Consumption of Whole Green Lentils Alters Gut Microbial Composition in Metabolically At-Risk Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: Pulse crops are nutrient-dense foods that may improve diet quality and reduce chronic disease risk. The health benefits of pulses are largely attributed to high fiber content, an important contributor to diet-induced shifts in gut microbial composition. However, few human interventions with pulses and pulse ingredients have examined gut microbial shifts in response to lentil consumption. We recruited metabolically at-risk adults to investigate whether long-term lentil consumption influences the gut microbial community and if microbial changes associate with host metabolic health.