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Figure 3. Polyphenol-mediated Regulation of Gut Microbiota. Dietary polyphenols derived from fruits and vegetables exert multiple beneficial effects on gut microbial composition. Polyphenols may act as prebiotic substrates that enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus. They may interact with the host epithelium to stimulate mucin production, supporting the proliferation of mucin-utilizing bacteria, including Akkermansia spp. Finally, polyphenols exhibit selective antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria (e.g., E. coli), thereby creating a favorable niche for symbiotic bacteria. Collectively, the changes in gut microbiota composition can calibrate the activity of immune cells residing at the mucosal barrier. Created in BioRender. Williams, A. (2025) https://BioRender.com/2z1gbuw.