Research
Mixed
A Western diet high in animal protein, choline, and saturated fat promotes a specific gut microbiome profile (Enterotype 1) characterized by high Bacteroides and low Prevotella, which is associated with increased risk of metabolic diseases.
Adopting a plant-rich diet can shift your gut microbiome away from the 'Western' profile (high Bacteroides, low Prevotella) toward one associated with better metabolic health and higher microbial diversity.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The first enterotype, high in Bacteroides and low in Prevotella, is found in individuals on a long-term Western diet high in animal protein, the nutrient choline, and saturated fat.
Why this rating
Supported by metagenomic studies and immigrant cohort data.
Source
Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease
Ronald D. Hills et al. · Nutrients · 2019
DOI 10.3390/nu11071613
narrative_reviewCited 1,109×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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