Amur linden honey and its principal polyphenols alleviate obesity and regulate gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced mice

Obesity has emerged as a critical global health challenge in recent decades, driving increased scientific interest in honey as a sugar alternative. Despite its perceived nutritional benefits, the inherent high fructose-glucose ratio in honey continues to raise concerns regarding metabolic implications for overweight individuals. In this study, Amur linden honey (LH) was evaluated as a low-glycemic-index (GI) dietary intervention, demonstrating significant anti-obesity effects through murine model. Subsequently, nine principal polyphenols (PC) were identified by metabolomics and proven anti-obesity activity in cellular assays, suggesting their potential role in mediating the biological effects of LH. Notably, the anti-obesity effects of LH were more pronounced as compared to the equivalent amount of glucose and fructose, and this effect was further facilitated by addition of the PC. Furthermore, LH and HP (LH with the addition of PC) attenuate obesity by modulating gut microbiota, promoting production of SCFA especially acetate and propionate etc., and activating the AMPK/PI3K/AKT pathways. The present study revealed that LH, enriched with diverse bioactive compounds, presents the potential to be a healthy and safe sugar substitutes due to its positive effects on the obesity.