The gut health trifeca
Learn why your digestive system needs prebiotics, probiotics, and polyphenols to thrive — and how to easily get them into your diet.
Dealing with digestive issues? You've probably heard about the importance of your gut microbiome — the collection of bacteria, viruses, and yeasts living in your intestine.
These microorganisms play a vital role in your digestive and overall health. This role is so important that researchers refer to the microbiome as the "forgotten organ" — just as vital as other organs (heart, lungs, etc) to your overall health, but never quite got the privilege of being called one.
This mass of bacteria, viruses, and yeasts takes up residence in your large intestine, where they do a lot of key tasks to keep you healthy.
These tasks include helping you to digest and get the most nutrients out of your food, assisting in the regulation of your immune system, and even creating nutrients for you to absorb.
Supporting the microbiome
The gut microbiome needs your help so that it can stay healthy.
You see, the gut microbiome works its best when it's balanced.
Within the microbiome, you have "good" microorganisms and "bad" microorganisms. A balanced microbiome has plenty of good guys and just a few bad guys.
The way you live your life — the food you eat and the habits you incorporate into your lifestyle — play a huge role in the balance of your microbiome.
So today, we're going to talk about the 3 most important ingredients you can include in your diet to support a balanced microbiome.
Ingredient #1: Prebiotics
Prebiotics definition: According to the ISAPP, a prebiotic is a “substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.”
Plain English? Prebiotics act as fuel for the healthy bacteria living in your microbiome. By consuming them, you increase counts of beneficial bacteria in the microbiome, which in turn keeps the microbiome balanced.
Prebiotics are found in both food and supplements, but when it comes to really making a difference in your digestive and overall wellness, it's best to use a product that has a "therapeutic" level of prebiotics in it.
And not just any prebiotic, either.
The trouble with prebiotics is that many of them can actually cause the kind of symptoms they're meant to help with in people with digestive issues — bloating, abdominal pain, and bowel problems.
That's why we're obsessed with a very specific prebiotic called Sunfiber.
SUNFIBER: the well-tolerated prebiotic fiber
Made from the guar plant, Sunfiber is one of the hottest ingredients in the digestive health world and is known for its unique ability to prove beneficial for both constipation and diarrhea, as well as a host of other symptoms that go along with IBS and other digestive issues.
Let's go through some of the most recent research:
Sunfiber and Constipation:
Sunfiber has been used in many studies to reduce constipation and increase bowel movement frequency.
In addition to this, research shows that Sunfiber consumption improves stool consistency, changing it from hard to normal.
Consuming Sunfiber also seems to reduce the need for the use of laxatives and enemas, taking their use from 2 to <0.1 and 7-8 to 1-3, respectively.
Sunfiber taken at 5g/day has been shown to increase colonic transit time (the speed at which your digestive system moves food through it) by about 12 hours in constipated patients, and by about 22 hours in those with slow transit time.
That means that at a dose of just 5g/day, you may notice improvements in bowel movement frequency, abdominal pain related to constipation, and stool consistency.
That means that at a dose of just 5g/day, you may notice improvements in bowel movement frequency, abdominal pain related to constipation, and stool consistency.
Sunfiber and Diarrhea:
You would think that an ingredient shown to benefit someone with constipation wouldn’t be very helpful for someone with diarrhea, right?
Again, this goes to show how versatile Sunfiber is — it’s been shown to be very useful for acute cases of diarrhea, as well.
Sunfiber significantly reduces the incidence and frequency of diarrhea in those with health issues that make them more prone to this condition.
In a study of healthy adults made to have diarrhea (by giving them a hefty dose of sugar alcohols), 10g of Sunfiber reduced the incidence of diarrhea by a cumulative 82%.
It seems that a higher relative dose of Sunfiber is beneficial for diarrhea — these studies used doses from 5g all the way up to 28g/day with good effect.
Sunfiber and IBS:
Perhaps where Sunfiber shines its brightest is for those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or IBS-like symptoms.
That’s because, unlike many other supplements on the market, Sunfiber has been shown to:
- Decrease bloating
- Reduce abdominal pain
- Reduce flatulence (gas)
- Reduce abdominal spasms
- Improve bowel habits
- Improve quality of life
In addition to this, Sunfiber decreases the concentration of methane in stool. Methane production is known to contribute to constipation. This may be particularly helpful for those dealing with methane dominant SIBO.
The dosages used in these studies ranged from 5-10g/day, but even at the lower dosage Sunfiber was highly effective in reducing IBS symptoms.
One important note here: many of these studies had participants taking Sunfiber for at least 3 weeks, so make sure to give it some time to start working.
Ingredient #2: Probiotics
Probiotics definition: According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms, which, when consumed in adequate amounts as part of food, confer a health benefit on the host."
This means that probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria that you can consume for health benefits.
And you've probably heard of probiotics before — they've become quite popular in recent years! But with that popularity, we've lost a bit of the nuance that needs to be understood in order to get the most out of the probiotics you consume.
Here's what you need to remember: not all probiotics are created equally.
Why?
Well, put simply, strain matters.
Probiotic strain, that is.
You see, there are many different strains of probiotics — and the strain of a probiotic dictates its function.
That means that one probiotic strain may be great for digestive health, while another is perfect for vaginal health.
If you're looking for digestive benefits, the other one may not provide the effect you're looking for.
There are three parts to a probiotic name: the genus, the species, and the strain.
Let’s use our probiotic, Bacillus coagulans GBI 30 6086 (Ganeden BC30), as an example.
The genus is the first word, Bacillus.
The second word is the species, coagulans.
And the combination of letters and numbers trailing afterwards, GBI 30 6086, identifies the strain.
This particular probiotic strain, Bacillus coagulans GBI 30 6086, is known for its digestive and immune system benefits.
Take a different strain of Bacillus coagulans and it could have a completely different effect on your body.
Starting to see why strain matters?
When you're choosing a probiotic to include in your routine, make sure the strain you choose will give you the benefits you're looking for. Otherwise, it's a waste of your time and your money.
BC30: The probiotic for digestive health
There are three parts to a probiotic name: the genus, the species, and the strain.
Let’s use our favorite probiotic, Bacillus coagulans GBI 30 6086 (Ganeden BC30), as an example.
The genus is the first word, Bacillus. The second word is the species, coagulans. And the combination of letters and numbers trailing afterwards, GBI 30 6086, identifies the strain.
This particular probiotic strain, Bacillus coagulans GBI 30 6086, is known for its digestive and immune system benefits.
Bacillus coagulans GBI 30 6086 has been shown to:
- Reduce diarrhea
- Reduce abdominal pain and bloating
- Increase immunity
- Aid in properly digesting food
Take a different strain of Bacillus coagulans and it could have a completely different effect on your body. Starting to see why strain matters?
When you're choosing a probiotic to include in your routine, make sure the strain you choose will give you the benefits you're looking for. Otherwise, it's a waste of your time and your money.
Ingredient #3: Polyphenols
Polyphenols are compounds naturally found in plant foods. They are responsible for the colors you see in the food you eat — the red of your apple and the orange in your carrot.
So what do polyphenols have to do with gut health?
Research shows that polyphenols do something quite incredible: they act as a prebiotic (a substance that fuels beneficial bacteria in your gut) for the microbiome.
In return, your gut bacteria transform polyphenols into health-promoting metabolites that you’re then able to absorb into the body, providing benefits to body systems outside the gastrointestinal tract.
Because of this exchange, polyphenols can:
- Improve microbial balance in the gut microbiome
- Regulate blood sugar
- Reduce inflammation
- Improve heart health
In order to gain these benefits, it's a good idea to eat lots of colorful plant foods — as many as you can! In addition to fruits and veggies, don't forget about high polyphenol foods like spices, tea, coffee, and cocoa.
Our goal at Gut Power Drinks is to make consuming this trifecta of gut-supporting ingredients the most delicious experience ever.
Our drinks are dietitian-formulated and designed to get your gut feeling great.
In every scoop of Gut Power, you get:
- 6 grams of Sunfiber prebiotic fiber to fuel healthy gut bacteria
- 1 billion CFUs of Bacillus coagulans GBI 30 6086, our favorite heat-stable probioic strain for digestive wellness
- Real food, polyphenol-rich flavorings like matcha, cocoa, and cranberry lime
Getting everything you need for a healthy gut doesn't have to mean handfuls of pills or nasty-tasting herbs.
Instead, upgrade your routine and incorporate a decadent beverage to get everything you need to support your gut in the easiest way possible.
Plus, making your cup of Gut Power is simple. Just mix 1 scoop of your favorite Gut Power flavor with water or milk (or dairy alternative), add your sweetener of choice (if desired), mix, and drink!
SHOP NOW
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Frequently Ask Questions
When Will I Receive My Order?
As leading wholesale coffee roasters, you can be sure that you will receive the freshest coffee possible from our roastery at The Coffee Officina. We will send our orders no later than 48 hours after you have placed your order with us.
We send all our orders with Royal Mail and will use a courier if the order is over 2kg.
Do You Offer Barista Training Courses?
At The Coffee Officina, we want to help businesses to grow and a barista training course can help your café or restaurant to get ahead of your competitors. Therefore, we offer a variety of different levels of training, as well as coffee knowledge classes.
- These are held at either our roastery or your premises.
- For more information and to book our classes or courses, get in touch with our helpful team.
Do You Roast The Coffee Beans?
Yes! We roast our coffee at our roastery in Matching Tye, Essex. At The Coffee Officina, roasting is a vital part of the process to help to showcase the unique flavours that are locked inside the coffee.
We believe that every type of coffee should be treated differently during the roasting process, so when we hand roast our coffee, we adjust the roast profile accordingly. You can find out more by reading ‘our story’, or get in touch with our team, today.
Do You Sell Coffee Accessories?
As well as a variety of different coffee flavours and equipment in our shop, we also sell coffee accessories, enhancing your coffee experience. From tumblers to mugs, coffee makers and coffee servers, our range ensures that there is something for all coffee enthusiasts!
Where Is Your Coffee Sourced From?
What makes our coffee unique, is that we source our coffee from small farms and cooperatives around the world. We work alongside trusted specialty coffee importers and often we personally visit farms and cooperatives to find the perfect coffee for your morning, evening or afternoon coffee break!
- We have coffee from Brazil, Costa Rica and many more countries and regions!
- This variety means that you can choose between a nutty, fruity or sweet finish, whatever your preference!
- We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have about our coffee, accessories or equipment!
Do You Deliver Overseas?
Unfortunately due to the increasing complexity and Customs and Duty charge of crossing borders at the moment, we now only offer delivery in our country.
However, if you still would like to go ahead with your order, please get in touch and we will happily take your order and quote for shipping if relevant. To find out more about Customs charges and taxation policies, please contact your local customs office or visit their official website.
