Reference Number: 256
Year: 2018
Link: Link to original paper
Health: Gut Microbiome - Creating Healthier Bread to Support Optimal Gut Health
Inclusions: Berries>Raspberries
Summary
Gut microbiome plays an essential role in host health through host-gut microbiota metabolic interactions. Desirable modulation of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, can confer health benefits by altering microbiome-related metabolic profiles. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a black raspberry-rich diet to reshape the gut microbiome by selectively boosting A. muciniphilapopulation in C57BL/6J mice. Remarkable changes of the mouse gut microbiome were revealed at both compositional and functional levels with an expected increase of A. muciniphila in concert with a profound impact on multiple gut microbiome-related functions, including vitamin biosynthesis, aromatic amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and oxidative stress. These functional alterations in the gut microbiome by an easily accessed freeze-dried black raspberry-supplemented diet may provide novel insights on the improvement of human health via gut microbiome modulation.
What does this mean for bakers?
This study found that black raspberries had a positive affect on the beneficial bacterial Akkermansia in the guts of mice. Although this was an animal study, the authors suggest similar benefits for humans. Incorporating raspberries into our baking could therefore bring health benefits.