The Beneficial Effect of Coarse Cereals on Chronic Diseases through Regulating Gut Microbiota

Abstract

In recent years, chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders have been the leading causes of incapacity and death globally. Increasing evidence suggests that improvements of lifestyle habits and diet is the most commonly adopted strategy for the prevention of chronic disorders. Moreover, many dietary compounds have revealed health-promoting benefits beyond their nutritional effects. It is worth noting that diet plays an important role in shaping the intestinal microbiota. Coarse cereals constitute important sources of nutrients for the gut microbiota and contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. Furthermore, the gut microbiota converts coarse cereals into functional substances and mediates the interaction between the host and these components. In this study, we summarize the recent findings concerning functional components of cereal grains and their potential chemopreventive activity via modulating the gut microbiota.

Keywords: bioactive components; diabetes; hyperlipidemia; inflammation; obesity; short-chain fatty acids.

Figure 1

The interaction between whole grains and gut microbiota. The bioactive components of whole grains, which are produced after oral, gastric, and small intestine digestion, improve gut health by modulating gut microbiota. Phytochemicals and carbohydrates are metabolized by gut microbiota into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other small functional molecules. These functional components can regulate gut microbiota that contribute to exerting health effects on various diseases.