The study, which appeared in the journal Nutrients, showed that polyphenols may be responsible for an increase in beneficial gut microbes.

Researchers at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Ore., published a study on whether polyphenols found in foods, herbs, and spices used in a healthy person’s typical diet could have a positive impact on gut health.

The paper, titled “Relationships between Habitual Polyphenol Consumption and Gut Microbiota in the INCLD Health Cohort,” appeared in the journal Nutrients and was featured by Medical News Today on March 18.

“The researchers learned that certain beneficial microbes such as Lactobacillus showed an increase if participants consumed more polyphenols, and some harmful bacteria were less present in participants with a higher polyphenol intake,” according to the article.

The research team led by NUNM postdoctoral researcher Alexandra Adorno Vita included faculty members Heather Zwickey, PhD, and Dr. Ryan Bradley.

Read about their research in Medical News Today.