Modulation of Gut Microbiota by Maillard Reaction Products in Intestinal Inflammation: Are We What We Eat?

Excerpt

Although “We are what we eat” is a popular phrase implying that eating certain foods affects one’s health, the phrase is currently gaining scientific credence due to the discovery of the linkage between diet, the intestinal microbiome, and many diseases. Disease entities not only limited to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are described as microbiota-dependent. As an example, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) possesses an established etiopathogenesis which comprises the genetic susceptibility and environmental factors associated with changes in the intestinal microbiota. The increasing incidence of IBD correlates with overall global industrialization, which in turn correlates with the “Western pattern diet” [1]. …