Gut–Liver Axis-Mediated Anti-Obesity Effects and Viscosity Characterization of a Homogenized Viscous Vegetable Mixture in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

• Published in: Plants
• Main Authors: Yu-An Wei, Yi-Hsiu Chen, Lu-Chi Fu, Chiu-Li Yeh, Shyh-Hsiang Lin, Yuh-Ting Huang, Yasuo Watanabe, Suh-Ching Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2025-08-01
• Subjects: anti-obesity; viscous vegetable mixture; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; gut microbiota; mice
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/16/2510

This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of a homogenized, viscous vegetable (VV) mixture prepared from mucilaginous vegetables, with a focus on modulating hepatic lipid metabolism and gut microbiota composition in mice fed with a high-fat (HF) diet. The VV mixture was formulated by blending freeze-dried powders of ten mucilaginous vegetables, classified as moderately thick using a line-spread test and extremely thick according to the IDDSI framework in a 1:9 ratio (VV mixture: water, <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>). Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed control or HF diets, with or without 10% VV mixture for 8 weeks (<i>n</i> = 7 per group). The HF diet induced significant weight gain, adipose tissue accumulation, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation. The HF diet also significantly reduced hepatic ACO1, CPT1 mRNA expression, and α-diversity with distinct fecal microbiota profiles. On the other hand, VV mixture supplementation reduced serum TC, LDL-C levels and NAFLD scores. VV mixture supplementation also increased hepatic ACO1 and CPT1 mRNA expression, enhanced α-diversity, and enriched SCFA-producing bacteria, particularly the <i>Lachnospiraceae NK4A136</i> group. In conclusion, the VV mixture attenuated HF diet-induced obesity, possibly through its high viscosity–mediated effects on hepatic fatty acid oxidation and gut microbiota modulation.