Every day, it seems there's a new "it" diet. But now there's a whole new reason not to try them all: It turns out, switching diets can drastically affect your intestinal health, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.
In the Harvard University-led study, researchers asked 10 men and women between the ages of 21 and 33 to eat either a plant-based diet rich in grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables—or an animal-based diet consisting of meats, eggs, and cheeses. The microbiome (aka population of gut bugs) in all of the participants changed drastically—and quickly.
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After just five days, the veggie-eaters' digestive tracts were home to bacteria types that make amino acids, the building blocks of protein, from plant sugars. Meanwhile, the meat-eaters' intestines appropriately started packing more protein-digesting bacteria. Why that matters? Some of the bugs found in the meat-eaters' digestive tracts have been linked with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
While most people aren't eating foods that come only from animals, the results show how changing up our eating strategies can affect our stomachs. So if you've noticed your belly aching, it might be worth taking a closer look at how you've changed your diet recently—and mentioning it to your doctor if you go in for a visit.