Blueberries, broccoli and bowel microflora
Diet is a well-known contributor to the pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and phytonutrient-rich foods have been investigated for their role in protecting the gut from inflammation.
In an animal model of IBD, diets containing either 10% of blueberries or 10% broccoli were shown to reduce levels of certain dysboitic micro-organisms, whilst increasing butyric acid production in the bowel. These changes collectively improved epithelial barrier integrity and significantly increased goblet cell function in the colon.
These findings suggest that blueberries and broccoli contain phytonutrients that can modulate microflora fermentation and intestinal morphology, helping to improve digestive immunity and reduce colonic inflammation.
Reference -
Paturi et al. Influence of blueberry and broccoli on large bowel microbial fermentation in mdr1a-/- mice. 4th Asia Pacific Nutrigenomics Symposium. Feb 2010.