Prebiotics are food for the beneficial microbes that live in our gut. They provide health benefits for the human being by selectively promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics are found naturally in…

When asked about how the microbiota, or more specifically how prebiotic chicory root fiber, can improve your metabolism, Prof. Raylene Reimer (University of Calgary) explained several ways in which the metabolism can be influenced.

A diet including larger amounts of dietary fiber and prebiotics is necessary to promote a healthy microbiota. Prof. Raylene Reimer from the University of Calgary emphasizes that prevention of obesity and metabolic diseases needs to start early in the life span, as early as in pregnancy and infancy.

Digestive health is important to consumers. In a U.S. survey, 61 percent of consumers reported concern about maintaining digestive health and 43 percent were actively looking for products with natural ingredients to support that goal.

Babies are born with an immature immune system and a nearly sterile gut. Programming of their systemic immunity begins soon after birth and is strongly influenced by the multitude of bacteria that colonize the gut in their first days and weeks to form the body’s microbiota.

The large intestine, or colon, is the site of several unique functions in the body. Sitting at the terminal end of the digestive tract, the colon employs its large surface area – 300 square meters or about the size of a tennis court – to absorb water and concentrate food residue into feces.