Increased Fat Intake Negatively Alters the Microbiome

Increasing your fat intake by 40 percent decreases the “good” bacteria in your gut and increases your risk for chronic disease, according to research published in Gut. Researchers compared three controlled diets of 20, 30, and 40 percent calories from fat and tracked gut microbiota health in young adults. Those on the lowest-fat diet lost the most weight and increased gut microbiota linked to decreased risk for high cholesterol. Participants in the high-fat group saw increased proinflammatory microbiota. These results suggest long-term consumption of high-fat diets increases likelihood of chronic disease later in life.