Ethyl acetate subfractions from ethanol extracts of fermented oats (Avena sativa L.) exert anti-cancer properties in vitro and in vivo through G2/M and S Phase arrest and apoptosis

Local and Systemic Effects of Bioactive Food Ingredients: Is There a Role for Functional Foods to Prime the Gut for Resilience?

Scientific advancements in understanding the impact of bioactive components in foods on the gut microbiota and wider physiology create opportunities for designing targeted functional foods. The selection of bioactive ingredients with potential local or systemic effects holds promise for influencing overall well-being. An abundance of studies demonstrate that gut microbiota show compositional changes that correlate age and disease. However, navigating this field, especially for non-experts, remains challenging, given the abundance of bioactive ingredients with varying levels of scientific substantiation. This narrative review addresses the current knowledge on the potential impact of the gut microbiota on host health, emphasizing gut microbiota resilience. It explores evidence related to the extensive gut health benefits of popular dietary components and bioactive ingredients, such as phytochemicals, fermented greens, fibres, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. Importantly, this review distinguishes between the potential local and systemic effects of both popular and emerging ingredients. Additionally, it highlights how dietary hormesis promotes gut microbiota resilience, fostering better adaptation to stress-a hallmark of health. By integrating examples of bioactives, this review provides insights to guide the design of evidence-based functional foods aimed at priming the gut for resilience.

Fermented Oats as a Novel Functional Food

Fermented oats are gaining popularity due to their nutritional value and the increasing consumer demand for health-conscious foods. These oats are believed to offer enhanced phytochemical and nutritional profiles compared to unfermented oats. The increased nutritional content of fermented oats is associated with various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, which could potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the nutritional benefits of fermented oats in human nutrition. This mini review provides a comprehensive overview of fermented oat products available on the market and the various production methods employed for fermenting oats. Furthermore, this review investigates how fermentation affects the chemical composition and biological functions of oats. Additionally, this manuscript presents some future perspectives on fermented oat products by discussing potential research directions and opportunities for further development. The findings presented in this review contribute to the expanding body of knowledge on fermented oats as a promising functional food, paving the way for future studies and applications in the field of nutrition and health.

The Potential Functions and Mechanisms of Oat on Cancer Prevention: A Review

Oat is classified as a whole grain and contains high contents of protein, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and saponins). In recent years, studies have focused on the effects of oat consumption on reducing the risk of a variety of diseases. Reports have indicated that an oat diet exerts certain biological functions, such as preventing cardiovascular diseases, reducing blood glucose, and promoting intestinal health, along with antiallergy, antioxidation, and cancer preventive effects. At present, cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. The natural products of oat are an important breakthrough for developing new strategies of cancer prevention, and their ability to interact with multiple cellular targets helps to combat the complexity of cancer pathogenesis. In addition, the comprehensive study of the cancer prevention activity and potential mechanism of oat nutrients and phytochemicals has become a research hotspot. In this Review, we focused on the potential functions of peptides, dietary fiber, and phytochemicals in oats on cancer prevention and further revealed novel mechanisms and prospects for clinical application. These findings might provide a novel approach to deeply understand the functions and mechanisms for cancer prevention of oat consumption.