Top 5 Innovations in Digestive Health
/The consumer appetite for digestive health products has increased exponentially in recent years. In fact the digestive health food market is predicted to be worth $71.95 billion by 2027. And in the past five years, the number of Google searches for “gut health” has grown by 669%. So when it comes to our digestive systems, what are the most exciting innovations in terms of technology, foods, beverages, and dietary solutions?
1. Personalised Gut Testing
Affordable gut testing is one innovative method individuals are adopting in pursuit of digestive health. Consumers can now easily test their microbiome (bacteria that live in the body), and measure their overall health at a precise molecular level at home via a test kit they can purchase online. They then receive personalized nutrition recommendations and customised probiotic supplements.
2. Probiotic Rich Foods
The demand for probiotic rich foods doesn’t seem to be abating. Yogurt and kefir remain popular. As do fermented foods, like sauerkraut and kimchi. The drink, Kombucha, has experienced particularly impressive growth. Its market worth is predicted to be over $7 billion by 2027. North America is the largest market in the global kombucha industry, accounting for almost 40% of all sales. The trend of increased consumption of probiotic drinks and functional beverages has spurred this growth.
3. HMOs
Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs), the sugars found in breast milk, may be able to improve the gut health of adult population and may find their way into food and beverage products in the future. Interestingly a 2016 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that “HMO supplementation specifically modified the adult gut microbiota with the primary impact being substantial increases in relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Bifidobacterium in particular and a reduction in relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. This study provides the first set of data on safety, tolerance and impact of HMO on the adult gut microbiota. Collectively, the results from this study show that supplementing the diet with HMO is a valuable strategy to shape the human gut microbiota and specifically promote the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria”. More detailed studies are further required to assess the potential protective role of HMOs in healthy adults, but it’s certainly an exciting innovative prospect for the prebiotic and probiotic marketplace.
4. Digestibles and Pill Cams
Today digestibles and pill cams can be utilised instead of colonoscopies. These nano innovations are having a hugely positive impact in the field of gastroenterology. According to Medical Futurist, “Researchers working in nanotechnology are experimenting with exceptionally micro-sized – smaller than a millimeter – robots that literally swim through your bodily fluids, and one possible way to apply them to the digestive system is the creation of (well, what a surprise in the name) “digestibles“... The FDA approved the first digital pill with a digital ingestion tracking system in 2017". This technology could entirely replace the colonoscopy in due course and ultimately lead to more early diagnoses of all gastrointestinal issues.
5. Supplements
Digestive supplements such as aloe vera, ginger and milk thistle have seen increased demand since consumers have placed more emphasis on their guilt health. Likewise, prebiotic fiber supplements, Zinc Carnosine and L-Glutamine all support healthy guts, and have experienced a surge in demand.
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