Kerri WaldronThe health benefits
1. Weight loss
Volunteers who followed the NiMe diet lost 1.4 per cent of their body weight over three weeks, according to the results published in the journal Cell. For example, this would mean the typical man in the UK losing 2.5lb and the average woman losing 2.2lb.
This weight loss was despite participants eating the same number of calories as they usually would (around 2,500 calories for men and 2,000 for women).
“A potential explanation would be that calories from whole plant foods are not as easily accessible by our digestive enzymes,” Prof Walter says.
2. Improved heart health
Blood tests revealed that levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad cholesterol” because it builds up in the arteries and raises the risk of heart attacks and stroke, decreased by 17 per cent after three weeks on the NiMe diet, results showed.
There was also a 14 per cent reduction in C-reactive protein – a marker for inflammation and heart disease, Prof Walter noted.
3. Lowered Type 2 diabetes risk
Blood sugar decreased by 6 per cent among those following the NiMe diet, Prof Walter said. Blood tests also revealed an increase in indole-3-propionic acid – a metabolite that has been shown to protect against Type 2 diabetes and nerve damage.
4. Enhanced gut health
“On a Western diet low in dietary fibre, the gut microbiome degrades the mucus layer in the gut, which leads to inflammation,” Prof Walter explains. In contrast, the high-fibre NiMe diet helps to maintain this barrier which, in turn, reduces inflammation, he says.
Additionally, the study found that those following the NiMe diet had an increase in short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which help with digestion and immune function.
5. Lower cancer risk
A low-fibre diet can force gut microbes to ferment (break down) protein because there is not enough fibre for them to ferment. “This generates harmful by-products that likely contribute to colon cancer,” Prof Walter explains.
In contrast, the study found that the NiMe diet increased carbohydrate fermentation in the gut, at the expense of protein fermentation, which reduced levels of metabolites linked to cancer, such as secondary bile acids and 8-hydroxyguanine, he says.
The risks
As the NiMe diet is very high in fibre, it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, similar to other dishes high in onions or beans, such as bloating and gas, Prof Walter says.
“These symptoms vary among individuals,” he notes. “The diet might therefore not be the right choice for individuals that are intolerant to fibre.”
How to incorporate the NiMe diet into your life
“I follow the diet and I stick to it as much as I can,” says Prof Walter. He does the food shop for his household and sticks to buying ingredients that fit within the diet.
He found it difficult to stop eating, for the most part, cheese and processed meats, though he found it easy to give up ultra-processed foods. “But I still struggle with being too busy, so at lunch time, I still often have a sandwich, which would not be NiMe,” Prof Walter notes.
Who should follow the diet?
“The data shows that the NiMe diet reduces risk indicators of important chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer,” Prof Walters says. “So everyone who wants to stay healthy should benefit.”
A longer lifespean and more years spent in good health have been linked to healthy dietary patterns that are in line with the NiMe approach, he notes. Prof Walters plans to study whether the diet could also have this effect.
Recipes
From The NiMe Diet: Scientific Principles and Recipes
Yellow pea soup
Source: bing.com
