Importance of a healthy balanced gut for overall wellbeing

April 7th is World Health Day, a perfect occasion to emphasize the importance of a healthy gut. A balanced gut is essential for both physical and mental health. In 2025, consumer food trends highlight the growing interest in mental health and mood-enhancing foods, with all generations seeking ingredients and supplements to boost mental and cognitive health.

Researchers are increasingly exploring the diet-brain interaction, particularly the microbiota-gut-brain axis. This system involves the gut's enteric nervous system, which communicates with the brain about hunger, satiety, and emotions, like stress and fear. The gut microbiota ferments complex carbohydrates into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate, which benefit our health.

Mental health and cognitive health

Mental health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a state of well-being that enables individuals to handle stress, realize their abilities, learn effectively, work productively, and contribute to their communities, and is a fundamental aspect of overall health. Cognitive health, a component of mental health, includes abilities like learning, memory, perception, and problem-solving. People often seek nutritional solutions to improve cognitive skills or counteract cognitive decline.

Industry response to interest cognitive wellbeing

The food and supplement industry is responding to the interest in mental and cognitive wellbeing by incorporating ingredients that affect the gut-brain axis. Prebiotics, such as inulin, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are recognized by ISAPP and can be found naturally in fruits and vegetables or added to foods like cereals and snack bars. When fermented by gut microbiota, prebiotics produce SCFAs which are able to impact the brain through various pathways.

Research on prebiotics and cognition

Although research on prebiotics and the gut-brain axis is still early, studies show promising results. For example, chicory inulin intake has been linked to improved episodic memory and cognitive flexibility. More research is needed to fully understand how prebiotics influence cognition, especially in individuals with suboptimal cognition due to stress, poor sleep, sedentary behavior, or unhealthy diets.

In conclusion, the microbiota-gut-brain axis is a crucial system where the gut and its microbiota communicate with the brain, potentially supporting brain function. To maintain a healthy and balanced microbiota, consuming prebiotics like chicory inulin and oligofructose is beneficial. As we celebrate World Health Day, let's recognize the importance of a healthy gut for overall wellbeing and continue to explore the potential of prebiotics in enhancing cognitive health. 

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