Comparative modulation of the gut microbiota by date-derived products and refined sugar: a 16S rRNA gene taxonomic profile in healthy rats.

Background: While refined dietary sugars are known drivers of microbial dysbiosis, natural date palm ( Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to five dietary intervention groups for 6 weeks. Gut microbial community structure and diversity were comprehensively assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bioinformatic analyses were employed to identify taxonomic shifts and community-level differences across treatments. Results: 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed that date-based treatments promoted microbial profiles that were distinct and compositionally more diverse than those induced by refined sugar. While the TS group consistently exhibited the lowest alpha diversity, beta diversity analysis (PERMANOVA, Conclusion: Natural date-derived products exert profound, product-specific modulatory effects on the gut microbiota, representing a compositionally superior alternative to refined sugar. Specifically, DCT showed a broad enrichment of health-associated taxa, while WDF promoted a unique assemblage of fiber-associated microbes. These results highlight the potential of date products as functional dietary alternatives and ingredients for the food industry, though further functional studies are required to confirm the metabolic implications of these taxonomic shifts.