What do beets, cauliflower and passion fruit all have in common? Well, they are jam-packed with flavonoids! Before we dive deeper into new research linking flavonoids and the gut microbiota, let’s unpack what exactly flavonoids are.

Flavonoids are a type of phytochemical. And what exactly are phytochemicals? Phytochemicals, are thought to be largely responsible for the protective health benefits of plant-based foods and beverages, like tea. These phytochemicals are responsible for the colour, flavour, and odor of plant foods, such as blueberries’ dark hue, broccoli’s bitter taste, and garlic’s pungent odor. Research strongly suggests that consuming foods rich in phytochemicals provides health benefits, but not enough information exists to make specific recommendations for phytochemical intake.

Flavonoids are the largest, most varied, and most studied group of phytochemicals. In fact, more than 6,000 flavonoids that occur in plant foods have been described4. Plants typically produce several phytochemicals that act as a protective mechanism against environmental stressors; the more environmental stressors, the more phytochemicals a plant produces. As a result, phytochemical content can vary with growing conditions.

Now going back to this recent study, which linked flavonoids to our gut microbiota. The study reviewed over 130 studies that profiled six classes of flavonoids and they concluded that overall, flavonoid consumption enriched potentially beneficial gut microbiota often at the expense of the pathogenic bacteria. In addition, the study highlighted other benefits associated with flavonoid consumption such as the production of short chain fatty acids, which are believed to be beneficial to human intestinal cells.

So, to keep your gut in tip top shape, keep eating those fruits and veggies.

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1.Clifford, Tom, et al. "The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease." Nutrients 7.4 (2015): 2801-2822.

2. Ahmed, Fouad A., and Rehab FM Ali. "Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Fresh and Processed White Cauliflower." BioMed Research International 2013 (2013).

3. Septembre-Malaterre, Axelle, et al. "Evaluation of Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of the Tropical Fruits Banana, Litchi, Mango, Papaya, Passion Fruit and Pineapple Cultivated in Réunion French Island." Food Chemistry 212 (2016): 225-233.

4. Arts IC, Hollman PC. Polyphenols and disease risk in epidemiologic studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;81(1 Suppl):317S-325S.

5. Chalker-Scott L. Environmental significance of anthocyanins in plant stress responses. Photochem Photobiol. 1999;70(1):1-9.

6. Baky MH, Elshahed M, Wessjohann L, Farag MA. Interactions between dietary flavonoids and the gut microbiome: a comprehensive review. Br J Nutr. 2021 Sep 13:1-15. doi: 10.1017/S0007114521003627. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34511152.

Flavonoids & Gut Microbiota