It is bad news for people who enjoy bacon butties, cups of milky coffee and spaghetti Bolognese.
Sticking to a more ‘primitive’ diet that doesn’t include dairy, beef or wheat can slash the risk of chronic disease and help you lose weight, according to a new study.
Experts have warned that modern meals – which are highly processed and low in fibre – have contributed to soaring rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
However a newly-developed diet, inspired by the eating habits of our ancestors, can be hugely beneficial, they said.
The team, from University College Cork, recruited 30 people to either continue eating normally or try out the ‘Non-Industrialised Microbiome Restore’ (NiMe) diet for three weeks.
Those on the new diet were given meal plans inspired by what people who live in rural Papua New Guinea eat.
The diet has a plant-based focus, primarily made up of vegetables and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas, and is very high in fibre.
It includes one small serving of animal protein per day in the form of salmon, chicken or pork.
The NiMe diet involves vegetarian protein sources as well as fish, chicken and pork – but no dairy.
However there is no dairy, beef or wheat allowed and it is very low in processed foods.
Examples of meals include a sweet potato and black bean hash for breakfast, along with a bowl of mandarin oranges.
Lunch consists of a quinoa tabbouleh salad, packed with lots of crisp vegetables, followed by some pears.
Snacks include almonds and dried apricots.
And the day can be rounded off by a dinner consisting of baked pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes, and coleslaw.
Other meals regularly eaten in these rural communities include rice, cucumber, cabbage, peas and onions.
Analysis revealed that over the course of the study, on average the diet decreased levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol by 17 per cent, reduced blood sugar by 6 per cent and reduced levels of C-reactive protein – a sign of inflammation and heart disease – by 14 per cent.
The diet’s Instagram page – @nimediet – gives examples of meals that suit the NiMe diet.
Although participants did not consume fewer calories on the diet, they still lost more weight compared to those who ate normally.
All improvements were also linked to beneficial changes in the participants’ gut microbiome, the home to trillions of bacteria that play a vital role in our health, the researchers said.
Professor Jens Walter, who led the study, said: ‘Industrialisation has drastically impacted our gut microbiome, likely increasing the risk of chronic diseases.
‘To counter this, we developed a diet that mimics traditional, non-industrialised dietary habits and is compatible with our understanding on diet-microbiome interactions.’
Commenting on the findings Professor Paul Ross, director of APC Microbiome Ireland, said: ‘This study shows that we can target the gut microbiome through specific diets to improve health and reduce disease risk.
‘These findings could shape future dietary guidelines and inspire the development of new food products and ingredients, as well as therapeutics, which target the microbiome.’
The researchers said they will be sharing their recipes on social media and in a free online cookbook so that ‘everyone can enjoy them and improve their health’.
The study was published in the journal Cell.
