Herbs, spices, grains, legumes, nuts, fruit, berries, vegetables... are rich in chemical compounds: polyphenols. Those consuming diets rich in polyphenols (these are plant forward diets) have better long-term health outcomes and there is growing evidence for their beneficial effects and role in supporting a healthy gut microbiome.
To see the collection of studies (that we will add to when new research is published), scroll down to bottom of page. If you have any suggestions of other studies to include, add them in the Comments section, also at bottom of page.
Polyphenols are not a magic pill. They should be part of a healthy eating pattern and lifestyle.
To get the benefits of polyphenols, we enjoy using a whole food approach. What does this mean? At a minimum, enjoying fruit, nuts and seeds on a daily basis. Consuming herbs and spices. Prioritising as wide variety of foods as possible, including vegetables, whole grains and legumes. A polyphenol rich diet supports health across multiple areas, so don't overthink what to eat.
Benefits come from daily eating, daily living - over the course of time. Some may prefer a Western, Mediterranean diet; others a similarly plant forward Asian diet.
Be wary of using supplements where the evidence, safety, quality of manufacture or formulation is not as strong as the marketing behind them. As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment.
Have specific polyphenol questions? Try the online Phenol-Explorer. The database "contains more than 35,000 content values for 500 different polyphenols in over 400 foods. These data are derived from the systematic collection of more than 60,000 original content values found in more than 1,300 scientific publications."
Stay Healthy,
Alastair
Scroll down to see the studies.
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Microbiome
Vita AA, Roberts KM, Gundersen A, Farris Y, Zwickey H, Bradley R, Weir TL. Relationships between Habitual Polyphenol Consumption and Gut Microbiota in the INCLD Health Cohort. Nutrients. 2024 Mar 8;16(6):773. doi: 10.3390/nu16060773. PMID: 38542685; PMCID: PMC10974568.
Wang X, Qi Y, Zheng H. Dietary Polyphenol, Gut Microbiota, and Health Benefits. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Jun 20;11(6):1212. doi: 10.3390/antiox11061212. PMID: 35740109; PMCID: PMC9220293.
Khine WWT, Haldar S, De Loi S, Lee YK. A single serving of mixed spices alters gut microflora composition: a dose-response randomised trial. Sci Rep. 2021 May 28;11(1):11264. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90453-7. PMID: 34050197; PMCID: PMC8163817.
Aline Medeiros Alves-Santos, Clara Sandra Araújo Sugizaki, Glaucia Carielo Lima, Maria Margareth Veloso Naves, Prebiotic effect of dietary polyphenols: A systematic review, Journal of Functional Foods, Volume 74, 2020, 104169, ISSN 1756-4646, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.104169.
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