Scientists from Tufts University found that cranberries may reduce gut health problems for meat-eaters.
The research is published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry and was conducted by Dr. Oliver Chen et al.
Cranberries are called a superfood for a reason. Reportedly packed with fiber and more antioxidants than any other fruits and berries, cranberries are lauded for their many health benefits.
They are said to boost your immune system, help prevent gum disease, reduce bad cholesterol, improve digestion and prevent urinary tract infections.
In the study, the team explored the link between gut health and cranberries consumed as part of a low-fiber animal-based diet.
Low-fibre animal-based diets are known to increase carcinogenic bile acids and decrease the beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by friendly bacteria in the gut causing an imbalance in the gut microbiome.
An imbalance can increase the risk for several chronic diseases including atherosclerosis, hypertension, kidney disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Cranberries were chosen for the experiment because of their total high phenol content that affects antioxidant activity.
The team tested 11 healthy adults between 25 and 54 years of age. For 5 days, the participants consumed a control diet of meats, dairy products, and simple sugars together with 30 g of placebo powder per day.
After a 2-week intervening period, the people then consumed the control diet plus 30 g of freeze-dried whole cranberry powder per day for another 5 days.
The team found that the cranberry diet seemed to lessen the adverse changes that an animal-based diet causes in the gut microbiome.
It reduced the increase in carcinogenic bile acids and lessened the drop in SCFAs that benefit the GI tract.
It furthermore increased bacterially derived phenolic acids as well as urinary anthocyanins, a class of compounds that are said to have antioxidant properties.
Overall, the addition of cranberry powder indicated that cranberry properties may play a role in maintaining gut health.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about some meats linked to increased high blood pressure risk, and this diet could prevent memory loss and dementia
For more information about nutrition please see recent studies about six vitamins that help stop complications in diabetes, and results showing vitamin D may benefit men with advanced cancer.
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