【Animal Modeling】-High-fiber food helps laboratory mice resist influenza

  Australian researchers have found that high-fiber food can enhance the immunity of laboratory mice and increase the survival rate of laboratory mice infected with influenza virus.

  Researchers from Monash University in Australia published a report in the American Journal of Immunity that they found through animal experiments that high-fiber foods can activate white blood cells, enhance the immunity of experimental mice, and help them resist influenza viruses. Researchers say that the reason why dietary fibers have this dual effect may be that they help change the composition of the intestinal flora and increase the production of short-chain fatty acids, which can provide energy for cell growth and help eliminate inflammation.

  Benjamin Maslan, who participated in the study, said that some specific therapies will make our immune system either "on fire" or shut down completely. Surprisingly, dietary fiber "selectively" shuts down part of the immune system. , And open another part.

  Researchers will focus on exploring the exact mechanism of dietary changes affecting the immune system, and studying what dosage and type of dietary fiber can maximize human immunity.

  Foods rich in dietary fiber include oats, black beans, lentils, red kidney beans, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, Brussels sprouts, flax seeds, raspberries, dried figs and almonds. Researchers believe that modern Western diets generally have high sugar and low fiber content, which is not conducive to improving the body's immunity.