Reference entry
Polyphenols
Plain-English definitions of microbiome research vocabulary — the terms you'll see across articles, testing services, and probiotic claims.
Glossary context
Defined
in the site-wide microbiome glossary
Definition
Plant-derived compounds found in berries, tea, coffee, dark chocolate, red wine, and olive oil. Most polyphenols are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and reach the colon, where gut bacteria metabolise them into bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.