A natural prebiotic.
Inflammation is a natural reaction that the body sets up in response to an internal or external aggression. Poor diet is one of the most widespread aggressions. It can be responsible for metabolic and digestive problems (irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic syndrome, etc.).
To improve their digestive comfort, more and more people are adopting an anti-inflammatory diet, i.e. without glucose and with less protein and fats that are difficult to digest. While some of these foods are already well present on our plates (vegetables, white meats, rice, olive oil, etc.), others that are less well-known deserve to gain popularity. This is the case of a juice tested by Finnish and Swedish researchers.
For 6 months, they asked 65 subjects to use the juice as a mouthwash, once or twice a day for 30 seconds. “The link between oral and intestinal microbiota composition and gastrointestinal inflammation is an unresolved question and is increasingly studied in humans” they recall in the introduction to their test. In the laboratory, they evaluated the effect of the juice on communities of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis And Candida glabrataTheir goal was to see if the juice could stop the growth of these bacteria and thus positively influence gut health.
According to the results published in the journal “Nutrients“, the juice reduced periodontal inflammation (buildup of bacteria between the gum and the tooth), decreased gum bleeding and the formation of oral plaque. It also reduced the amount of pathogenic bacteria and yeast in the mouth, while increasing good bacteria, such as lactobacilli. “Given the positive outcome of these oral studies and the fact that the juice can be safely swallowed, it could also benefit the intestinal mucosa by balancing the microbiota and reducing inflammation.” indicate the researchers.
This famous juice is that of fermented red cranberries. “Lingonberries contain a unique set of phenolic substances, with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproteolytic and anticancer activities” argue the authors. Their juice is made from a small red berry also called Vaccinium vitis-idaeawhich grows wild in the northern hemisphere. “We present lingonberries as a potential prebiotic and anti-inflammatory substance that could have positive effects in the intestine” experts continue. For them, fermented cranberry juice can be “a safe and clinically studied alternative” against chronic inflammatory bowel diseases or “IBD” (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis). And it is easily found in organic stores. To test?