Does cooked apple pectin have different nutritious benefits to non-cooked apple pectin?

[Lua]

Some bacteria, which have been linked to control of IBD and a reduced risk of colon cancer, grow on pectin in the large intestine.

 

I am doing a horrible experiment, with a sample size of 1 (me) and a bunch of things not kept constant between the experiments - please forgive me. But I'm really interested to know if there is a biological basis for my findings, or if it is likely just coincidence.

 

I have indeterminate ulcerative colitis/crohn's disease.

 

Experiment

2 weeks: I found that cooking apples and eating them in my porridge gave me the best control in the 10 years since I was diagnosed.

2 weeks: I stopped eating apples and my symptoms got worse.

2 weeks: I started eating raw apples and the disease was no better.

2 weeks: started eating cooked apples again and my IBD is a bit better.

 

No medication for the entire period.

 

All I have found online is that if you cook apples it releases water soluble pectin.

Is there anything that cooking apples does to the pectin to make it a better substrate for bacteria growth?

 

Thanks a lot.

Edited June 2, 2015 by Lua

[StringJunky]

We have lost the ability to ruminate on plant matter - lack the necessary bacteria - so the cells of the apple mostly retain their pectin, I think. When you cook it the cell walls rupture and release the pectin, which is what the gut bacteria feed on. It appears to be indigestible to us but metabolically useful to gut flora.

[CharonY]

These things are hard to figure out even under controlled conditions. It could be a prebiotic effect, it could be something else and it is almost impossible to be sure what compound, if any had any relation to it. Or it could be that it breaks down things that are not beneficial to your gut whilst providing benefit of fibres/other heat resistant compounds, and so on.

 

As it is, it will be an empirical search for you what works and what does not. Especially if the diagnosis has indeterminate in it, the symptoms do not distinguish clearly between UC and Crohn's. And even if they did, the knowledge on these conditions is somewhat piecemeal and there is not clear optimal treatment.

 

In the end, if you feel better it is great and there is certainly no downside of eating cooked apples.

[StringJunky]

Porridge is prebiotic as well apparently, according to this Naked Scientists article... it gives you a rundown of some of the major bacteria in each part of the digestive system and an appreciation of the part they play in our health. You want to use cooking apples or unripe-ish eating apples because the too- ripe fruit has pectinase in it which degrades the pectin.

 

 

Pectin is an important cell wall polysaccharide that allows primary cell wall extension and plant growth. During fruit ripening, pectin is broken down by the enzymes pectinase and pectinesterase, in which process the fruit becomes softer as the middle lamellae break down and cells become separated from each other.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectin#Sources_and_production

Edited June 2, 2015 by StringJunky

[CharonY]

Well, bacteria also need to use pectinases to utilize pectin.

[StringJunky]

Well, bacteria also need to use pectinases to utilize pectin.

Do they?

[CharonY]

Pretty much. Long chain polymers are basically not usable. At most they can transport oligomers and then further process them inside the cell. I.e. typically they break down polymers extracellularly.

[StringJunky]

Pretty much. Long chain polymers are basically not usable. At most they can transport oligomers and then further process them inside the cell. I.e. typically they break down polymers extracellularly.

So, you'd want apples that have both? Can the human body use the products that pectinase makes?

Edited June 3, 2015 by StringJunky

[CharonY]

Not to a large extent, really. There are a range of pectins, but typical units include galacturonic acid and rhamnose. Both of which are not efficiently metabolized by humans (rhamnose seems to be metabolized to rhamnitol, but to me it is not clear whether it is directly or by means of bacteria.

There are also pectins that have substitutions such as glucose that could be metabolized. However, pectinase activity still leaves you with oligosaccharides that are not really usable to humans. My guess is if it is already partially broken down, the gut biota can more easily access it.

[StringJunky]

Not to a large extent, really. There are a range of pectins, but typical units include galacturonic acid and rhamnose. Both of which are not efficiently metabolized by humans (rhamnose seems to be metabolized to rhamnitol, but to me it is not clear whether it is directly or by means of bacteria.

There are also pectins that have substitutions such as glucose that could be metabolized. However, pectinase activity still leaves you with oligosaccharides that are not really usable to humans. My guess is if it is already partially broken down, the gut biota can more easily access it.

Oligosaccharides is one of the nutrients lower gut bacteria feeds on, I read somewhere, and is mentioned here:

 

 

Therapeutic effects

When oligosaccharides are consumed, the undigested portion serves as food for the intestinal microflora. Depending on the type of oligosaccharide, different bacterial groups are stimulated or suppressed.^[6][7]

 

Clinical studies have shown that administering FOS, GOS, or inulin can increase the number of these beneficial bacteria in the colon while simultaneously reducing the population of harmful bacteria.^[8]

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligosaccharide

Contrary what I posted before, the apples want to be very ripe, then cooked to maximise the available bacterial nutrients, don't they?

Edited June 3, 2015 by StringJunky

[CharonY]

Yes, that was my point, we are not able to utilize them, but bacteria are. I.e. they break down pectin (and other polymers) extracellularly and then process them further. We, also do something similarly for certain sugars (such as starch) but are e.g. not able to use pectin.

[StringJunky]

Yes, that was my point, we are not able to utilize them, but bacteria are. I.e. they break down pectin (and other polymers) extracellularly and then process them further. We, also do something similarly for certain sugars (such as starch) but are e.g. not able to use pectin.

I'm a bit lost on the 'extracellular' part - I know what it means but are they actively utilising the pectinase? What I'm finding confounding with the OP is the apples are cooked, so the enzyme is denatured before it reaches the gut flora.

Edited June 3, 2015 by StringJunky

[CharonY]

I'll try to clear that up. But first, it must be made clear that the effect described in OP may not be related to pectin at all.

But the way it works is that bacteria (and fungi) secrete pectinases in order to cleave pectin into smaller, utilizable parts (oligosaccharides). This happens in the gut.

Of course, plants may degrade their own cell walls during regular cell turnover which allows pectin to arrive at the gut already less intact. Heating could have a similar effect, though I am not sure how long and at which temp it would need to be to initiate hydrolysis.

[StringJunky]

I'll try to clear that up. But first, it must be made clear that the effect described in OP may not be related to pectin at all.

But the way it works is that bacteria (and fungi) secrete pectinases in order to cleave pectin into smaller, utilizable parts (oligosaccharides). This happens in the gut.

Of course, plants may degrade their own cell walls during regular cell turnover which allows pectin to arrive at the gut already less intact. Heating could have a similar effect, though I am not sure how long and at which temp it would need to be to initiate hydrolysis.

I understand now, cheers. Of course, I'm assuming all along the OP's interpretation is correct but may not be so.

[GM11]

Hmm I find this difficult to answer in a way that would be useful to you, I have Crohns myself and have had several resections done. My advice to you is find things that work for you and dont worry too much about the why!

I am saying this not as a scientist but as a sufferer, what works for one may not work for another. In your case it is helping and as long as moderation is used you will do no harm.