Can a plant based diet improve your gut microbiome? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:02 — 1.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Gut bacteria, known collectively as the gut microbiome, are inextricably linked with your overall health. Can a plant based diet help improve and maintain your gut microbiome? Jaclyn Rose, a Johns Hopkins dietician, says yes indeed.

Rose: Diets rich in plants are much higher in fiber, and we know fiber is fermented by the gut microbiota which can provide energy and substances for microbial growth, potentially increased diversity. It also helps to produce short chain fatty acids in our gut, which can enhance delivery of nutrients, it can help maintain the integrity of the colon, and it can potentially stimulate the immune system. Now in terms of what that means for chronic diseases and other health outcomes, we’re still learning how it really impacts chronic diseases and disease prevention.  :32

Rose says there is intriguing research on the power of fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi to stimulate and improve the gut microbiome. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.