Abstract
Purpose of review Recent knowledge teaches us that food is one of the most important environmental factors affecting our health from disease prevention to cause. Food is one of the key players in the normal gut microenvironment, affecting microbial composition, function, gut barrier and host immunity. This review aims to summarize the current data on food components as regulators of intestinal inflammation, with particular focus on the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Recent findings We summarize our current understanding on nutrition as possible cause and treatment for IBD and concentrate on several food components that have an anti-inflammatory role on the intestine (vitamin D, butyrate, resveratrol, curcumin). The proven efficacy of exclusive enteral nutrition to induce remission in children (and recently adults) with Crohn's disease has totally changed the clinical practice. Food components that have an anti-inflammatory role on the intestine (vitamin D, butyrate, resveratrol, curcumin) may now serve as an adjuvant to treatment. While our understanding has expanded in recent years, there remain many aspects of the interactions between nutrition and the gut that remain to be elucidated. Further focused research may lead to advances in understanding of disease pathogenesis and also result in new improved therapeutic interventions.