This connection between fiber and fatty acids is connected with the finding of a new research study. Short chain fatty acids are compounds produced by bacteria living in the intestines. These acids are generated during fermentation of insoluble fibre within the colon, made up of vegetables and other plant material.
These types of fatty acids are connected to several health benefits, such as a lower chance of developing inflammatory diseases, diabetes, and heart disease. For example, a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate acts as an energy source for colonic cells and it has anti-carcinogenic as well as anti-inflammatory properties.
In a recent study, scientists examined information relating to the daily diet of 153 people. These people either ate everything (omnivores, 51), were vegetarians (51), were vegans (51). Each adult lived in one of four geographically distant cities in Italy. At the same time the research group assessed levels of gut bacteria and associated “chemical fingerprints” (metabolites), taken from stool and urine samples.
The experimental findings found that the levels of short chain fatty acids were associated with the quantity of fruit, vegetables, legumes, and fibre eaten. This was unrelated to the type of diet eaten. So what was important was not whether someone eat meat or not, but how many vegetables were added to the meal.
There was one dietary difference, however. The researchers discovered that trimethylamine oxide, a compound associated with to cardiovascular disease, was found in far lower quantities in the urine samples of vegetarians and vegans compared with omnivores.
While the results are interesting, it should be noted that the study population was small and that it focused on one country, and then on people who reside in cities.
The findings are published in the journal Gut. The research is headed “High-level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome.”
