7 Foods With Antibacterial Properties
Although plenty of prescription antibiotics are available, the threat of antibiotic resistance has sparked interest in foods that have antibacterial properties. To boot, consumers seem to be interested in minimally processed foods with antibacterial effects—so a market for these products exists.
The natural pathogen-fighting benefits of garlic and ginger are fairly well known, but let’s take a look at some other foods and spices that can offer the same immunoprotection.
Wine
Like people, plants can also get sick. For instance, when threatened, grapes will release organic compounds to defend their vines against phytopathogens.
The phenolic compounds found in wine and grape products can offer some protection against:
- Latrogenic pathogens (eg, Helicobacter pylori and Klebsiella pneumoniae)
- Foodborne pathogens (eg, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, and Staphylococcus aureus)
- Oral pathogens
- Viruses (eg, adenovirus, hepatitis virus, and rotavirus)
- Parasites (eg, Eimeria tenella and Trichomonas vaginalis)
- Fungi (eg, Candida albicans)
- Microbial toxins (ochratoxin A and Shiga toxin)
Water-soluble peptide extracts (WSPEs) are bacterial peptides that are released from dairy products like yogurt and possess antimicrobial properties.
“The WSPE exhibited stronger inhibitory activity against gram-negative compared with gram-positive bacteria. In addition, the WSPE inhibited proliferation of HT29 human colon cancer cells. Generation of inhibitory peptides against bacteria and HT29 human colon cancer cells improved with [pineapple peel powder] supplementation of yogurt. However, activities reduced substantially after [gastrointestinal] tract digestion. Taken together, the incorporation of [pineapple peel powder] and probiotics in yogurts offers new opportunities in the development of novel functional foods, and this approach could lead to the development of novel bioactive peptides having antibacterial and anticancer activity,” concluded the authors of one study investigating the antibacterial effects of yogurt.
Moringa
If interested in an exotic spin on healthy foods, consider moringa, also known as the horseradish tree. Like the turnip, moringa is a vegetable of the Brassicales order. It is most commonly found in India and Africa, and is used in food preparation as a spice.
Interestingly, moringa has been shown in several studies to have greater antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria, such as Staph., than against gram-negative species, such as E. coli and Pseudomonas.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon extract is mostly made up of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol, which are compounds that attack respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens. According to some studies, cinnamon may also protect against infection from H. pylori; however, there isn’t enough evidence to support cinnamon as a form of treatment for H. pylori-induced gastric ulcers.
Turmeric
When boiled or ground into a powder, turmeric can be used to create yellow or orange coloring for food or skin cosmetics, and offers a distinct taste to a variety of Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. This member of the ginger family is well known for its anti-inflammatory health benefits—but did you know that turmeric has antimicrobial properties as well? In mechanistic studies assessing minimum inhibitory concentrations for various pathogens, turmeric demonstrated antimicrobial effects against a gamut of bacteria. Turmeric is so effective that it has even been considered as a candidate to impregnate clothes for antimicrobial benefit. Moreover, it may synergize with current antibiotics, including ampicillin, and thus enhance treatment efficacy.
Cranberry juice and supplements
Pretty much everyone has heard that cranberry juice is effective against urinary tract infections (UTIs). Indeed, cranberry juice may prevent the adherence of bacteria to uroepithelial cells, and suppress inflammatory responses due to infection. Researchers have shown that cranberry juice not only helps mitigate UTIs but may be of use as UTI prophylaxis.
However, cranberry juice may not be effective in all populations, including those at the highest risk of developing UTIs. Additionally, it’s unclear how much cranberry juice is needed to prevent or fight UTIs, and the amount needed may not be cost effective.
Furthermore, there is some debate as to whether cranberry juice or cranberry capsules/supplements provide the greatest defense against infection. In a 2015 study, for instance, taking cranberry capsules lowered the risk of UTIs by 50% in women who had catheters in place while undergoing gynecological surgery.
Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, for MDLinx
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