Gut Bacteria Convert Vegetable Nutrients into Heart-Protecting Molecules
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a new mechanism by which vegetables benefit health: gut bacteria convert dietary nitrate and plant-based iron into dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs). Published in Cell, the study shows these molecules travel to organs like the liver and kidneys, where they improve cardiovascular and metabolic markers in animal models. While the findings explain part of why vegetable-rich diets reduce disease risk, human trials are needed to confirm the pathway's relevance in people.
