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According to new research, eating more red meat as part of the Paleo diet, coupled with a lack of whole grains, increases the levels of a biomarker linked to heart disease.
In the first global study, the researchers compared the intestinal health of 44 people on a Paleo diet with that of 47 people on a traditional Australian diet.
The Paleo diet consists of eating meat, vegetables, nuts and a limited number of fruits, excluding cereals, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar and processed oils.
Researchers at Edith Cowan University in Perth have measured blood levels of trimethylamine-n-oxide (TMAO), an organic compound produced in the intestine, and found more than double those present in the paleo diet.
High levels of TMAO have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Lead researcher Angela Genoni says the findings challenge the benefits of the diet on intestinal health.
"The Paleo diet excludes all grains and we know that whole grain cereals are a fantastic source of resistant starch and many other fermentable fibers that are essential to the health of the gut microbiome," said Dr. Genoni.
"Because TMAO is produced in the gut, a lack of whole grains could alter bacteria populations enough to allow higher production of this compound.
"In addition, the Paleo diet includes larger portions of red meat per day, providing the precursor compounds needed to produce TMAO."
Dr. Genoni will present his findings at the Nutrition Society of Australia conference in Canberra on Friday.
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