As the role of health and wellness in our overall wellbeing evolves, now more than ever, digestive wellness emerges as a fundamental area of focus. An effective digestive system is closely linked to several other bodily functions. The immune system for instance, houses nearly 80% of the body’s immune cells in the digestive tract. The main aspect of digestive health is the balance of the naturally occurring beneficial bacteria in the gut, collectively termed as the gut microflora. Keeping the balance involves helping healthy, beneficial bacteria to thrive and survive and to keep unfriendly, harmful bacteria at a minimum. Let’s explore the fundamentals of digestive wellness.
SUPPORTING OUR GUT MICROBIOME
Introducing the trio for optimal digestive wellness:
1. Nourishing with Fibre- dietary fibre, often referred to as roughage, is the undigestible part of foods that are derived from plants. Fibre is divided into soluble and insoluble fibre. As the name suggests, soluble fibres dissolve in water. Examples include oats, barley, lentils, seeds, and nuts. Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water but rather adds bulk to our stool. Examples of insoluble fibre includes whole grains and vegetables. Fibre-rich diets are not only recommended for the benefits they have for overall human health (like assisting in reducing cholesterol, body weight, constipation, and blood pressure) but also the beneficial effects it has on the gut microbiota. People who consume fibre-rich diets often have a more diverse gut microbiota. So, how much fibre should we aim to consume? The American Heart Association recommends an intake of 25-30g dietary fibre from a variety of food sources. It is not always easy to meet your daily fibre goals so here are some tips for increasing your daily fibre intake:
- Include beans, peas and lentils into your diet.
- Aim to eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Keep the skin on fruit and vegetables.
- Choose wholegrain starches such as brown rice, whole-wheat bread, pasta, crackers, bulgur.
- Enjoy nuts, seeds and dried fruit as snacks or sprinkled over salads.
- Chose high fibre cereals like the FUTURELIFE® Bran Flakes as a high fibre breakfast option.
2. Fuelling with Prebiotics- The easiest way to describe prebiotics it that they are the food for pre-existing “friendly” bacteria found in the gut. They are the nourishment that the probiotic bacteria need to grow in the large intestine. Prebiotics mostly come from carbohydrate/ starch fibres, you may have seen them in some of our FUTURELIFE® products or heard of them before. They are known as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin. The great thing about prebiotics is that we have the inability to digest or absorb them when they reach our small intestine (the part of our bodies where most digestion takes place), and therefore they travel unchanged to our large intestine where they are available for the probiotic bacteria to use as “food”. This allows the friendly bacteria to make a perfect environment inside the large intestine. Prebiotics have other benefits like exerting protective effects on our gut which may assist in preventing colon cancer and enhancing the absorption of certain minerals.
3. Balancing with Probiotics- Completing the trio is probiotics. Probiotics are extremely beneficial in restoring and maintaining the balance of “good and bad” bacteria by repopulating the digestive tract with beneficial bacteria. The World Health Organisation defines probiotics as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. They can be consumed via probiotic supplements or foods such as fermented foods (sauerkraut, pickles), kefir, kombucha, yoghurt or other commercial foods with added active cultures. The most common beneficial bacteria include Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium and Lactobacillus and are probiotics, the army of ‘good’ bacteria which occur naturally in our digestive system already. So, probiotics help maintain the balance of bacteria in our gut but what does that actually mean? The benefits of probiotics extend into various domains of health:
- Gut Health- Probiotics promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation as well as diarrhoea. They are also commonly used by individuals with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for symptoms such as cramping, bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhoea.
- Immunity- 70-80% of your immune cells exist in your gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics also keep bad bacteria under control by competing with them for space and food in the digestive tract. Since good bacteria is more ‘at home’ in the digestive tract and there is generally a much larger army of ‘good’ than ‘bad’, good bacteria usually win the battle.
- Mental Health- The gut and brain are very closely linked. Some experts have called the digestive system a ‘mini brain’ or ‘second brain’ because the stomach and intestines actually have more nerve cells than the entire spinal cord. It is also estimated that 90% of the body’s serotonin (feel-good hormone) is made in the digestive tract.
Digestive wellness is fundamentally about organisms living together in harmony- a symbiotic relationship. Probiotics and prebiotics need to work together for this synergistic effect that nourishes and balances our gut microbiome, supporting our mental health, overall gut health and our immune system. Through mindful dietary choices, we can nurture this symbiotic relationship on our journey to optimal health. As we navigate through the hustle and bustle of modern life, nurturing our digestive system has become a fundamental aspect of proactive health.
WHERE DOES FUTURELIFE® FIT IN?
Introducing the FUTURELIFE® Digestive Wellness range! Where there is something for everyone.
Reaching your daily fibre requirements is easy with FUTURELIFE® Bran Flakes and Barley with Probiotic Capsules. It combines fibre and probiotics to support the functioning of the gut. One 45g serving of FUTURELIFE® Bran Flakes and Barley provides you with 39% of your daily fibre requirements.
Happy bellies means happy children and a great start to the day! With 40% less sugar than the leading children’s cereal, FUTURELIFE® OAT CEREAL BITS AND MULTIGRAIN POPS contains probiotics (250 million CFU per serving) and is high in fibre.
FUTURELIFE® GRANOLA CRUNCH VITALITY is delicious granola clusters made with real berries and fruit pieces that combines the benefit of fibre and added probiotics for a rejuvenating start to your day or anytime snack.
FUTURELIFE® GRANOLA CRUNCH ZERO contains zero added cane sugar, and instead a combination of carefully researched and internationally recognized sweeteners (maltitol and sucralose), and prebiotics inulin and oligofructose syrup. Furthermore, FUTURELIFE® GRANOLA CRUNCH ZERO is high in fibre and contains probiotics.
REFERENCES
- The Gut Microbiome: Potential Innovations for the Understanding and Treatment of Psychopathology. Matilda E. Nowakowski, Randi McCabe, Karen Rowa, and Joe Pellizzari. 2, s.l. : Canadian Psychology, 2016, Vol. 57.
- The Emerging Field of Nutritional Mental Health: Inflammation, the Microbiome, Oxidative Stress, and Mitochondrial Function. Bonnie J. Kaplan, Julia J. Rucklidge, Amy Romijn, and Kevin McLeod. 6, s.l. : Clinical Psychological Science, 2015, Vol. 3.
- Perler BK, Friedman ES, Wu GD. The Role of the Gut Microbiota in the Relationship Between Diet and Human Health. Annu Rev Physiol. 2023 Feb 10;85:449-468. doi: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-031522-092054. Epub 2022 Nov 14. PMID: 36375468.
- https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/
- Bengmark S, Martindale R. "Prebiotics and synbiotics in clinical medicine." Nutr Clin Pract . 2005 Apr; 20(2): 244.
- Slavin J. Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients. 2013 Apr 22;5(4):1417-35. doi: 10.3390/nu5041417. PMID: 23609775; PMCID: PMC3705355.
- http://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/en/probiotic_guidelines.pdf
BY: Bianca Jonischkeit / DATE: April 2024
DATE OF NEXT REVIEW: April 2026
