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Feeding the second brain: How the gut-brain axis is reshaping food for satiety, serenity & strength
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Thursday, 18 September, 2025, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
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Christian Philippsen
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 Most of us have felt it before: a “gut feeling” before making a big decision, or butterflies in the stomach when nervous. These sensations are more than figures of speech; they reflect the biological reality that our gut and brain are in constant conversation with each other.
For decades, food science focused on the gut primarily as a digestive system. But recent discoveries reveal that it’s so much more than that: the gut is now understood as a “second brain,” deeply intertwined with how we think, feel, and respond to life’s pressures. At the centre of this lies the gut microbiome — trillions of microbes producing chemical signals that influence both physical and mental health.
Consumers today are increasingly aware of this connection, and evolving science is reshaping how we view functional nutrition. In a fast-paced world where many struggle with stress, fatigue, and fluctuating energy levels, people are turning to nutrition not just for physical wellness but also for emotional balance, stress resilience, and cognitive performance. For food manufacturers, this opens a whole new frontier: the gut-brain axis as a foundation for holistic wellness innovation.
Decoding the Gut-Brain Dialogue
The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system linking the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. It operates through three main pathways:
- Neural signals carried via nerve connections, directly linking gut and brain.
- Hormonal messengers such as satiety hormones that regulate appetite.
- Immune pathways, where microbial metabolites influence inflammation, mood, and cognition.
Central to this dialogue is the activity of gut microbes. When beneficial bacteria ferment dietary fibres, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These SCFAs act as powerful messengers, regulating hormones like GLP-1 that influence appetite, glucose control, and neurological functions.
This is where prebiotics come into play. Defined as “a substrate that is selectively utilised by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit,” prebiotics nourish beneficial bacteria already present in the gut. Proven prebiotics include inulin and oligofructose from chicory root, as well as galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). By selectively feeding beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria, prebiotics help keep the gut ecosystem balanced, with ripple effects across the body.
In other words, the food we consume doesn’t just fuel our bodies. It sets in motion biochemical conversations that reach as far as the brain.
From Satiety to Serenity: Prebiotics in Action
One of the clearest examples of the gut-brain axis at work is appetite regulation. When prebiotic fibres are fermented, SCFAs trigger the release of satiety hormones. These signal to the brain that the body has eaten enough, reducing caloric intake and supporting healthy weight management.
But the story doesn’t end with satiety. Emerging research highlights the gut-brain axis as a critical player in mental well-being. A study involving 92 healthy adults with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression tested the effects of prebiotics derived from chicory root and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs)1. Within four weeks, participants who consumed prebiotics reported:
- Increased numbers of beneficial gut bacteria, including bifidobacteria.
- Lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
- Meaningful improvements in mood, with reduced anxiety and depression scores.
Further analysis revealed a direct correlation: the higher the levels of beneficial bifidobacteria, the lower the measures of negative feelings and stress.
As Professor Bob Rastall from the University of Reading, and a globally recognised microbiologist and expert in prebiotics and functional foods explains, gut microbes even help produce neurotransmitters like serotonin (often called the “happiness chemical”) which regulate mood and anxiety. By nourishing the microbes responsible for this, prebiotics provide a natural pathway to improve mood and resilience.
This means the foods we eat can do more than help us feel full — they may help us feel calmer, more balanced, and better able to cope with daily stress.
Building a Foundation for Lifelong Health
Prebiotics not only support a healthy weight and positive mood; they also form a vital foundation for long-term health. One key aspect of healthy living and ageing is blood sugar management — and here too, prebiotics play an important role. Because chicory root fibres are indigestible, they do not raise blood glucose at all. Instead, their fermentation supports beneficial hormonal responses, such as GLP-1 release, which help regulate insulin secretion and maintain energy balance. Even modest sugar replacements with chicory root fibres in everyday foods have been shown to significantly reduce post-meal blood glucose response. In this way, prebiotics contribute not only to digestive comfort but also to systemic outcomes such as blood sugar management and metabolic resilience.
Similarly, Palatinose, a slow-release carbohydrate, provides sustained energy for both body and brain. Unlike rapidly digested sugars that cause a spike-and-crash effect, Palatinose is digested more slowly, leading to a steady glucose supply. Studies have shown this supports improved mood and memory in both adults and children, particularly when consumed at breakfast. For young learners, low-GI carbohydrates like Palatinose help maintain sharper focus and better recall throughout the morning.
Taken together, these examples show how nutrition can address both immediate needs (satiety, energy, emotional balance) and long-term outcomes (metabolic health, mental performance).
The Opportunity for Food Innovators
For food and beverage manufacturers, the implications of the gut-brain axis are significant. Consumers are moving beyond “single-claim” products. Instead, they want foods and drinks that fit into a lifestyle of holistic well-being — supporting body, mind, and mood.
Prebiotics and low-GI carbohydrates are uniquely positioned to deliver on these demands because they:
- Support appetite regulation through satiety signalling.
- Enhance metabolic balance by moderating blood glucose.
- Promote emotional well-being by nurturing gut microbes that influence mood.
- Provide sustained energy for improved mood and cognitive performance.
This opens wide opportunities across categories — from snacks that leave consumers feeling satisfied yet light, to beverages that promise not just refreshment but support relaxation, and children’s breakfasts that keep young minds sharp. The challenge, and the opportunity, is to bring science-backed ingredients into everyday products in ways that resonate with consumer aspirations.
Moving Beyond the Gut
The discovery of the gut-brain axis marks a turning point in nutrition science. What was once seen as a narrow focus on digestion is now understood as a gateway to systemic health — from appetite to emotional resilience, and from blood sugar balance to memory support.
For consumers, this means that the foods they choose can actively contribute to both physical and mental well-being. For the industry, it means functional nutrition is no longer about isolated claims, but about a holistic promise: food that helps people feel better, think clearer, and live with greater balance.
By feeding the gut, we are feeding the mind. And in doing so, the food industry has the opportunity to shape not only what people eat, but how they feel.
(The author is managing director at Beneo Asia)
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