Cell Host & Microbe, the findings generate invaluable insight into how gut microbes break down processed foods and lower the risk of health conditions often associated with those foods, such as obesity and diabetes.
Microbes mitigate the effects of processed foods
When food is processed or cooked at high temperatures, a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars leads to the formation of chemicals known as Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs). Depending on how the food was processed, MRPs can either be beneficial or toxic. With processed foods, it is often the case that the MRPs are toxic. Fructoselysine, for instance, a kind of MRP found in whey protein, has been linked to the development of diabetes and atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque along the arteries. If left unchecked, atherosclerosis raises the risk of heart disease and its complications.