I'm A Keto Neuroscientist: This Is How Going Keto Affects Your Gut Microbiome

Some food for thought, below. 

According to D'Agostino, how keto affects your microbiome really depends on the types of foods you eat. See, the keto diet falls on a spectrum of sorts—some follow a super strict eating plan to remain in ketosis, while others find success with a more relaxed approach. As a general rule: The more plants you cut out, the less diverse your gut microbiome may be. If you're someone who was perhaps used to eating lots of higher-carb fruits and whole grains (which aren't necessarily keto-friendly), you might experience a shift in your microbiome after you cut those out. 

Some, however, may find that embarking on a keto diet actually enhances the microbial diversity in their gut: "I actually eat more plants on a ketogenic diet than I did growing up eating a high carb diet," says D'Agostino. "Now, I have a lot of gut-healthy salads, vegetables, nuts, artichokes, and greens." So even though the diet does exclude some foods, you might find that you're eating a larger variety of plants than you had before—and, thus, you may have a more diverse microbiome. It all depends on the person, and it's important to listen to what your own body is trying to tell you. 

So how does keto affect the diversity of your gut microbiome? It all depends on the foods you choose to add or limit in your diet. That being said, eating nothing but butter and bacon isn't so good for your microbiome—or your general well-being, for that matter. But if you eat a wide array of plants (perhaps more than you had before going keto!), the diet could support a diverse gut.