracy using a stool sample. Dr Salathé said: ‘For our collaborators in San Diego, who are some of the world’s leading experts in microbiome research, this was exciting. Getting such data from a stool sample is relatively easy, but understanding someone’s diet is notoriously difficult, it’s data that’s been challenging to collect.’ (Picture: Getty)
The study assessed nutritional information of some 1,000 people who were part of the ‘Food and You’ study, and was collected through the MyFoodRepo app developed by the Swiss institute. The app’s AI system analysed the data for nutritional content and the analysis was then reviewed by the researchers. They say that the research provides insights into lifestyle-oriented gut disorders that often develop gradually. (Picture: Getty) Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
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