Prebiotics & Fiber: Providing a healthy diet for the microbiome that lives inside every one of us

It is daunting enough to consider the dietary health of a planet of nearly 8 billion people. Imagine taking responsibility for supplying the nutritional needs for up to 100 TRILLION individuals. It may sound impossible. But you could be doing that right now. Because living inside you, and every other human being, is a microbiome – a community of 10 to 100 trillion microbes residing in various parts of our bodies, including the gut. They are hard at work. The gut microbiome, for example, does most of the work of breaking down the nutrients our bodies need to absorb to thrive. As they break down nutrients, these gut microbes must feed on dietary fiber – and many of us don’t consume as much as is needed. While research into the role of the microbiome is still advancing, it has become clear that there is a vital link between a healthy gut microbiome and our own well-being. Nurturing a healthy microbiota can help us reach our own health goals – even when those goals are varied.

“A healthy gut microbiome is integral to digestive health, nutrient absorption and metabolic regulation, among other benefits - and that’s why it’s important to maintain a healthy gut microbiome through all life stages.” - Lauretta-Lyn Katsriku , Nutrition Health and Wellness Consumer Benefits Platform Leader

Understanding the Role of Dietary Fiber in Gut Health

At Ingredion, we are working to better understand how our prebiotics and fibers can support the specific needs of customers and consumers. “Though the science is still evolving, there is compelling research that shows dietary fiber as selectively utilized by specific gut microbiota to confer health benefits,”¹ says Lauretta-Lyn Katsriku. While that discipline is developing, there is already a pronounced need for food products that help consumers take better care of their gut microbiome. Though the recommendations on dietary fiber intake vary by factors of demographics, a daily amount of 25-30g is widely recommended. “The average adult is not consuming the minimum required amount of dietary fiber per day,”² Lauretta adds. “Government agencies all over the world are calling for increased fiber in finished food products.”

“Consuming the recommended amount of dietary fiber is difficult for most people. By finding ways to increase fiber intake through foods that are convenient and taste great, we are addressing a real gap in modern nutrition.” - Vanessa Bailey , Senior Manager, Global Strategy & Innovation, Healthful Solutions

Improving Gut Health by (Re)formulating with Fiber 

Ingredion has a broad portfolio of fibers available to customers to reformulate and fortify food and beverages for improved dietary fiber and gut health. An example of this offering lies in NUTRAFLORA® soluble prebiotic fiber. Our company's strong expertise in formulation aims to make healthy food both delicious and appealing to consumers. “There is more to gut health than simply providing probiotics,” says Vanessa Bailey. “The goal is to make sure the healthy microbes are supported with plenty of prebiotics and fiber too. We can help customers formulate to meet that goal.”

Unlock Growth in the Digestive Health Market 

Want to find an effective way to increase your growth in the digestive health market? We can help you (re)formulate your products to provide the better nutrition benefits consumers desire. Our solutions for dietary fiber, prebiotics and early life digestive health bring digestive health benefits to yogurts, baked goods, beverages, smoothies, bars, snacks, soups, ready meals and more.

1 Fu J, Zheng Y, Gao Y, Xu W. Dietary Fiber Intake and Gut Microbiota in Human Health. Microorganisms. 2022 Dec 18;10(12):2507 

2 McKeown NM, Fahey GC Jr, Slavin J, van der Kamp JW. Fibre intake for optimal health: how can healthcare professionals support people to reach dietary recommendations? BMJ. 2022 Jul 20;378:e054370.