In our study, we instructed participants to increase their intake of plant-based fiber, aiming for 15 to over 40 grams per day, which led to significant dietary changes including less meat and animal-based fats.

The average American consumes more protein than the recommended daily allowance without trying. Most people get enough protein from their regular diet, and the focus should be on the quality of that protein rather than just the quantity.

The study on fiber intake indicated that individuals with low microbial diversity experienced adverse reactions to increased fiber, while those with higher diversity benefited from fermented foods, suggesting a need for personalized dietary recommendations.

A high-fiber, plant-based diet is generally considered very healthy, and focusing on this can simplify dietary choices for maintaining gut health. Most of us would benefit from consuming more complex carbohydrates that are microbiota-accessible, as they fuel our gut microbiota and support our health.

A diverse diet rich in various plants and fibers is likely more beneficial for gut microbiota diversity than relying solely on purified fibers.

The standard American diet, which is high in processed and packaged foods, is detrimental to health, unlike the traditional diets of indigenous peoples that have shown to prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

We observed that individuals with higher diversity in their gut microbiomes at the start of the study were more likely to experience decreases in inflammation when consuming a high fiber diet.

There isn't one best diet; humans are incredibly resilient and can thrive on various dietary patterns, as evidenced by the diverse diets of the Tarahumara Indians and Alaskan Inuits.

The gut microbiome can adapt to cultural dietary differences, such as the ability of some Southeast Asians to metabolize porphyrin from seaweed, which most Americans cannot digest.