Researchers at the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University announced on Mar. 25 that enriching diets with wheat fiber protected mice against intestinal inflammation, suggesting a possible reduction in the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
This finding is significant as it addresses the increasing incidence of IBD and highlights how dietary choices, particularly those involving whole wheat foods, could play a role in prevention. The research, published in Science Advances and Mucosal Immunology, focused on the effects of wheat fiber found in whole grain breads but largely absent from products made with refined flours.
The study showed that when gut bacteria metabolize wheat fiber, they produce anti-inflammatory metabolites such as polyphenols. These compounds reprogrammed immune cells in mice to suppress inflammation and provided protection against both acute and chronic intestinal issues. Researchers noted that changes in food production have led to lower consumption of wheat fiber due to increased use of refined flour products.
The findings suggest that choosing whole grain versions of bread and pasta instead of white varieties may help reduce IBD risk. The researchers also indicated that adding wheat fiber to processed foods could offer similar benefits. They observed that most people in developed countries do not meet recommended daily intake levels for dietary fiber—set at 25 to 38 grams—despite evidence linking plant-based fibers with positive health outcomes.
Seong-eun G. Kim, first author and postdoctoral fellow at Weill Cornell Medicine, said: "The chemistry of dietary fibers can be pretty complicated. But intestinal bacteria are quite good at metabolizing them and the immune system is a major beneficiary." Andrew Gewirtz added: "Indeed, the more we study dietary fibers, the more we appreciate that they are highly diverse compounds with fibers from distinct plants having distinct health-promoting impacts...choosing whole wheat and whole grain breads and having one's diet include an assortment of fruits and vegetables seems a good idea."
