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Section Addition to Gut flora, Alterations in Gut Flora, Add Section: Diet

While-plant based diets have some variation, vegetarian and vegan diets patterns are the most common. Vegetarian diets exclude meat products but still allow for eggs and dairy, while vegan diets exclude all forms of animal products. The diets of vegetarian and vegan individuals create a microbiome distinct from meat eaters, however there is not a significant distinction between the two. In diets that are centered around meat and animal products, there are high abundances of Alistipes, Bilophila and Bacteroides which are all bile tolerant and may promote inflammation in the gut. In this type of diet, the group Firmicutes, which is associated with the metabolism of dietary plant polysaccharides, is found in low concentrations. Conversely, diets rich in plant-based materials are associated with greater diversity in the gut microbiome overall, and have a greater abundance of Prevotella, responsible for the long-term processing of fibers, rather than the bile tolerant species. Diet can be used to alter the composition of the gut microbiome in relatively short timescales. However, if wanting to change the microbiome to combat a disease or illness, long-term changes in diet changes have proven to be most successful.