Dr Stephan Theis, Head of Nutrition Science and Communication at BENEO, discusses the latest research on gut health regarding weight management and explores how producers can integrate these learnings into their recipe formulations.
Consumers are linking digestive wellness to being healthy
Many of us have been in this industry long enough to remember a time when very few consumers realised that the state of their gut microbiome directly impacted their overall health.
However, digestive health is very much on the consumer radar these days. Approximately three out of four people worldwide believe that digestive health influences their physical well-being, immune system, weight and energy levels.1
This growing understanding is also shaping purchasing decisions, with many consumers seeking products containing scientifically proven ingredients that promote digestive health (such as prebiotics).
Almost six in 10 consumers say they are extremely/very interested in prebiotics (57%).2
For those consumers who already buy functional foods with prebiotics, three out of four say the most important factors when choosing a food or drink containing prebiotics are efficacy, health claims and science-based support.3
With consumers increasingly demanding proof points, the onus is on producers like never before to demonstrate the efficacy of their digestive health-promoting food and drinks.
This is when the world of functional ingredients and evidence-based claims offers so much potential to help producers build consumer confidence in their products.
During the past 25 years, the BENEO-Institute has collaborated closely with researchers worldwide to understand the influence of prebiotic ingredients on the gut microbiome and overall health, as well as the emerging field of the gut-brain axis.
As more is understood about the widespread influence of gut health and the role that prebiotics can play, it’s no surprise that research in this area has expanded significantly in recent years.
This has provided new insights and further substantiation in terms of their diverse effects on gut health and overall well-being.
It has delved deeper into the mechanisms by which prebiotics exert their effects on the gut microbiome and how this is related to the health benefits conferred on the host.
For example, a lot of research is ongoing with prebiotic chicory root fibre in the field of emerging science, and more is being learned about this ingredient’s link to improving mood and cognition, ameliorating metabolic diseases or reducing inflammation.
Gut health and weight management
With international headlines regularly featuring content about Ozempic, Wegovy and other weight management drugs, it’s no wonder that an area of particular interest in gut health research is weight loss and how it can be supported naturally.
As the nutrition and science communities look to build knowledge in this area, some interesting new research has shown that supplementation with chicory root fibre can lead to clinically meaningful reductions in body weight and other weight management parameters.
The systematic literature review with meta-analyses, conducted by Reimer et al., demonstrates that chicory root fibre intake promotes a significant reduction in body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, waist circumference and, to a certain extent, body fat percentage.4
The studies (32 randomised controlled trials with almost 1200 participants) were selected according to an extensive literature search and a review process that followed the guidelines of PRISMA and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and Interventions.5,6
The inclusion criteria for the studies were based on the consumption of chicory root fibre in randomised controlled trials that were designed to gauge its effect on body weight, BMI, total body fat, body fat percentage or waist circumference in adults of all health conditions.
Body weight was the primary outcome parameter for the systematic review with meta-analyses.
This was determined in 29 of the trials that involved 1184 adults and showed that supplementation with chicory root fibre resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 2% reduction in body weight compared with the placebo.
A priori subgroup analysis based on chicory root fibre also highlighted a significant reduction in body weight at a dose of 10 g/d (derived from the median of the investigated studies).
In addition, the review revealed that the effectiveness of chicory root fibre on weight loss was not reduced with time but became even more pronounced.
The researchers further reported that weight loss was achieved independently of the health status of the individual, making it a sustainable option for weight management.
Alongside reduced weight, chicory root fibre was shown to support reductions in BMI, fat mass and waist circumference parameters. Also, when the supplementation lasted for at least 8 weeks, a reduction in body fat percentage was noted.
This systematic review and meta-analyses show that inulin-type fructans, specifically those derived from chicory roots — such as BENEO’s prebiotic fibres, Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose — beneficially impact multiple facets of body weight management.
In addition, the wealth of scientific data suggesting that chicory root fibres support a healthy microbiota has resulted in the publication of a systematic literature review with meta-analyses.7
All in all, the results demonstrated that chicory root fibre intake (starting at 3 g/day) promotes significant growth of Bifidobacteria in the gut microbiome in all age groups and improves bowel function parameters.
Inulin and oligofructose belong on the list of very few proven prebiotics according to ISAPP (International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics).
Next to weight management, scientific research has established a range of other health benefits derived from prebiotic chicory root fibres that go beyond the gut.
These include blood sugar management, immune health, calcium absorption for bone health and even mood.8–12
Functional foods go mainstream
With almost six in 10 global consumers always or usually choosing foods and beverages that provide protective or preventive health benefits, functional food has moved from being niche to mainstream.13
In light of the convergence of an ageing population, chronic disease rises and the growing consumer awareness of the importance of healthy nutrition, the functional food industry can be expected to thrive for many years to come.
With consumers emphasising the need for scientifically proven health benefits, producers will increasingly need to use proven prebiotics such as Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose that come with a wealth of established research.
At the same time, the importance of the right on-pack communication cannot be underestimated; producers and functional ingredient providers will need to continue to work closely together to avoid using misleading information that has the potential to damage product and brand reputations.
References
- BENEO’s global survey on prebiotics, 2023, conducted by One Inch Whale (n=9000 in 9 countries).
- HealthFocus International, 2024 Global Trends Study: www.healthfocus.com/2024-global-trend-study/.
- FMCG Gurus, Prebiotics — Global Report (2022). One thousand nationally representative consumers (age and gender) were surveyed in 10 countries: filter = respondents who already buy prebiotics (n=1260).
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39313030/.
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781119536604#.
- www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n71.
- www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2022.2098246.
- https://rd.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs00394-017-1409-z.pdf.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24915372.
- http://jn.nutrition.org/content/137/10/2208.full.pdf.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16087995/.
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.016.
- www.healthfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Functional-Benefits-Magazine.pdf.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38332571/.
Other emerging areas of weight management
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Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a hormone that is naturally present in the body and released in response to food intake. It’s a key gut hormone that plays a fundamental role in blood glucose control, the stimulation of insulin secretion, appetite control and nutrient uptake. Owing to GLP-1’s fundamental role in appetite regulation, it is a perfect target when looking to modulate the body’s response to food intake while also engaging in effective weight management.
- Studies have shown that BENEO’s Palatinose (isomaltulose), a naturally sourced carbohydrate, supports weight management based on its slow-release properties. This smart carbohydrate promotes the release of beneficial gut hormones, including GLP-1, and shifts metabolism towards fat burning. A notable study led by Prof. Andreas Pfeiffer revealed that Palatinose stimulated the release of GLP-1 and other beneficial gut hormones in overweight adults, even when consumed before a meal.14 The findings show that Palatinose has a beneficial effect on metabolic parameters that are important when it comes to maintaining a healthy body weight, blood glucose control and cardiovascular health.
