Microbiome diversity - having many different species of bacteria - is the gold standard of gut health. Think of it like a rainforest versus a monoculture: the rainforest is resilient and self-regulating. Low microbial diversity is directly linked to IBS, obesity, type 2 diabetes, allergies, autoimmune disease, and depression. Eating 30 or more different plant foods weekly is one of the strongest evidence-based strategies for improving microbiome diversity.
