Aug 2026· Nutrients· Vol 18, pp. 2571· 0 citations· 101 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Pulses demonstrate promising potential to improve gut health by promoting beneficial microbiota, increasing short-chain fatty acid production, and enhancing intestinal barrier function, highlighting the need for long-term human interventions and scalable processing strategies to fully realize their potential.
Abstract
Background: The global shift to sustainable diets has raised interest in plant-based protein sources, particularly pulses, due to their nutritional value, health benefits, and low environmental impact. Pulses are rich in protein, dietary fiber, and a variety of bioactive compounds that may influence gut microbiota and metabolic health. Objective: This narrative review aims to evaluate the role of pulse consumption in modulating gut microbiota, improving metabolic health, and contributing to the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while considering the impact of processing techniques such as fermentation and sustainability aspects. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using major scientific databases to identify relevant studies published during the last 10 years. Evidence from in vitro, in vivo experimental and human studies was included, focusing on pulse composition, bioactive compounds, gut microbiota modulation, metabolic outcomes, and the effects of processing methods such as fermentation. Results: Pulses demonstrate promising potential to improve gut health by promoting beneficial microbiota, increasing short-chain fatty acid production, and enhancing intestinal barrier function. Evidence also suggests favorable effects on lipid metabolism, glycemic control, and inflammation. Processing techniques, particularly fermentation, improve nutrient bioavailability, digestibility, and bioactive profiles. Beyond health outcomes, this review places pulses in the larger context, emphasizing their contribution to healthy, sustainable diets. Conclusions: Pulses are key components for achieving sustainable, health-promoting diets with promising effects on gut and metabolic health. However, current evidence is largely derived from preclinical studies, highlighting the need for long-term human interventions and scalable processing strategies to fully realize their potential.
A well-balanced intestinal microbial ecosystem is fundamental to human health, influencing digestion, metabolism, immunity, and neurological processes. Growing evidence demonstrates that diet plays a central role in shaping microbial composition and functionality. This systematic review examined the influence of dietary patterns on the human gut microbiota and their consequent effects on health. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Thirty studies were screened for eligibility, of which thirteen met the inclusion criteria. Relevant literature was sourced from PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and African Journals Online. Data were extracted on dietary interventions and patterns that modulate gut microbiota composition and function, with key outcomes including microbial diversity, metabolic resilience, inflammation, and long-term health effects associated with diet-induced microbial changes. Findings from randomized controlled trials indicate that fiber-rich, Mediterranean, and plant-based diets promote microbial diversity, enhance metabolic resilience, and reduce inflammation. Observational studies further suggest long-term associations between these dietary patterns and reduced risks of metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, and adverse mental health outcomes. In contrast, diets high in fat, sugar, and processed foods were consistently linked to dysbiosis and increased disease risk. However, uncertainties remain regarding the long-term efficacy of probiotic supplementation and the impact of artificial food additives on microbial integrity. Future research should prioritize mechanistic studies on diet-induced microbial changes and the development of targeted dietary guidelines informed by microbiome profiling. Additionally, long-term clinical trials are needed to validate personalized nutrition and microbiome-based interventions for sustainable gut health.
Gladys Jepkemoi, W. Bor, Catherine Gichunge· Kabarak Journal of Research...· 0 citations
The gastrointestinal microbiota has a pivotal role in human health, orchestrating metabolic homeostasis, immunological activity, and nutrient bioavailability. Dietary modulation of gut microbiota is the simplest and most effective approach to preventing and managing metabolic and inflammatory disorders. Duckweed, particularly
Wolffia
species, has recently emerged as a sustainable, nutrient‐dense functional food with potential microbiome‐mediated benefits. Beyond its high‐quality protein content, duckweed provides fermentable fibers, polyphenols, minerals, and micronutrients including vitamin B
12
—that potentially influence gut microbial composition and metabolic activity. Evidence from compositional analyses, in vitro human colonic fermentation models, animal studies, and controlled dietary interventions suggests that duckweed‐derived substrates support short‐chain fatty acid production, generate bioactive phenolic metabolites, and interact with probiotic taxa, positioning duckweed as a prebiotic‐like matrix with synbiotic potential. Clinical studies within whole‐diet frameworks, such as green‐Mediterranean dietary patterns incorporating
Wolffia globosa
, report favorable metabolic outcomes alongside microbiome‐associated signals. This review synthesizes mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical evidence to reframe duckweed not just as another alternative protein, but as a microbiota‐accessible, synbiotic‐ready food matrix, while identifying the critical evidence gaps that currently limit clinical translation and regulatory constraints.
Anwesha Bandyopadhyay, I. Vashisht, Tarun Pal· Comprehensive Physiology· 0 citations
Microbiome-linked pathologies in humans have significantly increased over recent decades, suggesting that lifestyle changes, particularly those related to diet, have contributed to the disruption of beneficial microbial composition and functions. Specifically, modern processed diets that are low in dietary fiber and high in fat and sugar can lead to the depletion of bacterial taxa over generations and contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases. These pathologies can potentially be prevented by increasing fiber intake, making the promotion of dietary fiber crucial for human health. Despite the recognized importance of fiber integration, there remains a significant gap in the understanding of the use of multiple dietary fibers in food to promote microbiota diversity, as well as which dietary fibers promote specific microbial taxa to restore symbiosis. To address this gap, we conducted an in vitro fermentation study using fecal samples from two individuals. We tested three types of dietary fibers of varying complexity: inulin, pectin, and dextran in a β-glucan–based medium. Samples were collected over a 48 h fermentation period (0–4–8–24–32–48 h) to evaluate temporal shifts in microbial composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. Through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we found that the introduction of different fibers steered the microbiota of both individuals toward a convergent trajectory by 24–48 h. This result indicated that fiber complexity can reduce inter-individual variation in microbial community structure. Distinct levels of polysaccharide complexity between fiber types modulated specific bacterial taxa, supporting the concept that consuming a diversity of dietary fiber acts on complementary microbial niches. Notably, the observed shifts toward butyrate-associated taxa and reduction of pro-inflammatory lineages with dextran/β-glucan are relevant for pathologies characterized by dysbiosis, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Together, these results underscore the value of incorporating multiple fibers into food production, including fermented foods, to enhance prebiotic properties, stimulate the growth of fiber-fermenting bacteria, and promote microbial diversity. While these observations derive from a controlled in vitro pilot setting, they support the concept that multi-fiber dietary strategies based on complementary fermentable fibers with prebiotic properties may help shift the microbiome away from a pro-inflammatory state. Accordingly, dietary guidelines and public health approaches aimed at reducing chronic disease risk may benefit from emphasizing the inclusion of composite fiber blends rather than relying solely on single-fiber supplementation.
Maria Luisa Savo Sardaro, Sahana Kuthyar, Omolola Dada et al.· Molecules· 0 citations
As the world grapples with rising cases of metabolic disorders, inflammatory bowel diseases, and immune-related disorders, gut health has become a pressing health and food technology issue. In this context, traditional fermented soybean products such as doenjang, natto, cheonggukjang, and tempeh in Asia are being reevaluated not only as sources of probiotics but also as providers of postbiotics, the non-viable microbial products and metabolites implicated in gut health. This PRISMA-guided narrative review examines the role of postbiotics produced in fermented soybean foods in maintaining gut microbiota balance, gut barrier function, and inflammation regulation, and explores their technological potential in functional food development. The study followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines, and the literature was searched through Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar from 2010 to 2025. Selected studies emphasized metabolic byproducts of Bacillus and Rhizopus species, their mucosal protective mechanisms, anti-inflammatory effects, and processing compatibility. Findings indicate that γ-PGA and SCFA exhibit barrier-regulating and immunomodulatory functions, while enzymes such as nattokinase and bacteriocins play roles in inhibiting pathogenic microorganisms and supporting microbial ecosystem balance. Due to their stability under refrigerated, acidic, and heat conditions, postbiotics are suitable for incorporation into functional foods and supplements. However, human clinical evidence remains limited, and future work should address dosage, standardization, and fermentation parameters. This review positions traditional fermented soybean foods as a promising platform for next-generation gut health functional foods, with relevant implications for food formulation and processing.
E. Park, K. H. Kwon· Journal of Food Technology R...· 0 citations
The gut microbiota is a dynamic, complex microbial ecosystem that is fundamental to human health and influences metabolism, immunity, and susceptibility to disease. There is growing evidence that bioactive peptides (BAPs) are important regulators of gut microbiota composition and function. BAPs are short protein fragments liberated through enzymatic hydrolysis or microbial fermentation in vitro and during the digestion of food proteins in vivo. The biological activities of these BAPs, beyond their antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial effects, include maintaining gut balance and supporting overall well-being. The relationship between BAPs and gut microbiota is two-way: peptides selectively promote beneficial microbes, and the microbiota enzymatically convert peptides into bioactive metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and altered bile acids, or further hydrolyze them into shorter BAPs. This interaction between gut microbiota and BAPs has been shown to confer significant therapeutic benefits from combined nutritional interventions in the management of chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and neurological diseases. This review examines the current state of gut microbiota-targeted BAPs, including their sources, properties, and mechanisms. It underscores their contribution to microbial diversity and metabolic activity, which support immune balance and the functioning of the gut-brain axis. In addition, it addresses novel ways to increase the activity of BAPs with respect to stability and delivery. Challenges such as peptide bioavailability, microbiome diversity, and a lack of clinical evidence are also critically discussed. Future perspectives focus on leveraging omics technologies and personalized nutrition to unlock the potential of BAPs for therapeutic and functional food applications. The review indicates the promising potential of BAPs as microbiota-based, innovative, and useful agents in nutritional therapy.
Brij Pal Singh, Prabhashis Bose, Jae-Young Je· Frontiers in Nutrition· 0 citations
: Postbiotics—non-viable microbial components or metabolites derived from probiotics—have emerged as promising modulators of the gut microbiota (GM), offering probiotic-like health benefits without the risks associated with live microorganisms. The GM is a crucial determinant of human health, and its disturbance (known as dysbiosis) is closely linked to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer (CRC), sepsis, and metabolic syndromes. This review uniquely synthesizes mechanistic insights with therapeutic perspectives and summarizes current knowledge of the therapeutic potential of postbiotics to restore microbial balance and maintain intestinal homeostasis. Bioactive postbiotic molecules, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides, antimicrobial peptides, and vitamins, play key roles in inhibiting pathogens, enhancing beneficial bacterial populations, modulating immune responses, and strengthening epithelial barriers, and could also serve as an alternative to antibiotics. Postbiotics demonstrated therapeutic potential across multiple diseases, including IBD, CRC, metabolic syndrome, sepsis, and antibiotic-resistant infections, primarily through modulation of the GM, enhancement of intestinal barrier integrity, and regulation of immune responses. SCFAs, such as butyrate, reduce inflammation in ulcerative colitis; propionate induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. Most of the data in this area are preclinical, and further studies are needed. Evidence from preclinical and mechanistic studies suggests that postbiotics may represent a safe, effective alternative or adjunct to probiotics and antibiotics in managing GM-associated disorders.
S. Ranjbar, Afsoon Asadollahi, Fatemeh Ghanimati et al.· Nutrition and Dietary Supple...· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
