As consumers continue to recognize the important place of digestive health in immunity and cognitive and emotional health, their appetite for food formulations that offer gastrointestinal benefits grows. As better-for-you food and beverage formulators strive to stay up to date on new ingredients in the pipeline, it’s worth a brief look at a few key ingredients expected to trend in the coming year and beyond.
The polyphenolic compound curcumin, found primarily in turmeric, has long been recognized for myriad health benefits, ranging from antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to antidiabetic effects and hepatoprotective mechanisms. But while curcumin is nothing new to food formulations, emerging research has investigated its bioavailability and effects on gut microbes, with surprising results.