Digestive health

Create consumer appeal with foods that are easy to digest

Digestive health is a mainstream need. Afterall, the gut plays a central role in immune defence. Choosing food and beverages that aid digestion helps to keep the gut balanced, which in turn boosts immunity. It is not surprising that gut health is top-of-mind among consumers.

• 71% of consumers see digestive health as “very” or “extremely” linked to immune health¹
• 8 out of 10 consumers say fibre, prebiotics and probiotics are “very” or “extremely” relevant to their diet¹
• 2 out of 3 consumers see gut health as a key part of holistic well-being²

Furthermore, a growing body of scientific research suggests that a healthy gut microbiome is closely linked to overall well-being, with implications for weight management³, metabolic health⁴ and overall health⁴ — opening up new opportunities for food and beverage brands to deliver products offering the digestive health benefits consumers seek.

Partner with Ingredion to enhance food and beverages with digestive health benefits  

Want to find an effective way to increase your growth in the digestive health market? Our solutions for dietary fibre, prebiotics and early life digestive health bring digestive health benefits to yogurts, baked goods, beverages, smoothies, bars, snacks, soups, ready meals and more.

Review our ingredients and some common digestive health questions below and then contact our experts for help in identifying a solution that’s right for your product. Together, we can find new ways to strengthen your brand in the health space and create value for consumers who want to optimise their digestive health and fibre intake.

Understanding digestive health

There are three notable components that contribute to digestive health, and considering each allows for a better understanding of consumer needs and corresponding ingredient solutions:​

• Optimal digestion, nutrient absorption and regularity​
• An efficiently functioning intestinal barrier
• ​A healthy gut microbiome

Digestive health solutions

With today’s standard diet, it can be a real challenge to meet recommended nutritional needs. There is global recognition that most individual diets fall short, and increased fibre intake is beneficial. For instance, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends adults consume 28 grams of dietary fibre per day, even as the average intake for U.S. adults aged 20 years and over is just 16.9 grams per day.⁵

Through Ingredion's holistic formulation approach and by using the right specialty fibres, starches and nutrient-rich, plant-based ingredients, our developers can help you improve the gut-health aspects of products without sacrificing taste and texture.

Necessary for appropriate digestion, nutrient absorption and defecation, our digestive health and fibre enrichment ingredients promote function of the digestive barrier and a healthy microbiome. Our full digestive health ingredient portfolio includes prebiotics (scFOS), soluble and insoluble fibres and low FODMAP ingredients from different raw material sources.

Our digestive health toolkit includes:

• Prebiotics – scFOS (short-chain oligosaccharides)
• Fibre fortification – scFOS, inulin, resistant starches (tapioca, potato, corn and high amylose corn, wheat and rice) and hydrocolloids
• Low-FODMAP – tapioca and potato resistant starches

Frequently asked questions about gut health

How do you improve gut health?

Gut health is often described by a combination of characteristics including appropriate digestion, nutrient absorption, defecation, adequately functioning intestinal barrier and a healthy gut microbiome. High-fibre diets have been linked to gut health. Dietary fibres are a group of non-digestible carbohydrates that can reach to the gut, which helps maintain bowel movements and a regular stool frequency. Certain fibre types, such as scFOS and GOS, promote calcium absorption. In addition, fibres such as resistant starch, gums, pectins, scFOS and GOS can nourish the gut microbiota as their main energy sources to expand population and form a healthy ecosystem. Studies have shown that short-chain fatty acids that are byproducts of fibre fermentation may enhance the intestinal barrier, which is critical to maintaining an appropriate nutrient absorption and defending pathogenic molecules and bacteria.

What is leaky gut?

A “leaky gut,” characterised by loose gaps in the intestinal walls, is usually caused by a disruption to the gut microbiome (dysbiosis) and impaired tight junctions which restrict the intestinal permeability. Dietary fibres such as inulin, resistant starch, gums, pectins, scFOS and GOS can nourish the beneficial gut microbiota and promote the release of short-chain fatty acids. Butyrate, one of the short-chain fatty acids, consistently showed benefits of improving tight junctions in various studies. Foods including fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains are generally good sources of dietary fibres. However, note that patients with gastrointestinal sensitivities such as irritable bowel syndrome should reduce high-FODMAP foods to avoid side effects such as bloating and flatulence⁷.

What are the best foods for gut health and digestion?

Overall, fruits, vegetables, legumes, cultured dairy products and whole grains that are high in fibre are best in promoting the beneficial gut microbiota and maintaining a functional intestinal barrier. Fully cooked foods are more easily broken apart, and thus, more digestible. 

What ingredients are good for digestion?

Certain fibres such as inulin, resistant starch, gums, pectins, scFOS and GOS can nourish the “good” gut microbiota and be metabolised by them into short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids play an important role in maintaining the intestinal barrier, the intactness of which enables a proper digestion of food and absorption of nutrients and water.

_{¹Ingredion Proprietary Research, Digestive Health Study (U.S.), 2021}

_{²Innova Trends Survey, 2021}

_{³Collins, Stephen M., Michael Surette, and Premysl Bercik. "The interplay between the intestinal microbiota and the brain." Nature Reviews Microbiology 10.11 (2012): 735-742.}

_{⁴Cani, Patrice D. "Gut microbiota—at the intersection of everything?" Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 14.6 (2017): 321-322.}

_{⁵USDA; GTC Nutrition Data; What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017-2018.}

_{⁶Innova Market Insights (CAGR 2017-2022).}

_{⁷Only products that have formally applied to Monash University’s Low FODMAP certification program may claim to be Monash Low-FODMAP Certified. The application process to Monash University includes undergoing lab analysis to confirm FODMAP compliance. Monash University Low FODMAP Certified Trademarks are used under license in the United States by Ingredion Incorporated. The information described above is offered solely for your consideration, investigation and independent verification. It is up to you to decide whether and how to use this information. Ingredion Incorporated and the Ingredion group of companies make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of the information contained above or the suitability of any of their products for your specific intended use. Furthermore, all express or implied warranties of noninfringement, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose are hereby disclaimed. Ingredion Incorporated and the Ingredion group of companies assume no responsibility for any liability or damages arising out of or relating to the foregoing.}

_{Product availability differs by country. Reach out to our experts to find a suitable solution for your needs.}