Agave fiber promotes gut health and weight loss, reveals study

Agave fiber promotes gut health and weight loss, reveals study By Ā for Food Science

It can be difficult for some people to lose weight, but according to an animal study published in the journal Nutrients, extracts from agave may boost the diversity of the gut microbiota and help promote weight loss.

The study was conducted by researchers from theĀ Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV) in Mexico and Sejong University in Seoul, Korea.

During the course of the study, the research team found that supplementing a high-fat diet with agavins ā€” branched neo-fructans derived from Agave tequilanaĀ ā€”Ā normalizedĀ the ratio of FirmicutesĀ to BacteroidetesĀ bacteria in the gut.


Now is your chance to support Gospel News Network.

We love helping others and believe thatā€™s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve Godā€™s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.

$
Personal Info

Donation Total: $100.00

According to research, this is significant because theĀ Firmicutes/BacteroidetesĀ ratio is consideredĀ a good biomarker for obesity. Findings from a 2005 study suggest that obese mice had lower levels of BacteroidetesĀ and higher levels of FirmicutesĀ compared with lean mice.

TheĀ CINVESTAV/Sejong UniversityĀ study also suggests thatĀ agavin supplementation was linked to weight loss and an increase in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) at the cecum, the beginning of the large intestine.

ā€œThese results could provide novel insight to develop a new supplementary strategy using agavins to modulate gut microbiota in overweight or obese individuals, which might have positive consequences on body weight loss,ā€ wrote the research team. (Related:Ā Agave fiber found to improve gut health, help maintain healthy weight.)

Prebiotic effects of agave fiber

Earlier studies have discussed the benefits of consuming agave fructans for gut health. To date, prebiotic ingredients based on agave are commercially available from several companies.

According to a 2010 study by researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the University of ReadingĀ in the U.K.,Ā inulin extracted from Agave tequilana boosts bifidobacteria and lactobacilliĀ populations to an extent similar to other commercial inulins.

Plants naturally produce inulin and use it as an energy source.Ā It is often added to various food products, such as margarine and salad dressings, because of its benefits and adaptability.

A type of dietary fiber,Ā inulin dissolves in the stomach and forms a gelatinous substance thatĀ slows digestion and promotes satiety. Inulin also helpsĀ reduce cholesterol absorption as it passes through the digestive tract.

Benefits of supplementing with agavins

For the study, researchersĀ divided lab mice into two groups for five weeks: One group was given a standard lab mouse diet and the second groupĀ consumed a high-fat diet.

The overweight mice from the high-fat group were also divided into three groups. The first group was shifted back to the standard diet, while the other groups were kept on high-fat diets and supplemented with either agavins or oligofructose for five more weeks.

ResultsĀ revealed that the mice fed the high-fat diet for the first five weeks displayed a significant decrease in the diversity of the microbiota in the large intestine, with an increased Firmicutes/BacteroidetesĀ ratio and lower SCFA levels.Ā Data also showed that shifting the mice back to the standard diet reversed these changes, with diversity and SCFA levels increasing.

The mice kept on the high-fat diet and supplemented with agavins or oligofructose showed a partial restoration in gut microbiota composition, reported the researchers.Ā Additionally, the Firmicutes/BacteroidesĀ ratio was normalized, while SCFA levels also increased.

Supplementation with agavins led to increases in KlebsiellaĀ and Citrobacter, which are members of the EnterobacteriaceaeĀ family.Ā The researchers observed anĀ increase in the number ofĀ Enterobacteriaceae bacteria during weight loss in obese mice and humans.

ā€œThe enrichment of members ofĀ Enterobacteriaceae has not been reported previously under a prebiotic supplement, which opens opportunities to explore new probiotics,ā€ concluded the researchers.

To improve your gut health andĀ promote weight loss,Ā follow a balanced diet, exercise regularly and consider supplementing with agavins.

Watch this video to know another way to boost your gut health.

 

 

Learn More – Food Science

Related posts