Consumption of Anthocyanins Improves Obesity-Induced Inflammation

First off let's explain what exactly are anthocyanins:

Anthocyanins are a family of chemical compounds found primarily in plants. Chemically the anthocyanins are flavonoids. The flavonoids represent a group of related phenolic compounds of which more than 4000 different types have been identified as naturally occurring in plants. The flavonoids are compounds that, like the vitamins, are not produced by the body and must be acquired from the diet or nutritional supplements. The flavonoids are categorized into the flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavanonols, flavanols (flavan-3-ols and flavan-3,4-diols), anthocyanins (anthocyanidins), chalcones, isoflavonoids (primarily isoflavones), neoflavonoids, and biflavonoids. These various flavonoid compounds are found in nature either free or conjugated to a sugar (carbohydrate) molecule via a glycosidic linkage. The most common sugars found linked to flavonoids are glucose, galactose, arabinose, glucuronic acid, and rhamnose.

Anthocyanins, including anthocyanidins (such as cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, peonidin, and pelargonidin), are widely distributed in medicinal herbs and dietary plants including fruits such as grape skins, blueberries, bayberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, plums, figs, grapes, apples, and pomegranate seeds, and vegetables such as red cabbage, purple sweet potato, eggplant, red cabbage, beans, black/purple carrots, purple sweet potatoes, and red/purple rice, to name just a few.

More than 600 anthocyanins have been identified and their differences are the result of the position and number of hydroxyl groups, the degree of methylation of the hydroxyl groups, the nature and number of sugar molecules present, and the acids that are linked to the sugars.

The most common anthocyanins in the human diet that have been studied for their health benefits are cyanidins (found in grapes, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, chokeberry, cranberry, elderberry, hawthorn, loganberry, açai berry and raspberry), delphinidins (found predominantly in blueberries and red wine), malvidins (primarily found in red wine), pelargonidins (found in kidney beans, red radishes, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, saskatoon berries, chokeberries, plums, and pomegranates), peonidins (found in raw cranberries, blueberries, plums, cherries, and grapes), and petunidins (found in chokecherries, saskatoon berries, and grapes).

The typical Western-style diet that is enriched in highly processed foods, sugars (carbohydrates), and unhealthy fats has led to an explosion in the numbers of overweight and obese individuals, not only in America, but around the world. This poor dietary behavior has been associated with a dramatic increase in high-calorie foods, saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids and a dramatic decrease omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

The rise in overweight and obese individuals is associated with dramatic increases in the risk of type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular diseases, numerous types of cancers, and mental health problems. A hallmark feature of obesity is a persistent and systemic low-grade inflammation that is referred to a metabolic inflammation or metainflammation. Chronic inflammatory states are closely linked to oxidative stress mechanisms that in turn amplifies the inflammatory state.

Plant-derived polyphenols, of which anthocyanins are a member, are rich sources of a variety of anti-oxidant compounds. Research has demonstrated that foods and extracts rich in anthocyanins exhibit numerous health benefits such as increasing insulin action and energy metabolism and help controlling obesity-linked metainflammation.

A new review published in the journal, Nutrition Research, discusses the anthocyanins as beneficial additions to ones diet for the treating and preventing of obesity-associated comorbidities in preclinical and clinical research models:

Anthocyanins ameliorate obesity-associated metainflammation: Preclinical and clinical evidence

As detailed in this review, numerous studies have found that the consumption of foods rich in anthocyanin can reduce the metainflammatory state associated with obesity thereby helping to reduce the risk of life threatening complications such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, and stroke. Anthocyanins exert these effects by reducing the expression and levels of numerous pro-inflammatory genes such as TNFalpha, NF-kB, IL-17A, IL-6, IL-1beta, and COX-2.

In addition, consumption of foods rich in anthocyanins is associated with increased insulin sensitivity and enhanced glucose tolerance. Additional positive metabolic effects include improved blood lipid profiles (increased HDL and reduced LDL).

Diets rich in anthocyanins also exert positive effects on the gut microbiota resulting in increased levels of healthy bacteria such as short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing Enriched SCFA-producing Ruminococcaceae, Muribaculaceae, Akkermansia and Bacteroides, and Lactobacillus. The effects of anthocyanins on gut microbiota results in decreased intestinal permeability and the risk for endotoxemia.

TAKE HOME: Do as your Mother asked you to do and eat your fruits and vegetables. Stay away from highly refined and processed foods.