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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mar Larrosa

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Guest Editor

1. MAS Microbiota Group, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain
2. Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: effect of single foods, food ingredients, and diets on gut microbiota and its relationship with health (sport performance) and illness (obesity, dementia, and cancer survivors); markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in cell culture (bacterial and human), animal models, and human trials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Xiaoxiong Zeng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Interests: tea; dietary carbohydrates; functional foods; food nanotechnology; gut microbiota

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiota performs a fundamental role in the promotion of host health, influencing most of our physiological processes due to its metabolic role, influence on the immune system and the intestinal barrier, and the microbiota–brain communication axis. Diet is one of the factors that most influences the microbial ecosystem and can enhance its diversity and the presence of health-beneficial microorganisms, but it can also promote a less-diverse microbial ecosystem with lower functionality and the presence of bacteria that contribute to disease. For these reasons, diet emerges as an essential tool for microbiota modification and health promotion. However, although there are dietary patterns that benefit the microbiota and host’s health in general, the individual responses depend on gut microbiota; thus, it is necessary to direct research towards the personalization of diets based on gut microbiota, establishing its influence on the microbiota network to obtain the best results.

Prof. Dr. Mar Larrosa
Prof. Dr. Xiaoxiong Zeng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

diet–microbiota interactions
microbiota network
personalized nutrition/diet
host response
inflammation

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3855 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pectin from Citrus unshiu Marc. Alleviates Glucose and Lipid Metabolism by Regulating the Gut Microbiota and Metabolites

by Yanming Ren, Shuifang Mao, Yujun Zeng, Shiguo Chen, Jinhu Tian and Xingqian Ye

Foods 2023, 12(22), 4094; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12224094 - 11 Nov 2023

Viewed by 836

Abstract

The effects of pectin from Citrus unshiu Marc. on glycolipid metabolism, the morphologies of the pancreas and epididymal fat, the gut microbiota, and the metabolites of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in db/db mice were investigated in this study. The results indicated that pectin reduced the levels of fasting blood glucose, glycated serum protein, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol while increasing the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Meanwhile, pectin could improve the morphology of islet cells and inhibit the hypertrophy of adipocytes. Additionally, pectin not only regulated the intestinal flora dysbiosis in db/db mice, as shown by the increasing proportion of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and the relative abundance of Ligilactobacillus, Lactobacillus, and Limosilactobacillus, but also remedied the metabolic disorder of SCFAs in db/db mice. These results suggest that pectin could promote glucose and lipid metabolism by regulating the intestinal flora with changes in SCFA profile. This study proves that pectin might serve as a new prebiotic agent to prevent the disorder of glycolipid metabolism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Thought for Food: Diet and Gut Health”)

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Review

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29 pages, 1512 KiB

Open AccessReview

Local and Systemic Effects of Bioactive Food Ingredients: Is There a Role for Functional Foods to Prime the Gut for Resilience?

by Emma F. Jacquier, Marcel van de Wouw, Elena Nekrasov, Nikhat Contractor, Amira Kassis and Diana Marcu

Foods 2024, 13(5), 739; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13050739 - 28 Feb 2024

Viewed by 2261

Abstract

Scientific advancements in understanding the impact of bioactive components in foods on the gut microbiota and wider physiology create opportunities for designing targeted functional foods. The selection of bioactive ingredients with potential local or systemic effects holds promise for influencing overall well-being. An abundance of studies demonstrate that gut microbiota show compositional changes that correlate age and disease. However, navigating this field, especially for non-experts, remains challenging, given the abundance of bioactive ingredients with varying levels of scientific substantiation. This narrative review addresses the current knowledge on the potential impact of the gut microbiota on host health, emphasizing gut microbiota resilience. It explores evidence related to the extensive gut health benefits of popular dietary components and bioactive ingredients, such as phytochemicals, fermented greens, fibres, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. Importantly, this review distinguishes between the potential local and systemic effects of both popular and emerging ingredients. Additionally, it highlights how dietary hormesis promotes gut microbiota resilience, fostering better adaptation to stress—a hallmark of health. By integrating examples of bioactives, this review provides insights to guide the design of evidence-based functional foods aimed at priming the gut for resilience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Thought for Food: Diet and Gut Health”)

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