Age: 55+
Healthy Volunteers: Accepted
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Generally healthy
2. Age, ≥55 y old
3. BMI, ≥27 and <35 kg/m2
4. Consume a typical American diet, <3 servings of combined fruits and vegetables daily
5. Waist:hip ratio >0.8 for women and >0.9 for men, and waist:height ratio ≥0.5
6. Willing to consume study meals for 8 wk
7. Do not have allergic reaction to plant foods
8. Willing to take the assigned supplement for 6 wk
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Unusual dietary pattern, including vegan/vegetarian
2. Cigarette smoking and/or nicotine replacement use in the last 6 months
3. Intend to be pregnant, pregnancy, and breastfeeding
4. Use of medications known to change lipid metabolism
5. Steroid use, except nasal and non-prescription topical treatments
6. Active treatment for cancer of any type >1 y, except non-melanoma skin cancer
7. Have an immunodeficiency condition
8. Use of immunosuppressive medications within the last 6 months
9. Weekly alcoholic intake >14 drinks (168 oz beer, 56 oz wine, 14 oz hard liquor)
10. Drugs known to influence fecal microbiota: Regular use of fiber supplements such as Metamucil, probiotics, prebiotics, laxatives, stool softeners, H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors (PPI) or antacids.
11. Antibiotic use within 3 months prior to or during study participation
12. Colonoscopy or colonoscopy prep within 3 months prior to or during study
13. Infrequent (<3/wk) or excessive (>3/d) number of regular bowel movements
14. History of a bilateral mastectomy with nodal dissection
15. Consume ≥3 servings of fruits and vegetables daily one average
16. Gastrointestinal diseases, conditions, or medications influencing gastrointestinal absorption including active peptic ulcer disease or inflammatory bowel disease which will be found based on the self-report during the screening visit
17. Diabetes and/or use of diabetes medications
18. Unstable thyroid disease or adjustment of thyroid medication in past 6 months
19. Abnormal values of standard blood biochemistries that interfere with study outcomes based on study physician's discretion
20. Infection or immunization within 30 days prior to study admission
21. Use anticoagulants, such as heparin, warfarin (coumadin), or Plavix in past 6 months
22. On or planning to be on a weight loss regimen
23. Gain or loss of ≥5% body weight in the last 6 months
24. Inability to refrain from ASA/NSAID/Tylenol use x 720 prior to study blood draws
25. Regular use of any dietary supplements containing vitamins, minerals, herbal or other plant-based preparations, fish oil supplements (including cod liver oil) prebiotics, probiotics or homeopathic remedies; however, subjects who are willing to refrain from the use of these supplements 30 days prior to enrollment and throughout the entire study may be considered eligible