Interaction Between Local Superfoods and The Microbiome: The Role of The Indonesian Traditional Diet In Mitigating Colorectal Carcinogenesis

Authors

  • Rofiqah Masyita Faculty of Biomedicine, Yarsi University, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Diniwati Mukhtar Faculty of Biomedicine, Yarsi University, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Fairuz Quzwain Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia
  • Himmi Marsiati Faculty of Biomedicine, Yarsi University, Jakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51601/ijhp.v6i3.730

Abstract

This study examines the interaction between local superfoods and the gut microbiome in mitigating colorectal carcinogenesis through the Indonesian traditional dietary pattern. The central problem lies in the increasing prevalence of intestinal dysbiosis driven by modern dietary transitions, which contributes to colorectal cancer risk. The study aims to analyze the role of the Indonesian traditional diet in maintaining microbial balance as a preventive strategy against colorectal cancer. A narrative literature review approach was employed, thematically synthesizing peer-reviewed publications addressing gut dysbiosis, colorectal carcinoma, and tempeh as Indonesian fermented soybean food, consistent with standard narrative review reporting practice rather than a PRISMA-based systematic protocol. The findings indicate that local superfood consumption promotes eubiosis, reduces chronic inflammation, and supports colonic health. The study concludes that the Indonesian traditional diet represents a strategic microbiome-based nutritional prevention approach.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1]. Arnold, M., Sierra, M. S., Laversanne, M., Soerjomataram, I., Jemal, A., & Bray, F. (2017). Global patterns and trends in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. Gut, 66(4), 683--691. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2015-310912

[2]. Astuti, M., Meliala, A., Dalais, F. S., & Wahlqvist, M. L. (2023). Tempe, a nutritious and healthy food from Indonesia. Foods, 12(4), 857. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040857

[3]. Biller, L. H., & Schrag, D. (2021). Diagnosis and treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. JAMA, 325(7), 669--685. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.0106

[4]. Booth, A., Sutton, A., & Papaioannou, D. (2016). Systematic approaches to a successful literature review. Sage Publications.

[5]. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77--101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

[6]. Chen, H. M., Yu, Y. N., Wang, J. L., et al. (2013). Decreased dietary fiber intake and structural alteration of gut microbiota in patients with advanced colorectal adenoma. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 97(5), 1044–1052. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.046607

[7]. Chen, J., Zhang, Y., & Li, X. (2024). Gut microbial dysbiosis and colorectal cancer development: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic perspectives. Frontiers in Oncology, 14, 1302219. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2024.1302219

[8]. Chen, Y. C., Tao, N. L., Hu, S. Y., et al. (2021). Effect of tempeh on gut microbiota and anti-stress activity in zebrafish. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(23), 12660. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222312660

[9]. Dekker, E., Tanis, P. J., Vleugels, J. L., Kasi, P. M., & Wallace, M. B. (2022). Colorectal cancer. The Lancet, 394(10207), 1467--1480. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01222-5

[10]. Dong, X., et al. (2026). The barrier–microbiota–inflammation axis in colorectal cancer: Mechanisms and emerging diagnostic & therapeutic strategies. Cancers, 18(4), 576. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18040576

[11]. Garcia Mansilla, M. J., et al. (2025). Modulating strategies of the intestinal microbiota in colorectal cancer. Nutrients, 17(22), 3565. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17223565

[12]. Garrett, W. S. (2015). Cancer and the microbiota. Science, 348(6230), 80--86. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa4972

[13]. Hitipeuw, D., Nuranindita, R., Widjanarko, B., & Muh, F. (2025). Gut microbiota composition and variation in Baduy infants living traditional lifestyles in Banten, Indonesia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 26(9), 4522–4533. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d260924

[14]. Hou, K., Wu, Z. X., Chen, X. Y., Wang, J. Q., Zhang, D., Xiao, C., Zhu, D., Koya, J. B., Wei, L., Li, J., Chen, Z. S., & Chen, X. (2023). Microbiota in health and diseases. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 8, 135. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01403-0

[15]. Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277--1288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305276687

[16]. Human Microbiome Project Consortium. (2012). Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome. Nature, 486(7402), 207--214. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11234

[17]. Jeyaram, K., Lahti, L., Tims, S., et al. (2025). Fermented foods affect the seasonal stability of gut bacteria in an Indian rural population. Nature Communications, 16(1), 771. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56014-6

[18]. Katsidzira, L., Ocvirk, S., Wilson, A., et al. (2019). Differences in fecal gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids and bile acids link colorectal cancer risk to dietary changes associated with urbanization among Zimbabweans. Nutrition and Cancer, 71(8), 1313–1324. https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2019.1602659

[19]. Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

[20]. Kurniawan, A. (2025). Bridging tradition and science: The health-promoting potentials of Indonesian local spices in ethnic foods. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 12, Article 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-025-00299-x

[21]. Lee, J. H., Park, S. Y., & Kim, Y. S. (2024). Fermented soy foods and gut microbiota modulation: Implications for colorectal cancer prevention. Nutrients, 16(3), 455. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16030455

[22]. Leeuwendaal, N. K., Stanton, C., O'Toole, P. W., & Beresford, T. P. (2022). Fermented foods, health and the gut microbiome. Nutrients, 14(7), 1527. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14071527

[23]. Lippolis, T., Cofano, M., Vitale, M. E., De Nunzio, V., & Notarnicola, M. (2023). Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of diet polyphenols and their modulation of gut microbiota. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(4), 3813. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043813

[24]. Louis, P., & Flint, H. J. (2017). Formation of propionate and butyrate by the human colonic microbiota. Environmental Microbiology, 19(1), 29--41. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13589

[25]. Miao, X., Niu, H., Sun, M., Dong, X., Hua, M., Su, Y., Wang, J., & Li, D. (2024). A comparative study on the nutritional composition, protein structure and effects on gut microbiota of 5 fermented soybean products (FSPs). Food Research International, 183, 114199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114199

[26]. Nguyen, L. H., Cao, Y., Hur, J., Mehta, R. S., Wu, K., Song, M., & Chan, A. T. (2024). Early-onset colorectal cancer and lifestyle factors. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 21, 210--223. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-024-00841-3

[27]. Nout, M. J. R., & Kiers, J. L. (2022). Tempe fermentation, innovation and functionality. Food Research International, 156, 111154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111154

[28]. O'Keefe, S. J. D. (2016). Diet, microorganisms and their metabolites, and colon cancer. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 13(12), 691--706. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2016.165

[29]. O'Keefe, S. J. D., Li, J. V., Lahti, L., Ou, J., Carbonero, F., Mohammed, K., et al. (2015). Fat, fibre and cancer risk in African Americans and rural Africans. Nature Communications, 6, 6342. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7342

[30]. Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hrobjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

[31]. Rahayu, E. S., Utami, T., Mariyatun, M., et al. (2019). Gut microbiota profile in healthy Indonesians. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 25(12), 1478–1491. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v25.i12.1478

[32]. Sahran, N. F., Chong, C. W., Ismail, I. H., et al. (2025). Effects of traditional Asian diet on dietary fibre requirement, gut microbiome composition, and faecal and urine metabolomes in healthy Asian women: A pilot study. Beneficial Microbes, 17(1), 47–60. https://doi.org/10.1163/18762891-bja00074

[33]. Seo, B., & Chung, W. H. (2025). Asian fermented plant foods as modulators of gut microbiota and host health: Current evidence and future perspectives—A narrative review. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 12, Article 37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-025-00298-y

[34]. Shreiner, A. B., Kao, J. Y., & Young, V. B. (2022). The gut microbiome in health and in disease. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 19(10), 639--653. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-022-00625-7

[35]. Siegel, R. L., Miller, K. D., & Jemal, A. (2020). Cancer statistics. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 70(1), 7--30. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21590

[36]. Singh, S., Sharma, P., Sarma, D. K., Kumawat, M., Tiwari, R., Verma, V., Nagpal, R., & Kumar, M. (2023). Implication of obesity and gut microbiome dysbiosis in the etiology of colorectal cancer. Cancers, 15(6), 1913. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15061913

[37]. Sonnenburg, J. L., & Bäckhed, F. (2016). Diet–microbiota interactions as moderators of human metabolism. Nature, 535(7610), 56–64. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature18846

[38]. Sreenesh, B., et al. (2025). Prebiotic potential of dietary polyphenols in colorectal cancer immunomodulation. Foods, 14(13), 2392. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132392

[39]. Stephanie, S., Kartawidjajaputra, F., Silo, W., et al. (2018). Tempeh consumption enhanced beneficial bacteria in the human gut. Food Research, 3(1), 57–63. https://doi.org/10.26656/fr.2017.3(1).230

[40]. Stephanie, S., Ratih, N. K., Soka, S., & Suwanto, A. (2017). Effect of tempeh supplementation on the profiles of human intestinal immune system and gut microbiota. Microbiology Indonesia, 11(1), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.5454/mi.11.1.2

[41]. Sukhera, J. (2022). Narrative reviews: Flexible, rigorous, and practical. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 14(4), 414–417. https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-22-00480.1

[42]. Surono, I. S., Popov, I., Verbruggen, S., Verhoeven, J., Kusumo, P. D., & Venema, K. (2021). Gut microbiota profile of Indonesian stunted children and children with normal nutritional status. PLOS ONE, 16(1), e0245399. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245399

[43]. Tambunan, E. C. (2025). Analysis of bioactive content in Indonesian local superfoods as a preventative of degenerative diseases. Journal of Pharmacopoeia, 2(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.62872/jtsw1p76

[44]. Teoh, S. Q., et al. (2024). A review on health benefits and processing of tempeh with outlines on its functional microbes. Future Foods, 9, 100330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fufo.2024.100330

[45]. Thakur, B., et al. (2026). Gut microbiota and diet in colorectal cancer: Converging determinants of carcinogenesis. Gut Microbes, 18(1), 2664684. https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2026.2664684

[46]. Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8, 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45

[47]. Tilg, H., Zmora, N., Adolph, T. E., & Elinav, E. (2022). The intestinal microbiota fuelling metabolic inflammation. Nature Reviews Immunology, 22(1), 40--54. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-021-00571-7

[48]. Valdes, A. M., Walter, J., Segal, E., & Spector, T. D. (2018). Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. BMJ, 361, k2179. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2179

[49]. Wang, C., Lan, T., Chen, Z., Wang, X., Han, Y., Yang, N., Xu, Z., Li, H., Tao, M., & Song, Y. (2023). The preventive effects of inulin, cellulose, and their mixture on colorectal cancer liver metastasis in mice by regulating gut microbiota. Journal of Food Science, 88(11), 4705–4717. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16772

[50]. Wang, Y., & Li, H. (2022). Gut microbiota modulation: A tool for the management of colorectal cancer. Journal of Translational Medicine, 20, 1--15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-022-03378-8

[51]. Watling, C. Z., Kelly, R. K., Murphy, N., et al. (2023). Prospective analysis reveals associations between carbohydrate intakes, genetic predictors of short-chain fatty acid synthesis, and colorectal cancer risk. Cancer Research, 83(12), 2066–2076. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-22-3755

[52]. Wong, C. C., & Yu, J. (2023). Gut microbiota in colorectal cancer development and therapy. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 20(7), 429–452. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-023-00766-x

[53]. Xi, Y., & Xu, P. (2023). Global colorectal cancer burden and trends: A systematic analysis. Frontiers in Oncology, 13, 1178147. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2023.1178147

[54]. Zmora, N., Suez, J., & Elinav, E. (2019). You are what you eat: Diet, health and the gut microbiota. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 16(1), 35–56. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-018-0061-2.

Downloads

Published

2026-09-16

How to Cite

Masyita, R., Diniwati Mukhtar, Fairuz Quzwain, & Himmi Marsiati. (2026). Interaction Between Local Superfoods and The Microbiome: The Role of The Indonesian Traditional Diet In Mitigating Colorectal Carcinogenesis . International Journal of Health and Pharmaceutical (IJHP), 6(3), 914–930. https://doi.org/10.51601/ijhp.v6i3.730

Issue

Section

Articles