Boost Your Gut Health: Discover 4 High-Fiber Mediterranean Recipes from a Gut Scientist’s Favorite ‘Ancestral’ NiMe Diet!

• Jens Walter studies gut health in different countries.
• His findings show that people in non-industrialized areas, like Papua New Guinea, generally have better gut health.
• He shared some high-fiber recipes inspired by the “non-industrialized microbiome restore” (NiMe) diet.

Jens Walter’s fascination with Papua New Guinea began when he watched a documentary as a child. Little did he know, this initial interest would shape both his career and his diet.

Years later, he adopted a plant-heavy, processed-food-light diet inspired by the eating habits of rural Papua New Guineans. Walter, a microbiology professor at University College Cork in Ireland, feels that their diet can help improve the gut health of people in places like the West.

His research into Papua New Guinea began in earnest in 2015 when he reached out for stool samples from this mostly rural population, where 87% depend on semi-subsistence farming.

By examining these samples, Walter aimed to see how industrialization affects the gut microbes we carry. A diverse gut microbiome can lead to better digestion and a stronger immune system.

The comparison revealed that the gut microbiomes of Papua New Guineans differ significantly from those of people in industrialized nations.

Over the next decade, Walter switched to a diet featuring more vegetables and less processed food and meat. He now primarily follows the NiMe diet, which he and other researchers developed. This was detailed in a study published in the journal Cell.

The NiMe diet aims to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. In a study, 30 healthy participants followed this “ancestral” diet for three weeks to test if it could restore their Western gut microbiomes to a more natural state.

This diet was plant-based and low in ultra-processed foods, dairy, and wheat. It included double the fiber that participants usually consumed.

Staples of the Papua New Guinean diet include sago, karuka nuts, sweet potatoes, cassava, and coconuts. The researchers combined these elements with foods available in the West to form the NiMe diet.

While participants couldn’t fully revert their gut microbiomes to a pre-industrial state, they saw notable improvements in gut health. There were signs of reduced chronic disease risk, like fewer inflammation-causing microbes and better mucus lining in the gut. Additionally, they had lower cholesterol and improved insulin sensitivity.

The results were reminiscent of those observed in people following plant-based or Mediterranean diets, suggesting that whole foods and fiber contribute to better health overall.

Walter primarily maintains this diet with few exceptions, occasionally indulging in cheese.

Here are four recipes inspired by the NiMe diet.

Breakfast Hash

For breakfast hash, season and bake chopped Jerusalem artichokes, russet potatoes, and onion with olive oil, salt, and black pepper for 20 minutes. Preparing this dish in advance can enhance its health benefits since reheating starchy foods turns some starch into resistant fiber, helping to manage blood sugar levels.

Salmon Dinner

For a healthy salmon dinner, bake a salmon fillet with maple syrup, soy sauce, minced garlic, and black pepper, and serve it with brown rice and roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.

Rice Pudding

For a simple rice pudding, boil cooked brown rice with non-dairy milk, cinnamon, vanilla, raisins, and honey until thickened, then stir in some walnuts. Opt for fortified plant-based milks for added nutrition.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

This quinoa tabbouleh recipe is a great source of plant-based protein. Mix cooked quinoa and cannellini beans with diced cucumber, red bell pepper, and green onions, then season with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.