Anthocyanin biofortified colored wheat modifies gut microbiota in mice

Anthocyanins act as antioxidants and prebiotics and colored wheat has additional health benefits due to the presence of anthocyanins. The current study was designed to study the gut microbiota modulating effects of colored wheat in mice. Male swiss albino mice were subjected to different isocaloric diet interventions for 11 weeks. Black wheat flour had the lowest in vitro glycemic index (GI) and highest fructan content followed by purple and white wheat. The chapatti of colored wheat exhibited even lesser GI than their respective flours. Colored wheat interventions in mice resulted in lower oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) value and higher short-chain fatty acids content compared to white wheat intervention. Additionally, the hepatic antioxidants profile of the colored wheat intervention groups showed a higher concentration of antioxidant enzyme compared to white wheat intervention. Gut diversity analysis revealed that the colored wheat varieties both as flours and chapattis augmented the abundance of beneficial phyla and improved the ratio of Bac/Fir compared to white wheat. Bacteria potentially related to diseased conditions (Rikenellacea, Ruminococcus, and Clostridia) decreased. Colored wheat especially black wheat in raw as well as the cooked form, has the potential to positively modulate the gut microbiome and exert a prebiotic-like effect.