Lycopene, amaranth, and sorghum red pigments counteract obesity and modulate the gut microbiota in high-fat diet fed C57BL/6 mice

[Display omitted] •Sorghum red reduce body weight by 26.5%.•Lycopene, amaranth, and sorghum red lower trimethylamine N-oxide levels.•Lycopene, amaranth, and sorghum red increased bacterial diversity.•Lycopene and sorghum red promoted the proliferation of Akkermansia.•Amaranth and sorghum red impeded the proliferation of Prevotella. The present study investigated the anti-obesity effects of lycopene (LC), amaranth (AR), and sorghum red (SR) in high-fat diet-induced C57BL/6J mice. Compared with untreated mice on a high-fat diet for 12 weeks, LC, AR, and SR reduced the body weight by 17.9%, 23.5%, and 26.5%, respectively. They markedly reversed glucose tolerance and the serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, observably improved the liver profiles of TG and TC, and effectively ameliorated lipid metabolism. After the administration of LC, AR, and SR, the intestinal microbial environment improved in the sense that bacterial diversity increased and Clostridium abundance decreased. LC and SR promoted the proliferation of Akkermansia, whereas AR and SR impeded the proliferation of Prevotella. Furthermore, LC, AR, and SR reduced the TMAO level. In conclusion, LC, AR, and SR may protect against high-diet induced obesity and modulate the gut microbiota of mice.