A novel diet that mimics traditional eating habits using non-industrialised style food can be key to reducing the risk of several chronic diseases while also promoting weight loss.
Industrialised diets — high in processed foods and low in fiber — have contributed to a substantial rise in chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The new diet, titled “NiMe” (Non-industrialised Microbiome Restore) diet, is inspired by the eating habits of non-industrialised societies.
It has a plant-based focus but is not strictly vegetarian. The diet primarily includes vegetables, legumes, and other whole-plant foods, along with one small serving of animal protein per day (such as salmon, chicken, or pork), but excludes dairy, beef, and wheat.
An international study led by Irish researchers revealed that the NiMe diet enhanced the short-term persistence of Lactobacillus reuteri — a beneficial bacterium common in the gut of people with traditional eating habits.
“Industrialisation has drastically impacted our gut microbiome, likely increasing the risk of chronic diseases,” said Professor Jens Walter, a scientist at the University College Cork in Ireland.
The NiMe diet is very low in processed foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat and is rich in fiber, with a content of 22 grams per 1,000 calories — exceeding current dietary recommendations.
In a strictly controlled human trial, researchers found that the diet led to significant metabolic and immunological improvements in just three weeks. It promoted weight loss, decreased bad cholesterol by 17 percent, reduced blood sugar by 6 percent, and lowered C-reactive Protein (a marker of inflammation and heart disease) by 14 percent, according to the results published in the journal Cell.
These improvements were linked to beneficial changes in participants’ gut microbiome. The diet also repaired microbiome features damaged by industrialisation, such as reducing pro-inflammatory bacteria and bacterial genes that degrade the gut’s protective mucus layer.
Notably, participants lost weight without consuming fewer calories.
The study highlights that targeting the gut microbiome through specific diets can help improve health and lower the risk of chronic diseases.
(Inputs from IANS)
