Lee Sylvia Y, Michell Kiri A, Butler Michelle M, Smith Brayden T, Woolf Emily K, Holmes Sydney C, Grabos Lauren E, Vazquez Allegra R, Isweiri Hanan, Bunning Marisa, Uchanski Mark E, Rao Sangeeta, Newman Steven E, Weir Tiffany L, Johnson Sarah A
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
Nutrients. 2025 Jan 28;17(3):467. doi: 10.3390/nu17030467.
Microgreens are rich in nutrients and phytochemicals that can support healthy aging, including attenuation of cardiovascular disease risk. The nutrient and phytochemical contents of red beet (i.e., bull's blood' beet, ) and red cabbage () microgreens, as well as existing preclinical evidence suggest their cardioprotective effects, but the feasibility, gastrointestinal tolerability, and human health effects of daily microgreen consumption are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and gastrointestinal tolerability of 2 weeks of daily microgreen consumption in healthy middle-aged/older (MA/O) adults. A secondary aim was to characterize potential health effects. Healthy MA/O adults (initial n = 26) were randomized to consume either 2 cups of 'bull's blood' beet or red cabbage microgreens daily for 2 weeks in a crossover design, with each treatment period separated by 2 weeks. Feasibility was determined through participant retention and intervention compliance (i.e., total doses consumed divided by 14 days), while gastrointestinal tolerability was determined by a gastrointestinal health questionnaire and bowel movement log. Impacts of microgreen consumption on brachial and aortic hemodynamic parameters, and gut microbiota composition were evaluated. Daily consumption for 2 weeks of 'bull's blood' beet and red cabbage microgreens was found to be feasible as indicated by high participant retention (final n = 24) and overall treatment compliance of 95.6%. Gastrointestinal symptom severity was not impacted overall, though an improvement in gastrointestinal inflammation-associated symptom severity scores following the red cabbage microgreen intervention ( = 0.047) was observed. There were no changes in bowel movement quality, hemodynamic parameters, or on alpha or beta diversity of the gut microbiota. Daily consumption of 'bull's blood' beet and red cabbage microgreens is feasible and tolerable in healthy MA/O adults. Future studies designed to evaluate their health impacts are needed.
嫩苗富含营养物质和植物化学物质，有助于健康衰老，包括降低心血管疾病风险。红甜菜（即“牛血”甜菜）和红甘蓝嫩苗的营养成分和植物化学物质含量，以及现有的临床前证据表明它们具有心脏保护作用，但每日食用嫩苗的可行性、胃肠道耐受性和对人体健康的影响尚不清楚。本研究旨在评估健康中年/老年（MA/O）成年人每日食用嫩苗2周的可行性和胃肠道耐受性。次要目的是描述潜在的健康影响。健康的MA/O成年人（初始n = 26）被随机分为两组，采用交叉设计，每天食用2杯“牛血”甜菜或红甘蓝嫩苗，为期2周，每个治疗期间隔2周。通过参与者留存率和干预依从性（即消耗的总剂量除以14天）来确定可行性，而胃肠道耐受性则通过胃肠道健康问卷和排便记录来确定。评估了食用嫩苗对肱动脉和主动脉血流动力学参数以及肠道微生物群组成的影响。结果发现，“牛血”甜菜和红甘蓝嫩苗连续2周每日食用是可行的，参与者留存率高（最终n = 24），总体治疗依从性为95.6%。虽然总体上胃肠道症状严重程度没有受到影响，但观察到红甘蓝嫩苗干预后胃肠道炎症相关症状严重程度评分有所改善（P = 0.047）。排便质量、血流动力学参数以及肠道微生物群的α或β多样性均无变化。在健康的MA/O成年人中，每日食用“牛血”甜菜和红甘蓝嫩苗是可行且可耐受的。需要开展进一步研究来评估它们对健康的影响。
