According to a new study, not only the composition of the diet but also the regularity of meals directly affects gut health.
Researchers from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (Switzerland) have proven that consistent consumption of vegetables, fruits, and grains strengthens the gut microbiota — and thus supports:
immunity;
metabolism;
mood.
The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.
The project involved more than 1,000 volunteers who recorded their meals over several months through an application developed using artificial intelligence.
The AI analyzed the composition of dishes, the frequency of meals, and compared them with the microbial composition of the participants' intestines. Using machine learning algorithms, researchers learned to determine a person's diet based on the composition of their microbiome — and vice versa — with an accuracy of up to 85%.
Why You Shouldn't Take Breaks from Healthy Eating
It turned out that irregular eating negates all the benefits of healthy foods. The microbiota, as a complex ecosystem of beneficial bacteria, responds not so much to the quantity of vegetables and fruits but to the consistency of their intake. When the diet changes abruptly and unpredictably, the balance of beneficial microorganisms is disrupted.
"The recommended 5 servings of vegetables and fruits have a positive effect only if you eat them every day," the authors concluded.
