Frontiers in nutrition
Low-glycemic index functional flour modulates gut microbiota in association with anti-obesity effects in mice
By Tong A, Zheng Y, Cheng W and 6 others.
Abstract
Background
Obesity has become a prevalent global chronic disease, and dietary intervention is a safe and effective strategy for obesity prevention and management. Laminaria japonica and Lentinula edodes are widely consumed edible resources in China, while the lipid-lowering efficacy of functional noodles supplemented with their dietary fibers remains unclear. Moreover, the potential synergistic effects of combining these fibers with other functional plant ingredients have not been systematically explored.
Methods
This study developed three low-glycemic index (low-GI) functional flour formulations (R1: basic formula; R2: basic formula supplemented with L. japonica and L. edodes dietary fibers; R3: R2 fortified with additional functional starches) based on nutritional balance principles. The in vitro nutritional properties, digestibility, cholesterol and bile salt binding capacities, as well as α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities were evaluated. Furthermore, a high-fat diet-induced obese ICR mouse model was established to evaluate the in vivo regulatory effects of the three formulations via a 6-week dietary intervention.