%0 Journal Article
%T Formation of Short-Chain Fatty Acids, Excretion of Anthocyanins, and Microbial Diversity in Rats Fed Blackcurrants, Blackberries, and Raspberries
%A Greta Jakobsdottir
%A Narda Blanco
%A Jie Xu
%A Siv Ahrn¨¦
%A G£¿ran Molin
%A Olov Sterner
%A Margareta Nyman
%J Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/202534
%X Introduction. Berries contain high amounts of dietary fibre and flavonoids and have been associated with improved metabolic health. The mechanisms are not clear but the formation of SCFAs, especially propionic and butyric acids, could be important. The potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of flavonoids could also be a factor, but little is known about their fate in the gastrointestinal tract. Aim. To compare how blackcurrants, blackberries, raspberries, and Lactobacillus plantarum HEAL19 affect formation of SCFAs, inflammatory status, caecal microbial diversity, and flavonoids. Results and Conclusions. Degradation of the dietary fibre, formation of SCFAs including propionic and butyric acids, the weight of the caecal content and tissue, and the faecal wet and dry weight were all higher in rats fed blackcurrants rather than blackberries or raspberries. However, the microbial diversity of the gut microbiota was higher in rats fed raspberries. The high content of soluble fibre in blackcurrants and the high proportion of mannose-containing polymers might explain these effects. Anthocyanins could only be detected in urine of rats fed blackcurrants, and the excretion was lower with HEAL19. No anthocyanins or anthocyanidins were detected in caecal content or blood. This may indicate uptake in the stomach or small intestine. 1. Introduction Berries contain many bioactive compounds such as dietary fibre, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, which may have a number of nutritional properties [1, 2]. Berries and their flavonoids have received much attention in recent years, but little is known about the fate of the flavonoids in the body. Furthermore, few studies have examined dietary fibre in berries. Phenolic acids and flavonoids are phytochemicals common in berries, fruits, and vegetables that are a part of a daily diet and may be among their health-promoting factors [2]. Such compounds are also found in, for example, wine and tea. More than 4000 different flavonoids have been described. The dominating group of flavonoids in red berries is anthocyanins, which also predominate in blackcurrants and blueberries [3]. The anthocyanins belong to the flavonoid family and are responsible for the red, orange, and blue colours in fruits [4]. In epidemiological and clinical studies, berries have been associated with improved cardiovascular risk profiles [5] and high consumption of fruits and flavonoids is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases [3], cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and various chronic diseases [2, 6]. In addition to being
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2013/202534/