Distinct microbial mediators link diet to inflammation in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Mayorga L, Noguera Segura A, Campderros L, Pons-Tarin M, Soler Z
Gut Microbiome
Every handful of beans, leafy greens, or berries from your garden feeds gut bacteria that actively suppress inflammation — and this study maps exactly which plant foods do the work and why.
Researchers followed nearly 200 people — some healthy, some with bowel disease — and found that eating more whole plant foods shifted the mix of gut bacteria in ways that reduced inflammation. The two main types of bowel disease responded differently: one type benefited from specific bacteria triggered by particular foods like coffee and whole-grain bread, while the other improved mainly by having a richer, more diverse bacterial community. Mediterranean-style eating built around fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich plants consistently came out on top for gut health across both conditions.
Key Findings
Gut microbiome diversity was lowest in Crohn's disease patients and correlated positively with intake of fiber, fruits, vegetables, and nuts across all 198 participants.
In Crohn's disease, coffee and whole wheat bread reduced the Harvey-Bradshaw inflammation index through specific bacterial species and their metabolites.
In ulcerative colitis, Mediterranean-style diets and fruits lowered C-reactive protein (an inflammation marker) by boosting microbial richness and short-chain fatty acid production — a class of compounds made when bacteria ferment plant fiber.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A study of 198 adults found that eating more fiber, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and coffee reduces gut inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disease — but the two main subtypes respond through completely different gut-bacteria pathways, suggesting that diet advice for these conditions should not be one-size-fits-all.
Abstract Preview
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) arises from complex interactions among diet, host and gut microbiome. Although diet influences intestinal inflammation, the microbial and metabolic pathways involve...
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Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes.