A 16-Week Veggie Diet Can Do Wonders For Your Gut Microbiome

A vegetarian diet can improve your health, but experts say it’s important to keep an eye on nutrients and protein.

Research shows that a 16-week vegetarian diet helps with intestinal blood loss and overall health. A healthy microbiome is a diverse microbiome. A veggie-based diet is the best and useful way to achieve this. It is not necessary to choose a strictly vegetarian diet, but limiting meat intake is beneficial. New research suggests that following a vegetarian diet for about 4 months can boost your stomach microbiome. In turn, body weight and blood sugar management may improve. But this does not mean that you need to completely switch off meat and dairy.

However, it is important that moving to a more plant-based diet is probably the healthiest option. Ph.D., MD, Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine The research, led by Hana Kachelova, was presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Barcelona, Spain this week. The researchers studied 147 participants, who were randomized into two groups. One followed a low-fat vegetarian diet. The other did not change his diet.

After the completion of the 16-week study, the researchers reported that the vegetarian group had seen their body weight, fat mass, and visceral fat levels decrease.

“We expected to see changes in the gut’s microbiome on a plant-based diet, Kahleva told. However, it was amazing to see how fast the changes took place and how serious they were.”Asked what the biggest method of research is, was unequaled.

“Eat more plants,” he said. “They are fibers that increase the microorganism and metabolic health of the intestine.”

What is gut microorganism?

Because this research shows how a vegetarian diet increases the gut microbiome, it is worth knowing what the gut microbiome actually is.

Microorganisms that live in the digestive system, when properly balanced, promote a healthy digestive system, as well as the immune system, bowel movements, metabolism, and hormones that help in appetite regulation.

But when the microbiome is unbalanced, things can get out of whack.

Sharon Zarabi, RD, CDN, CPT, “Sharon Zarabee”, director of the bariatric program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Explained, We took what happened to a more western diet, which includes rice, pasta, bread and a lot of animal meat.

“This has changed the harmony of the microbiome. “A lot of intestinal bacteria are imbalanced, and this can increase symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, decrease the immune system, and can also cause cancer cells to proliferate.”

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RDN, manage Wellness Nutrition Services at Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Ohio. She says the researchers’ findings are not surprising.

“Many studies show the benefits of a plant-based diet. One of the biggest predictors of good gut health is a variety of antioxidant-, phytonutrient- and fiber-rich foods. Plants provide the bulk of these, ”Kirkpatrick told.

Plant-Based or Vegetarian: What’s the Best?

Although the study specifically focused on people following a vegetarian diet, dieticians say that a plant-based diet is a healthy way to go, but following a strict vegetarian diet is not necessary.

“When we eat a more diverse plate of food that has different macronutrients, such as protein and fiber and complex carbs and healthy fats, we get to increase the diversity of the microbiome,” Zarabi said. said.

“A vegetarian diet that promotes high-fiber foods coming from plants will improve the microorganism of the intestine. But when we all start taking animal protein, we limit ourselves to where our protein is coming from. If you are eating [from] a vegetarian diet, it mostly comes from beans and some vegetables. So it is important to make sure that you do not fall short on any nutrient, ”said Zarabi.

However, it is still important to monitor one’s nutrition – it is difficult to argue with the logic of some – to embrace vegetarian well-being and reduce one’s carbon footprint.

“A vegetarian diet may be less beneficial if all your foods are frozen dinners and white grains,” Kirkpatrick said. “Doing your research and visiting your doctor or dietician is recommended to help you get started.”

You are what you eat

It can seem daunting to make lean proteins and veggies from burgers and fries. But this is not impossible.

“I think the first step is familiarizing yourself with different vegetables, which are especially vegetables that contain prebiotic fibers,” Zarabi said. “The initial phase of what these probiotics feed on: indigestible fibers that help stimulate the growth and spread of probiotics.”

High prebiotic foods include asparagus, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, cabbage, garlic, cashews, lentils, and chickpeas.

Zarabi warned that while these foods are unfamiliar to the stomach, the initial side effects may include bloating and gas as the body learns to adapt.

“If you have those symptoms in the beginning, don’t stop it yet,” she said. “Give your body some time to adapt to the changes. If you are still feeling a GI crisis, you can work with a dietitian to find out which vegetables or prebiotics are better for you. ”

When planning a meal, it is helpful to think in terms of thirds.

One-third of the plate should contain vegetables, one third should contain lean protein sources, and a third should contain complex carbs, such as sweet potatoes, beets, quinoa, bran, and oats.

There is also room for healthy fats, such as olive or avocado oil, as they help improve heart health.

Kirkpatrick recommends cutting out completely red and processed meat or at least limiting these products to twice a month.

Zarabi said You are what you eat? so what goes into your body affects your health outcomes?

Eat as close to nature as you can, she said. Think about what you are feeding to your body? How many steps did you have to adapt to the daily routine? Choose foods that are close to nature that contain an ingredient. They are the best for you.