Mediterranean Diet
Plain-English definitions of microbiome research vocabulary — the terms you'll see across articles, testing services, and probiotic claims.
A dietary pattern emphasising vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and fish, with moderate dairy and limited red meat. It is the most studied dietary pattern in microbiome research, consistently linked to greater microbial diversity, higher SCFA production, and reduced inflammation.
Related terms
Polyphenols
Plant-derived compounds found in berries, tea, coffee, dark chocolate, red wine, and olive oil. Most polyphenols are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and reach the colon, where gut bacteria metabolise them into bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.
Microbiome Diversity
The variety and abundance of different microbial species in a given environment. Greater diversity is consistently associated with better health outcomes, while reduced diversity is linked to obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and other chronic conditions.