Research
Mixed
High intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) promotes gut dysbiosis characterized by increased bile-tolerant anaerobes (Bilophila) and inflammation, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) support a healthier microbiota profile with higher diversity and beneficial bacteria.
Prioritize sources of unsaturated fats (like nuts, fish, olive oil) over saturated fats (like butter, fatty meats). This shift supports a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome.
GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
Conversely, SFA (specifically long-chain saturated fatty acids) promotes the growth of Bilophila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and causes a decline in numbers of Bifidobacterium, Bacteroidetes, Bacteroides, Prevotella, Lactobacillus ssp. [70–72].
Why this rating
Supported by animal studies and some human interventional studies, though human results vary.
Source
You Are What You Eat—The Relationship between Diet, Microbiota, and Metabolic Disorders—A Review
Małgorzata Moszak et al. · Nutrients · 2020
DOI 10.3390/nu12041096
narrative_reviewCited 384×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- High intake of simple carbohydrates (sucrose, fructose) causes rapid deregulation of gut microbiota composition, leading to metabolic dysfunction, whereas complex carbohydrates (fiber, resistant starch) promote beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus) and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, supporting metabolic health.Good
- High protein intake, particularly from animal sources, can lead to gut dysbiosis by increasing pro-inflammatory bacteria and decreasing beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria, whereas plant-based proteins may have a more neutral or beneficial effect.Moderate
Related findings · Mixed
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