Micronutrients & recovery
Adherence to a Western diet for two weeks significantly increases plasma levels of specific fatty acids (myristic, linoelaidic, linoleic, alpha-linoleic, pentadecanoic acid) and urinary acesulfame K, serving as biomarkers for unhealthy eating patterns.
If you consume a Western diet high in processed foods, red meat, and artificial sweeteners, your body reflects this quickly. Within two weeks, levels of specific fatty acids (like myristic and linoelaidic acid) and acesulfame K rise in your blood and urine. This objective change signals that your diet is shifting towards an unhealthy pattern, highlighting the importance of reducing processed foods and artificial sweeteners.
In contrast, plasma myristic acid, linoelaidic acid, linoleic acid, α-linoleic acid, pentadecanoic acid, alanine, proline, carnitine, and deoxycarnitine, as well as urinary acesulfame K increased among participants following a Western diet.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with rigorous metabolomic validation.
Source
Metabolic Trajectories Following Contrasting Prudent and Western Diets from Food Provisions: Identifying Robust Biomarkers of Short-Term Changes in Habitual Diet
Nadine Wellington et al. · Nutrients · 2019
DOI 10.3390/nu11102407
More from this paper
- Adherence to a Prudent diet (high in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains) for two weeks significantly increases plasma and urinary levels of 3-methylhistidine and proline betaine, serving as robust biomarkers for healthy eating patterns.Good
- Adherence to a Prudent diet for two weeks significantly increases urinary levels of imidazole propionate, hydroxypipecolic acid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, enterolactone glucuronide, and plasma levels of ketoleucine and ketovaline.Good
Related findings · Micronutrients & recovery
- Trans fats (industrial trans-fatty acids) are unequivocally harmful and should be completely avoided as they raise LDL-C, TGs, and Apo B while lowering HDL-C.Strong
- For menopausal women with osteoporosis, first-line pharmacologic therapies include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab for the prevention of hip, nonvertebral, and vertebral fractures.Strong
- Folic acid fortification of flour prevents neural tube birth defects, and mandatory fortification is more effective than voluntary supplementation alone.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →