Food Biodiversity and Human Health

In Western countries, one of the major nutritional challenges requires reducing the proportion of animal proteins and increasing the proportion of vegetable proteins in the daily plate. Added to this nutritional challenge is an environmental challenge, with plant proteins being much less expensive to produce. However, plant proteins are mainly provided by cereals and legumes, a large diversity of which is necessary to cover the recommended daily intake of amino acids. However, given the collapse of cultivated biodiversity (loss of 75% in 100 years, FAO), the diversity of the supply is very reduced. Furthermore, for several years, public health studies have indicated a chronic deficit in micronutrients (minerals/trace elements, vitamins, antioxidants) as well as fiber in the diet of the French population. This comes in particular from the impoverishment of the nutritional quality of the fruits/vegetables/cereals/legumes consumed. In general, diet plays a major role in the primary prevention of chronic diseases (cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer) including periodontal disease. Thus, a diet low in sugars, saturated fats and rich in fiber would reduce the appearance of periodontal disease by strengthening salivary capacity. However, certain pathogenic periodontal bacteria (such as Porphyromonas gingivalis) can migrate (blood, digestive or respiratory routes) to reach other organs and represent a risk factor for other chronic diseases. Thus, the prevention of periodontal diseases through diet control would also contribute to the prevention of other chronic diseases. The benefit of plant-based diets to reduce the risk of cancer is now established. In addition, certain cereals such as spelled have superior nutritional qualities to common wheat, notably their protein content and they also contain higher quantities of certain bioactive compounds with anti-cancer properties (such as phytosterols). Furthermore, the potential impact of the oral microbiota on chronic diseases