Certain foods from the classic Mediterranean diet are linked to high levels of helpful gut bacteria, a Netherlandish study has found.
The foods, including legumes, bread, fish, nuts and wine, aid in the biosynthesis of essential nutrients and help the gut produce healthy fatty acids, said dietician Laura Bolte, University Medical Center Groningen. Bacteria with anti-inflammatory properties was also tied to consumption of these foods, along with vegetables, cereals and fruit, she said.
The findings support the idea that diet can help modify gut bacteria, and in the process serve as an effective management strategy for intestinal diseases, Bolte wrote.
The researchers observed four study groups: the general population, patients with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and people with irritable bowel syndrome.
The study was presented Monday at UEG Week Barcelona, a global gastroenterology conference.
