important for providing novel insights into the composition, function and evolution of our
gut microbiota.(75) These approaches can reveal the compositional data and the metabolic
potential encoded by the combined genomes of the gut microbiota, the metabolic kinetic
or flux of metabolites through an ecosystem, the function of the gut microbiota in situ
and how it responds to different environmental stimuli, and how changes in metabolite
profiles within human biofluids correlate with microbiota compositional metagenomic
data.(23) Nowadays it is known that higher organisms such as mammals have a symbiotic
relationship with their gut microbiota, which have co-evolved with the human
genome and diet.(23) The human gut microbiome is currently recognized as a metabolically
versatile biological digester that plays an essential role in regulating the host
metabolome.(75)
In conclusion, dietary polyphenols and their metabolites contribute to the maintenance
of gastrointestinal health, largely by modulation of gut microbial balance with the
simultaneous inhibition of pathogens and stimulation of beneficial bacteria. In the past,
the concept of prebiotics was limited to non-digestible carbohydrates, but the recentlyaccumulated
evidence strongly suggests that polyphenols have the ability to exert prebiotic
action. Indeed, the prebiotic effect could be enhanced when a substantial amount of
polyphenols is associated with dietary fiber. Therefore, the regular consumption of a diet
rich in plant foods with high polyphenol contents may beneficially balance the gut microbial
ecology, helping to prevent gastrointestinal disorders and thus enhancing the health of
the host.