While Google searches for ‘gut health’ have more than doubled in the last three years, 41% of consumers do not know about the gut microbiome and half of consumers are unaware of its impact on the gut health, according to research firm KRC Research which conducted the 2024 Danone Microbiome study as a follow up from 2021.
Global digestive health products reached a market value of $51.62 billion in 2023 and expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 8.3% between 2024 to 2030, driven by a growing demand for fortified food products, per Grandview Research data.
More than half of consumers lack awareness of the gut microbiome’s connection to other health priorities. Since 2021, survey data shows a slight decline in awareness of the gut microbiome’s link to immunity and mental health – down 4% and 6%, respectively – with 56% and 63% of Americans unaware of these connections. Additional gaps in knowledge include 54% not knowing its role in healthy aging and 61% in sleep quality.
Further, 73% of consumers are unaware that the gut microbiome is developed within the first few years of life, per the survey.
This gap in awareness highlights a need for more education on the gut microbiome and the types of foods and ingredients to support it, according to Danone.
Identifying differences in gut friendly diets, biotics and foods
When it comes to identifying eating habits and diets to improve gut health, only 10% of survey respondents correctly identified a flexitarian eating pattern, which promotes plant-based and nutrient-dense animal foods, versus other “restrictive” diets like keto and paleo, according to the study.
What are biotics?
Probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics and synbiotics can enhance gut health by promoting beneficial bacteria and supporting overall digestive function.
Yet, consumer awareness on biotics’ role on gut health and gut microbiome are promising with 88% of Americans indicating they are familiar with probiotics – a 4% increase from 2021 – and 76% and 60% of consumers aware of prebiotics and postbiotics, respectively, both up 11% since 2021, per the survey.
While consumer awareness of probiotics is encouraging, nearly half (49%) believe that fermented foods and beverages such as kombucha, sauerkraut or sourdough bread include them, which is down from 3% from 2021, according to Kristie Leigh, director of nutrition and scientific affairs at Danone North America.
She notes that processes like pasteurization and baking for fermented foods and beverages eliminate live microbes. She encourages consumers to check the label of products to ensure live probiotic strains, which multiply and support the microbiome, are included.
Yet, not all live and active cultures are probiotics, she said. With 44% of consumers assuming that all live and active cultures qualify as probiotics (down 3% from 2021), cultures should have science-backed research to show support for gut health.
Consumers also showed a gap in understanding on the impact on health between probiotic supplements and foods with 45% believing in their equivalence, according to the study.
Leigh argues that foods rich in probiotics, such as yogurt, are delivered more efficiently to the body over supplements because of their ability to “buffer” stomach acidity and effectively deliver other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein to the intestine.
The difference between probiotics and prebiotics is also an important education area with 71% of consumers (down 4% since 2021) thinking they deliver the same benefits to the body. While both support gut health, probiotics are live microorganisms that are added to the gut to support other gut microorganisms and prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that are consumed by gut bacteria.
Snacks, sodas and yogurt products shape gut health movement
Gut health products continue to capture consumers’ attention for healthy foods through a variety of formats, including soda, yogurts and yogurt drinks and snack bars.
Danone’s lineup of gut-friendly products, like Activia yogurt and Silk Kids’ prebiotic oatmilk blend, aligns with the company’s mission to explore research, according to the company.
The company also supports research through its Danone North America Fellowship Grant, which supports studies on probiotics since 2017 with more than $500,000 awarded to recipients in the field.
The growing use of weight loss drugs also are prompting brands to develop nutrient-dense foods that help curb side effects for digestive issues, such as snack and supplement brand Supergut.
The brand’s portfolio of gut-friendly products includes snacks, shake mixes and supplement powders that contain 6-15 grams of prebiotic fiber from green bananas, oat beta glucan, potatoes and vegetable fiber.
The company’s blog also features educational posts that break down the role of the gut microbiome and how consumers can distinguish between the types of biotics they need.
Gut health soda took off as the better-for-you soda movement went from niche to mainstream – most notably through PepsiCo’s acquisition of prebiotic soda maker Poppi in March.
Despite Poppi’s class action lawsuit on gut health claims for its prebiotic content and a controversial Super Bowl marketing campaign that delivered vending machines to influencers, the company maintained its positioning as a leader in the better-for-you soda category.
PepsiCo’s competitor Coca-Cola also released its own gut health soda, Simply Pop, in February, as an addition to its line of Simply juices and smoothies.
