Gut Feeling: How Plants and Gut Microbes Team Up

Lutfun Nahar

doi:10.53941/jmnp.2026.100008

Abstract

Plants and gut microbes work together to produce metabolites that shape immunity, metabolism, and mood. Every plant we eat brings fibres, polyphenols, and other natural compounds into the gut. Many of these arrive in large, complex forms that human enzymes cannot fully break down. Gut microbes complete the job. They convert stubborn plant molecules into smaller and more active metabolites that support the immune system, strengthen the gut barrier, regulate energy balance, and communicate with the brain. Fresh plant foods also carry their own tiny microbial communities, adding chemical variety and expanding what the gut ecosystem can do. Diets rich in whole and diverse plants encourage a more resilient microbiota and a broader pool of beneficial metabolites. Similar chemical teamwork occurs in plant roots and soils, offering a simple way to understand cooperation across ecosystems. This review introduces the core ideas behind plant-microbe collaboration and prepares the ground for the next chapter in the Gut Feeling series, where the journey of natural products through microbial transformation becomes the central story.

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