A pair of recent studies showed that plant fibers and proteins reprogram microbial metabolism to boost production of healthy metabolites, while suppressing harmful ones. The two studies were led by Ludwig Princeton’s Jenna AbuSalim and Director Joshua Rabinowitz, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the other in Nature Metabolism in June 2026, and republished by News-Medical.net.
Proteins from these plant fibers are processed by gut microbes. The study showed that metabolites like phenylpropionate and hippuric acid (derived from phenylalanine), support gut health and healthy body weight. Other metabolites such as p-cresol sulfate and phenol sulfate are associated with worse outcomes for cancer patients and systemic toxicity.
Indigestible dietary proteins (Prifs) were found to enhance the amount of dietary protein reaching gut microbes for producing good phenols.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260727/Plant-based-diets-reshape-gut-microbes-to-boost-healthy-metabolites.aspx
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