Gut microbes important for dietary health

Modern diets of highly processed and limited varieties of ingredients – in particular fast foods – are thought to be killing off some species of gut bacteria that keep us healthy.

Similarly, modern diets based around reducing intake of certain food-types can be counter-productive, said Tim Spector, founder of the British Gut Project, urging people to “feed our microbiota”.

“Eat naturally,” said the professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King's College, London and author of The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat.

“Stop this modern trend of cutting out certain foods,” he added.